A partnership between Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Limited) and charity Meet the Need is putting more than quality New Zealand beef into food bank parcels, with a new collection of simple, budget-friendly recipe cards helping families turn donated mince into nutritious, filling meals.
The latest recipe cards have been developed as part of the ongoing partnership with state-owned enterprise Pāmu and Meet the Need, which connects New Zealand’s farming community with families experiencing food insecurity.
The recipe cards are designed around affordable ingredients and everyday kitchen staples, making it easier for people to turn a pack of donated mince into a meal the whole family can enjoy.
The recipes have their roots in Pāmu farms, where staff were invited to share their favourite mince recipes through internal competitions. The resulting collection includes family favourites such as Chilli-Crisp Noodles, Great Nana’s Kiwi Gold Pie, and Smuggled Beans Spag Bol.
Pāmu Chief Corporate Services Officer Roz Urbahn says the recipe card initiative aims to build on the annual donation to Meet the Need by giving Pāmu people on farms the chance to share more with the communities around them.
“We have donated to Meet the Need every year since its inception, This year we wanted to add more of a personal touch. These recipes came from running a competition for recipe cards with our people on farm, using everyday ingredients, to turn a pack of mince into a family recipes to share. It is a simple way to connect what we produce on farm with the communities we are proud to support.”
Pāmu has donated $25,000 again this year to Meet the Need, which is the equivalent of a beast per livestock farm and on the mince end it means more than 21,300 mince meals for New Zealand families. The recipe cards are distributed alongside donated mince through Meet the Need’s network of community food banks and organisations supporting people experiencing food insecurity.
Meet the Need General Manager Zellara Holden says the partnership demonstrates how food donations can have an impact beyond simply filling a food parcel.
“When someone receives a food parcel, having quality protein can make a real difference to what they’re able to put on the table. But sometimes knowing what to do with that ingredient can be just as important.
"These recipe cards take something as simple as a pack of mince and turn it into inspiration for a family meal. They’re practical, accessible and designed with real-life budgets and kitchens in mind.
"The support of Pāmu is a wonderful example of what can happen when farmers, community organisations and food banks work together. It’s about making sure good food reaches the people who need it, while also giving families ideas and confidence to make the most of it.”
Meet the Need’s partnership with Pāmu forms part of its wider work connecting New Zealand’s farmers and food producers with food banks across the country. In the past year, Meet the Need supported 148 food banks nationwide, helping deliver more than 1.27 million mince and milk meals to people experiencing food insecurity.
Holden says partnerships like this are vital as demand for food assistance continues.
“Food insecurity is not always who you think. Families can find themselves needing support for all sorts of reasons, and a food parcel can provide an important helping hand when household budgets are stretched.
“The generosity of farmers and businesses like Pāmu means we can get good, nutritious food into communities while also finding creative ways to make that support go further.”
The new Pāmu recipe cards will continue to be distributed alongside donated mince through Meet the Need’s food bank network, helping bring a little inspiration to the dinner table, from the farm, to the food bank, and ultimately to homes across Aotearoa.
