Reverse Advent Calendar

For the last few years alongside our normal advent calendar we have also been doing a Reverse Advent Calendar.
If you haven't come across this before, this is where you put an item of food in a box for each day of advent for Food bank.

Some Food banks issue a list of suggestions of what to put in each day like this one from Islington Food bank:

Others suggest starting earlier in November to ensure the food gets to the food bank in time for Christmas.

We find out from the food bank which items are in short supply and try to include a high amount of these items. Then drop some each week at church as church has a food bank drop off point. There are also often drop off points at different local facilities such as supermarkets, community centres or to the food bank themselves.

Then for each day of advent the kids pick out an item each to put in the box.
And they really have gotten on board with this!
My 6yo was reasoning her choices.
"Yesterday I picked vegetables as that is healthy and today I'm picking chocolate for their pudding."
My 2yo excitedly shouting out "I pick soup!"

My 6yo told me yesterday morning that her favourite advent calendar is the one where they pick food for people who have no food.
That's above the one where she gets chocolate! That's definitely a parenting win!