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Oct. 22, 2026
Source: World Food Prize Foundation Des Moines, Iowa. - More than 1,000 volunteers are officially the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title holders for the most hunger relief meals packaged in one hour, packaging 990,864 meals and surpassing the previous record of 530,064. The attempt, led by the World Food Prize Foundation and Meals from the Heartland, closed the opening day of the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, as the World Food Prize marked its 40th anniversary. "Iowa has always known how to roll up its sleeves and get the job done, and tonight our volunteers did exactly that," said Thomas Vilsack, CEO, World Food Prize Foundation. "Packaging almost a million meals in one hour is a world record, but more importantly, it's thousands of people who will have nutritious food for a year." Each meal packed by volunteers contains rice, soy protein, dehydrated vegetables and essential vitamins and minerals, providing six nutritious servings that can be prepared with boiling water. Sixty tables, each staffed by 16 volunteers, produced more than 43 boxes of meals per table in just one hour. Each box contains four large bags, totaling 216 individual meals. Half of the meals will be distributed across Iowa, with the remainder reaching communities around the world. Together, the meals are expected to provide approximately 2,037 children with nutritious food for an entire year. "Records are exciting, but what matters most is where these meals go next," said Chuck Current, Executive Director, Meals from the Heartland. "Every package our volunteers filled tonight will reach a child or family who needs it, here in the United States and around the world." The record attempt was made possible by sponsors including Cargill, Growth Energy, Holganix, NCMIC, Niman Ranch and Purdue. The record was verified on site by an official Guinness World Records adjudicator, Thomas Bradford. The Borlaug Dialogue continues through October 22 at the Iowa Events Center. Sessions will be livestreamed for registered participants. About the World Food Prize: The World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food worldwide. The Prize was founded by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, for his work that contributed to increases in agricultural outputs which was termed the Green Revolution. Since then, the Prize has been awarded to 56 distinguished individuals during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The Dialogue, also known as the Borlaug Dialogue, is a week of events dedicated to an issue surrounding food insecurity or hunger each year. About Meals from the Heartland: Meals from the Heartland is a faith-based nonprofit organization that packages and distributes specially formulated, nutritious meals to malnourished children and families in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world. Operating primarily out of the Patty Cownie Packaging Center in West Des Moines, Iowa, the organization unites volunteers from businesses, schools, churches, and community groups to turn moments into meals. Since its inception, volunteers have packaged and distributed over 250 million meals to combat food insecurity and support crisis and disaster relief.
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