Additional resources in your community may be able to assist with a variety of needs — to include food and grocery support.
WV211 maintains an accurate and comprehensive database that you can use to find health and human services to meet your need. The program is a collaborative project of the United Ways of West Virginia.
Click here: WV211
Call: 2-1-1
Text: You may text your zip code to 898-211
DHHR Field Offices are available to provide family assistance and social services. Please click here to find your local field office for more information: DHHR Field Offices.
County boards of education continue to make meal service available to children throughout West Virginia. Please contact your local county board of education: WV County Boards of Education.
Mutual Aid and Community Groups:
Serving Boone, Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam, Mason, Mingo, Wayne, Wyoming (West Virginia)
Greenup, Boyd, Lawrence, Martin (Kentucky)
Lawrence (Ohio)
Mountaineer Food Bank
Serving 48 counties in West Virginia
Grocery Shopping and Budgeting Ideas
Click here for a list of meal planning, budgeting and shopping tricks. Depending on your diet, proteins, fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy products are all items to include on your list to have on hand and build meals for your family. For some additional ideas regarding grocery lists, budget suggestions and pantry stocking ideas to make your trip to the store easier, click here. For a video with tips on how to avoid breaking your budget at the store, click here. To better understanding unit pricing and how it can save you money on similar food items, click here.
Basic meal components to have on hand:
- Proteins: Various meat, beans, legumes, nuts, and nut butter.
- Fruits and vegetables: Fresh or frozen. Keep in mind, frozen fruits and vegetables retain the same nutritional value as fresh because they are picked and frozen at peak freshness.
- Grains: Rice, pasta, oats.
- Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt.
Click here to watch a video explaining how to make a store list before you go to the grocery store. Remember to check the labels of the food items you buy at the store. Click here to watch a short video explaining what to look for when reading the labels.
Cooking Tips and Food Safety
For some helpful cooking tips, click here, including ideas for thrifty meals, cost efficient choices at the grocery store, food safety and meal planning. Take time to learn about the different appliances that can make preparing and cooking food easier by clicking here.
For more detailed information on food safety from maintaining shelf stable food to storing times in the refrigerator and freezer, click here. For tips on lowering sodium content and rinsing canned goods, click here.
Extending the Life of Your Food
Whether you have prepared your food, bought some items in bulk or have leftover ingredients, extending the life of your food is another great cost and time saving option. Click here for some tips and tricks on food preservation.
Recipe Resources
Click here for a comprehensive list of recipes including many that incorporate locally grown West Virginia food; from garden staples to less familiar foods, some recipes could become a staple in your home.
Kid friendly recipe ideas can be found by clicking here.
Want even more recipes ideas? Click here to choose from over 1,000 USDA sponsored recipes; filter by cost, food group, course, type of cuisine, time needed to prepare the meal and necessary cooking equipment.
