The idea behind Baggin Meals is that each meal can be made from ingredients that we can keep on a shelf for a very long time.

Every care has been taken to use dehydrated, canned, or shelf stable ingredients. Nothing that will have to be used up within a few days.

I do have a few exceptions where ingredients can be frozen until used. These are marked with an * in the recipe title.

We hope that you will use the recipe collections within these pages to create Baggin Meals for those in need in your community. Theses are designed for food insecure people who have a place and supplies to cook them. These are NOT designed for homeless individuals.

We are creating a separate page with unique meals for that population.

Where can you donate baggin meals to?

Keep it local - the idea is to feed our local communities. So- we don't want you driving too far! Try your local church groups or schools. Perhaps the local YMCA.

Better yet - have a group of people you know each make a certain number of BagginMeals and donate them together in a big lot!

• Disclaimer *. This website is NOT about trying to make sure that all meals are nutritious, well balanced, or worried about fat content. We are simply trying to feed people in emergency situations.

How do I save money and still do this?

• Check your dollar store - they have spices and plastic tiny containers with lids to put them in

• make your own - there are recipes in here to make your own spice blends or mixes - these can save you money

• buy in bulk - buying some of these ingredients in bulk and then portioning it out can save you money!

• check international stores - sometimes, things like rice, dried onions, dried spices, etc, can be purchased in these stores for a lot less!

• Ask friends/neighbors to get their groceries in brown bags and have them donate them to you when they are finished with them. Porch dropoffs work well for these types of items.

• check amazon. sometimes their (amazon) brand is cheaper - specifically on their ranch mix!

• use store brands - they are the same thing, and often quite a bit cheaper

• Buy dried beans instead of canned and portion them out. (remember to print out dry bean instructions to go with your recipe)

• read the recipes before purchasing - I say this because some of the recipes call for more expensive ingredients (green/red curry paste, sun-dried tomatoes, etc), choose your recipes based on your budget and order accordingly.

• keep a few packets of soy sauce from your Chinese/Thai order to use instead of portioning out soy sauce for the minestrone soup.

• grow your own herbs and then dry them.

• use stock cubes in the bags instead of containers of stock liquid.