In a previous post, I wrote about the micro food pantries that are popping up outside churches, schools and businesses in communities around the country (link HERE).

Then I added a couple of posts about stocking your local micro pantries or food pantries with the same kind of meal kits or recipe kits offered by meal delivery services such as Sunbasket, HelloFresh and Blue Apron (links HERE and HERE).

Meal kits or recipe kits are great for micro pantries and food pantries because it is often hard for people using the pantries to find all the ingredients they need to make a particular recipe. So from time to time, as I think of ideas for meal kits or recipe kits, I will continue to share them.

One of the challenges in creating the kits is the need for the recipe kits or meal kits to use only nonperishable ingredients. Here are some ideas for complete meal kits that meet this requirement – one for chicken a la king, one for tamales with rice and beans, one for chicken alfredo and one for a sack lunch.

These kits can usually fit nicely into a gallon-size zip-lock bag.

For the chicken a la king meal, I include a biscuit mix that only requires adding water. For a family-size meal kit, you might want to consider including two cans of the Chicken a la King for more generous servings. You can also add a can of vegetables such as peas or green beans to complete the meal.

One of the popular Tuna Helper offerings is Tuna Fettuccini Alfredo. I find this boxed recipe works very well with chicken as well as tuna. To complete the meal, add a can of veggies such as zucchini in tomato sauce.

For the tamales with rice and beans, the heat & eat Spanish rice works nicely because one can simply heat it in the microwave rather than needing the additional ingredients often required for the boxed mixes. A plastic container of salsa or taco sauce can also be included in this meal kit.

Sack lunches are also a popular item in either micro pantries or food pantries. Include a protein item such as jerky, a protein granola bar, trail mix, or crackers with peanut butter or cheese, a fruit cup and a container of vegetable juice for a complete and balanced meal. Including a plastic silverware and napkin packet is a nice touch.

Question for readers: Do you have any great ideas for recipe kits for food pantries or micro pantries? Please share your suggestions in the comments section below.