As more people struggle to feed themselves and their families due to COVID-19 and food poverty, the Vegetarian Society is helping to tackle this problem by sending out veggie food boxes.

Over 80,000 veggie meals have been distributed since the scheme launched in March 2020, through food banks, housing associations and school networks to anyone who needs help with getting food.

Each of the Vegetarian Society Food Boxes contains all the ingredients for eight stove top meals with recipes for two dishes – a bean chilli and a green lentil and tomato ragu.

One person who received a food box said:

We were really excited to receive the box. It felt like a gift as everything had been thought of, down to little packets of salt and pepper.

The recipes in the boxes, created by the experts from the Vegetarian Society Cookery School, are nourishing, filling, cost effective and vegan.

John Soonaye from The Vegetarian Society said:

“The Vegetarian Society Food Boxes are needed now more than ever. We have had feedback from people saying the boxes made them feel cared for and looked after. Not only do the boxes give people filling meals, it also introduces them to cheaper, nutritious recipes that you can make again and again.”

The project has been funded by a mix of individual donations plus grants from Barclays Community Aid package and the National Lottery. Boxes are so far being distributed in London, Manchester, Glasgow, the Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and Liverpool with an ambition to provide veggie meals across the UK wherever there is a need. Donations can be made online here.

Photo: The Vegetarian Society