Providing menu and shopping toolkits to improve food access and security during a pandemic

In response to COVID-19 stay-safe-at-home orders, the University of Minnesota Extension created and disseminated menu and shopping list toolkits for use by consumers and emergency food supply organi­zations. The menus were developed to use items commonly available from food pantries and small rural grocery stores. The menu and shopping toolkits have been useful to provide to consumers who are shelter­ing in place during the pandemic and may be useful to consumers and emergency food providers during other emergencies such as natural and human-made disasters that may limit access to food.