THE REAL MEAL STANDARD
A meal
is a meal.
Fully prepared. Nourishing. Made with care.
This is the Real Meal Standard.
How a meal gets counted today
A longstanding industry convention counts every 1.2 pounds of food as one meal. By that measure, 1,200 pounds of donated oranges can count as 1,000 meals.
But ingredients aren’t yet a complete, prepared meal.
As a chef-led nonprofit, we turn ingredients into nourishing meals. The Real Meal Standard defines what makes a meal complete.
Four criteria. One real meal.
01 / Fully prepared
Fully cooked and assembled before it leaves the kitchen.
02 / Balanced
A serving of protein, grain or starch, and fruits or vegetables.
03 / Dignified
Food people are glad to receive and cooked with care.
04 / Portioned for one
A complete meal that nourishes one person.
Every real meal has a serving of
Protein
2–3 oz cooked meat, poultry or fish · 2 eggs · ½ cup beans, lentils or tofu.
Grain or starch
1 slice bread · ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or grains · 1 small tortilla · ½ cup potato.
Vegetable or fruit
½ cup vegetables, fresh, canned or frozen · 1 medium piece of fruit.
One standard. Many kinds of meals.
From soups and stews to wraps, salads, and sandwiches, every real meal meets the same standard—while celebrating the diverse cultures of the people we serve.
What we mean by a real meal
Real meals are at the heart of our work. How we define them shapes how our impact is counted—and how that work gets funded.
Help bring real meals to your neighbors.
Your donation helps provide chef-crafted, nourishing meals to neighbors facing food insecurity. Made with care. Served with dignity.