In an effort to provide more access to healthy foods in the Second Ward, a USDA-designated food desert, Cooking Matters and Little Red Box Grocery (LRB) have teamed up to create a menu of affordable meal kits with various recipe options for residents and families in East End Houston. Currently, 1 in 5 kids face hunger in Texas and as the holiday season approaches, food-insecure children face an increased risk of going hungry due to the gap in school meal accessibility.

Funded through Cooking Matters, a program of the national non-profit Share Our Strength, the Little Red Box Grocery meal kits will help families in the underserved Houston community cook healthy meals, engage children with culinary and nutrition skills and stretch their already tight food budgets. With a median household income of $30,872, Second Ward household incomes are nearly 30% lower than that of greater Houston.

Focused on convenience, affordability and nutritional value, these meal kits will range from $15 to $25 to feed a family of four. There are six meal kits to choose from with each containing perishable and non-perishable food items as well as Cooking Matters recipes and food skill education resources. Food items that can easily be constructed into a complete meal will include fresh produce, rice, beans, eggs, tortillas, cereal, milk, pasta and a variety of seasonings.

“Cooking Matters shows the powerful impact of child nutrition and how healthier food choices can lead to decreased health concerns and better learning experiences,” said Jill Panichelli, Director of Partnerships and Expansion for Cooking Matters. “Empowering families to shop and cook healthier can be difficult, largely due to affordability and access. However, alongside partners such as Little Red Box Grocery, we can make resources like these easily available so that families can live a healthy life on a budget that works for them.”

The 800-square-foot small-format grocery store opened earlier this year and is strategically located in the heart of East End Houston at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd Suite G, Houston, TX 77003.

“The issue of food deserts is one where a persistent lack of access to healthy and affordable foods leaves an urgent need for fresh solutions in neighborhoods like the Second Ward,” said Samuel Newman, founder of the Little Red Box Grocery. “We are excited to partner with Cooking Matters to ensure these meal kits not only have versatile ingredients that can be used for various recipes but so families can have the opportunity to gather around the dinner table more often.”

For more information about the meal kits please visit www.littleredboxgrocery.com.