Ensuring nutritious and affordable food for all

Tips for running a foodbank or other food project

We recognise the vital work that food projects are doing in the city and want to extend our gratitude for all that you do for Birmingham citizens, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

We know that the food projects (such as foodbanks, food pantries, food clubs, social supermarkets, community cafés and on-street feeding groups) in our city are already working hard to help Birmingham citizens in need.

Resources and tips for food projects in the city:

1) Guidance around what food to provide.

Have a look at our guidance around what food to provide to help people eat a diet that enables them to thrive.

We want to support you to address food insecurity to its fullest extent by providing as nutritious food as possible. This resource has been developed by the Food System Team in the Public Health Division at Birmingham City Council, as a tool to be used by food banks and other food aid providers where possible.

This document provides guidelines on how to put together a nutritionally balanced food parcel, with ingredients that can be cooked into a meal. It also considers individual requirements such as food intolerances/allergies, cultural preferences and cooking facilities. We have already heard from some food projects in Birmingham that this guidance has been helpful for them!

Download guidance for nutritious food aid

2) Become a Healthy Start vitamin distributor

Become a Healthy Start vitamin distributor so you can give out vitamins for free!. You can email publichealthcypteam@birmingham.gov.uk for more details.

3) Consider accepting Healthy Start vouchers

If you are a food project where people pay for food, consider signing up to accept Healthy Start vouchers.

Healthy Start is now available as a card. People receive a certain amount of money to spend on fruit, vegetables, milk and formula. Accepting Healthy Start cards may support the people who use your food project.

You can email publichealthcypteam@birmingham.gov.uk for more details.

4) Toolkit to increase dignity and reduce shame and stigma

Have a look at our toolkit to see how you can increase dignity for those using your food project

For more details, view our page on addressing shame and stigma in foodbank use.

5) Join the Birmingham Food Justice Network

The Food Justice Network (FJN) is a network of over 200 individuals, consisting of:

  • charities and charities working with the homeless community
  • community interest companies
  • social enterprises
  • community groups
  • groups tackling food waste
  • public sector workers
  • organisations that provide advice, befriending and social activity
  • mutual aids
  • individual volunteers
  • religious groups of various religions
  • academics
  • public health professionals, all working together to tackle food insecurity, with some offering food support in the form of hot meals, food parcels, low cost food options and/or pantries.

They are an informal, non-hierarchical network, born out of the amazing work done by countless organisations and individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. This coordinated response across Birmingham exposed the need for a city wide network responding to food insecurity, resulting in the FJN.

The Food Justice Network is not part of Birmingham City Council, although we aim to keep a strong link.

The FJN has a mailing list, WhatsApp group chats and the occasional meeting, to help share information and resources amongst members including food, knowledge, support, funding and other opportunities, and events.

They work collaboratively with the aim to ensure everyone has fair access to good, nutritious food. We work to gather evidence of the issues within the current food system, influence policymaking and create innovative solutions to the problems whilst raising public awareness of the issues.

To sign up to the mailing list and/or group chats, you can fill out a short form.

For more details you can email foodjusticenetwork@theaws.org

6) Check if your project is on the Food Justice Network Map

The FJN has mapped food provision across the city, with the aim of having information on where people can access help with food available and accessible to individuals, professionals, and services.

View the Food Justice Network map

To add a food provision to the FJN Map, or to edit existing information, you can use fill out a short form.

Page last updated: 25 October 2023

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