Innovative Repackaging Program Makes Protein Accessible to More Lander Families

In Lander, rising protein prices leave many residents unable to afford meat, while bulk meat available through the Food Bank of the Rockies often goes unclaimed because Wyoming food banks lack commercial kitchens to safely repackage it into family-sized portions. When the new director of the Care and Share Food Bank noticed valuable bulk items—like eight whole chickens packaged together—sitting unsold in the online ordering system, she reached out to LOR with an innovative solution. By using the LOR-supported, shared-use kitchen at Meadowlark Market, she tested repackaging bulk meat into family-sized portions using limited supplies on hand, and residents were thrilled with the results. This approach allows the food bank to acquire high-value protein items for free or at deep discounts that other Wyoming food banks cannot use, maximizing the impact of their $2.50 per-person monthly budget. LOR’s funding will help purchase vacuum-seal bags in various sizes to launch this first-of-its-kind program in Wyoming, ensuring hundreds of Lander families can access affordable protein while creating a replicable model for food banks statewide.