No more chocolate for donating blood. New offers in return are astonishing.

Author: BM • Source: Rynek Zdrowia • Published: August 6, 2025 09:19 • Updated: August 6, 2025 12:34
Instead of nine chocolate bars, you can get mayonnaise, halva, granola, or a pizza coupon. Regeneration kits for blood donors in Poland are surprisingly diverse and creative, though they're also controversial. All within the regulations—the goal is to provide 4,500 calories.
- One donor in Krakow received a kit containing, among other things, a jar of mayonnaise, which sparked a wave of online comments.
- The director of the Regional Center for Culture and Human Resources in Krakow explained that the sets comply with the regulation - they must contain 4,500 kcal
- The donor can choose the preferred package, e.g. two jars of mayonnaise or nine bars of chocolate are energetically equivalent
"Fakt" described a case from Krakow where a blood donor received a package containing cookies, chocolate, and an unusual addition— a jar of mayonnaise . Online comments were full of disbelief, such as "April Fools' Day already" and "Mayonnaise after donating blood?"
Dr. Beata Mazurek, director of the Regional Blood Donation and Treatment Center in Krakow, explained that such kits comply with applicable regulations. According to the regulation, a recovery meal must provide as many as 4,500 calories .
The director gave an example of the energy value of:
- nine bars of chocolate, but also
- two jars of mayonnaise and three halva.
The donor has the option to choose their preferred set.
And it's all the tenders' faultThe changes in the packages offered are a result of chocolate supply issues and tenders conducted by individual RCKiKs. As a result, the offerings vary depending on the city: in Łódź, you can get a chocolate drink and a bar, in Gliwice, a pizza voucher, and in Bydgoszcz, granola and nuts. While some centers still offer the classic nine chocolates, others are experimenting with peanut butter or trail mix.
Not all internet users support these changes: they wonder about the wisdom of consuming mayonnaise alone when the goal is to supplement calories.
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