Today, we’ve put together a 3-course meal with the help of Pacific Foods and the contents they provide in their Nourish Every Body Food Backpack.
Today’s post is sponsored by Pacific Foods. We are honored to help spread the word about their amazing program helping to feed families in need, Nourish Every Body.
Today’s post is extremely special to Trevor and me. Today, we’re working with Pacific Foods to spread awareness for their Nourish Every Body campaign to feed families in need.
First: a little bit about the program.
Through the Nourish Every Body program, Pacific Foods is on a mission to donate 50,000 meals to families in need. Um, how cool is that?!
Did you know that over 49 million Americans struggle with hunger and 20% of kids in the US suffer are food insecure? During the school year, these children rely on their school’s free or reduced lunches for meals, but on weekends and holidays, many of them go without food.
When Pacific Foods reached out to us, we didn’t think twice. We’re seriously so honored to be helping, even if it’s just a little bit, towards something so important.
In order for us to help, Pacific Foods asked if we could create 3 recipes using the contents of Pacific’s 3-Day Nourish Every Body Food Backpack. Right now, these backpacks are shared with low-income, free lunch eligible students in the Portland, OR area. Because of this, we were asked to develop recipes that used the contents in this box, other items commonly found at food banks, and could be prepared with a microwave and silverware: a spoon, a butterknife, and a fork.
The reasoning behind only using a microwave and a silverware, is to make these recipes safe for young children to prepare.
Everybody deserves to be able to eat a nutritious and delicious meal. With the help of Pacific Food’s amazing products, I created three recipes that do just that.
Today, we’ve created a complete meal: mac and cheese, re-fried black beans, and peanut butter oatmeal cookie bites.
First up, the mac and cheese.
Simply stir together Pacific Foods Mac & Cheese, Pacific Foods Chicken Thigh Meat, a little bit of Pacific Foods Poblano Pepper & Corn Chowder, and drained canned mixed veggies! Pop it in the microwave until it’s warm, season with salt, and it’s ready to go.
To go with the mac and cheese: black beans. All I did was stir together Emily’s Table Re-Fried Black Beans, more of that yummy Pacific Foods Poblano Pepper & Corn Chowder – we’re having a zesty meal tonight! – and some canned corn for just a little pop of texture. Again, throw this in the microwave, season with salt, and you’ve got yourself a really easy, nutritious, and delicious meal.
But wait. No meal is complete without dessert. Amiright or amiright?
So I made peanut butter oatmeal cookie bites. They taste like peanut butter and jelly, so naturally, they’re amazing.
Stir together oatmeal, milk (Emily’s Table milk cartons are provided in the box), peanut butter, oil, and a handful of craisins/raisins. Scoop these out into cookie dough balls, refrigerate or freeze until firm, and enjoy…preferably with a side of milk! 😉
There you have it! A complete, nutritious, yummy meal using only the contents in the Pacific’s 3-Day Nourish Every Body Food Backpack, common items found in a food bank, a microwave and silverware.
I just want to thank Pacific Foods for giving us such an incredible opportunity and I truly hope that these recipes help a family.
Now. How can YOU help? It’s simple! Make a dish with YOUR favorite Pacific Food’s product, take a quick photo, and post it on social media with the tag #NourishEveryBody @PacificFoods. For every tagged photo you share, they’ll deliver a meal to a family in need. Let me say that one more time… For every tagged photo you share, they’ll deliver a meal to a family in need.
Use one of the share buttons below and help us get the word out about this amazing cause!
If you’re interested in helping out in your own community, Pacific’s got some great tips, tricks and tools on the site to help you get started. Just head to nourisheverybody.org for more information.
Together, we can feed so many hungry families. Together, we can make a difference!
– Jennifer
Nourish Every Body
Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 1 box Pacific Foods Mac & Cheese
- 1 box Pacific Foods Chicken Thigh Meat drained
- ½ cup Pacific Foods Poblano Pepper & Corn Chowder
- ½ cup canned mixed vegetables drained
- salt to taste
Black Beans
- 1 box Emily's Table Re-Fried Black Beans
- ½ cup Pacific Foods Poblano Pepper & Corn Chowder
- ½ cup canned corn drained
- salt to taste
Oatmeal Cookie Bites
- ½ cup oatmeal old fashioned oats or quick cooking are fine
- ¼ cup Emily's Table Milk
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable/canola oil
- 1-2 small boxes raisins/craisins
- salt to taste
Recipe Video
Instructions
Mac and Cheese
- Mix together mac & cheese, chowder, and mixed vegetables.
- Warm in the microwave until heated through.
- Season with salt and serve!
Black Beans
- Mix together black beans, chowder, and corn.
- Warm in the microwave until heated through.
- Season with salt and serve!
Oatmeal Cookie Bites
- Mix together oatmeal, milk, peanut butter, and oil until well combined.
- Stir in raisins/craisins.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form into balls, and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
- Serve cold!
- Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
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*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Thanks again to Pacific Foods for sponsoring this post and thanks to YOU, readers, for supporting brands that are working towards such a worthy cause!