A pioneering project offering affordable, high-quality meal kits has officially launched in Rhyl, providing a vital new resource for local families. Social housing provider ClwydAlyn has partnered with food-solutions organisation Well-Fed to establish the Rhyl MealCentre, following a successful pilot scheme with a dozen local households.
What's on the Menu at the Rhyl MealCentre?
The centre, based in the Holy Trinity Building within the grounds of St Thomas's Church, provides weekly meal kits and ready meals directly to the community. The kits are designed to be quick, easy to prepare, and free from ultra-processed foods (UPF). Each kit contains pre-measured ingredients and a simple recipe card, minimising waste and simplifying cooking.
Prices are subsidised and accessible, ranging from £4.50 to £12.50 per kit, with most kits designed to feed a family of four. The menu changes regularly and has featured dishes such as creamy chicken and mushroom pasta, one-pot chicken biryani, smoky BBQ chicken traybake, and even a full roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings.
Building Confidence and Combating Food Poverty
The initiative goes beyond simply providing food. It aims to equip residents with the confidence and skills to cook nutritious meals at home. Hannah Burton, Community Development Manager at ClwydAlyn, emphasised the project's goals: "We want all our residents to eat well, save time and enjoy a stress-free meal experience."
Feedback from the pilot was overwhelmingly positive. One participant noted, "I enjoyed cooking the meals and we found the portion sizes really good," while another praised the freshness and taste of dishes like Hunters Chicken. Several families highlighted that their children enjoyed both eating and helping to prepare the meals.
A Community-Driven Partnership
The MealCentre is run by volunteers, with orders parceled and refrigerated for convenient collection every Tuesday between 11am and 2.30pm. Faith Lightfoot, Social Programmes and Campaigns Manager at Well-Fed, stated the centre is about "dignity, choice and supporting people to cook great meals at home without stress or unnecessary cost."
Rev'd Helen Gheorghiu Gould, priest of St Thomas's Church, welcomed the partnership, linking the project to the church's mission: "The sad truth is that many are suffering from food poverty and an epidemic of unhealthy cheap food. With this project we just want to do our bit to make good, healthy food more accessible."
Residents can place weekly orders and collect them from the Community Café at the Holy Trinity Building. For more information, visit the Well-Fed website or email info@well-fed.co.uk.
