Daily life during a pandemic is unnerving enough without constant worries over whether you will go hungry tomorrow or have enough nutritious, sustaining meals to feed your family. This ongoing shortage has become more crucial than ever as local hunger relief programs observed a 40% rise in food insecurity and the need for assistance during the pandemic. I vividly remember being a young mother, scrimping to buy my toddler meat and vegetables and being grateful for my own meal of oatmeal and tea. The current situation is even more challenging, due in part to the constraints imposed by Covid-19.

Access to nourishing food is difficult for countless people in rural, inner city and low-income communities. Many people are forced to eat the most highly processed and least nutritious food - because it is the only food available and affordable near home. Although highly processed food may help people meet their calorie needs, it does not provide the essential nutrients necessary to keep them healthy. Many forms of malnutrition result from these circumstances.

Thankful for being retired, healthy and financially secure, I spent my time in isolation improving my own health and creating this cookbook in support of people facing a lack of proper nourishment. My objective is to share wholesome, comforting, and thrifty recipes to help all cooks be more creative using whatever ingredients are available. All royalties from the sale of this publication will go to the local food bank and my neighbors experiencing food insecurity during these challenging times.