As a former foodbanker, we used meal equivalents when applying for grants and such. The industry standard used by many foodbankers across the country is that 1.25 to 1.50 pounds is a meal equivalent.
So a typical scenario might be that for a 3 person family that receives 25 pounds of food from their local food pantry would receive enough food for approximately 2 days. (25 # divided by 1.25 # per meal = 20 meals. 20 meals divided by 9 meals to feed 3 people for one day = 2.2 days) As to how much a typical 4 X 8 bed produces, I've seen everything from 4 pounds to 15 pounds. Connie Nelson Spokane, WA
