Gold Plate Awards

The created the Gold Plate Award in 2013 to highlight the outstanding programs implemented by the retail food industry to encourage family meals. Examples include healthy family meals, quick and easy family meals and recipes, cooking with kids, themed dinners, breakfast with the family, MyPlate meals, and much more. The award recognizes outstanding programs that food retailers and suppliers have implemented, to encourage families to share more meals, together at home, more often.

2026 applications are now closed.

2026 Gold Plate Awards Winners and Honorable Mentions

Winners

Best Charitable Giving Effort

The Winn-Dixie Company

"The Winn-Dixie Company Helps Bring Family Meals Home" campaign supported families facing food insecurity and childhood cancer through grocery assistance and local food distributions. September efforts included a $100,000 company and foundation donation to Feeding America, assistance for 31 Jay Fund families and more than 9,500 food donation bags purchased by customers.

The Winn-Dixie Company has also been awarded the Honorable Mention for the Most Notable Youth Engagement category for its work in engaging childhood cancer organizations in its charitable giving.

Most Significant Sustainability Initiative

Pete's Garden

Pete's Garden campaign, "Less Food Waste. More Family Meals," turns surplus prepared food into free, ready-to-eat meals that help families enjoy dinner together at home. Working with food donors, volunteers and community agencies, the organization provides thousands of meals each week while reducing food waste.

Most Notable Youth Engagement:
Family Meals Movement

Nourish & Gather

Nourish & Gather's "Beyond the Recipe: Building Family Connection Through Cooking" programs help children and teens develop the skills and confidence to contribute to family meals. Through cooking classes, camps and service projects, young people learn to prepare food, participate at home and share what they make with others.

Most Notable Youth Engagement:
Family Meals Month

Hy-Vee, Inc.

The "Hy-Vee Helps Families Make Time for Mealtime" campaign encouraged families to spend time together through affordable meals, practical cooking ideas and community partnerships. Hy-Vee's September efforts included more than 10,000 free children's meals with qualifying adult purchases and the opening of another school food pantry to support students and their families.

Hy-Vee has also been awarded the Honorable Mention for the Most Significant Community Engagement category for its work in amplifying hunger relief work in its wider region.

Graphic detailing Hy-Vee's Gold Plate Award Family Meals Programs

Best International Activation

MIDA

MIDA's "Ponte Creativo, Cocina en Familia" multi-channel campaign brought Puerto Rico's food industry and families together to celebrate food preparation and eating together. Family cooking challenges, recipes and familiar local voices, influencers, and local officials alike encouraged connection across generations.

Retailer with the Most Stores Participating:
Family Meals Movement

Brookshire Grocery Company

"BGC Celebrates America's 250th Anniversary and FIFA World Cup" programs brought Brookshire Grocery Co. and eight major suppliers together to offer family meal and celebration ideas across 204 stores. Recipes, displays, sampling and soccer-themed activities gave shoppers inspiration for gathering around food and shared experiences.

Retailer with the Most Stores Participating:
Family Meals Month

K-VA-T Food Stores

Food City's "Stay Strong with Family Meals" campaign offered shoppers simple ways to enjoy one more meal together each week. Across 142 stores, affordable Weekend Meal Deals, dietitian advice and a family meals sweepstakes gave customers inspiration and practical help getting dinner on the table.

Most Significant Community Engagement

Hannaford Supermarkets

Hannaford's "Balanced Meals on a Budget" campaign helped families navigate busy schedules and food budgets with a free, four-week guide featuring recipes, shopping lists and tips for using leftovers. Dietitian support, classes and September promotions offered additional encouragement to make balanced meals part of everyday family life.

Strongest Retailer/Supplier Partnership

Coborn's, Inc.

Graphic detailing Coborn's Gold Plate Award Family Meals Programs

Coborn's Inc.'s "Family Meals Made Easy" campaign helped families take the guesswork out of dinner with easy recipes, nutrition tips and meal ideas across 66 stores.

In collaboration with commodity groups Undeniably Dairy and Minnesota Pork, their Family Meals Made Easy campaign brought together supplier support and dietitian expertise to make shared meals feel more manageable.

Most Creative Campaign

Chestertown RiverArts

Chestertown RiverArts brought neighbors together through "The Common Table" -
a free exhibition celebrating food, art and connection. Local artists, restaurants, volunteers and the health department created a welcoming place to share food and explore the role meals play in community life.

Best Political Advocacy Campaign

Alabama Grocers Association

The Alabama Grocers Association rallied its grocery industry network around the importance of sharing meals with its "Bringing Alabama Families Together: National Family Meals Month" 2026 campaign. A governor's proclamation, member communications and magazine coverage helped spread the National Family Meals Month message and encouraged retailers to bring it into their communities.

2026 Gold Plate Awards Winners and Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions

Retailer with the Most Stores Participating

Merchants Distributors, LLC

MDI's "Meals & Memories Made Together" campaign brought 45 consumer brands and hundreds of independent stores together to inspire shared meals. Themes such as Breakfast Anytime, Fiesta Fest and Parade of Pasta gave retailers ready-to-use ideas to help shoppers plan affordable meals for their families.

Best Charitable Giving Effort

Festival Foods

Festival Foods' "Food for Neighbors: Connecting Commnunities Around the Family Table" campaign invited shoppers to help more Wisconsin families enjoy meals together by supporting local food pantries. Guests contributed $57,700.24, while stories and pantry partners showed how community support helps neighbors access food.

Past Winners and Honorable Mentions