Our holiday traditions always include food, and lots of it. But the holidays are also a time to consider those less fortunate, particularly those who don’t have access to healthy foods. Many people donate non-perishable goods to food banks and food pantries which are much-needed commodities. But these foods aren’t always the healthiest options. Fresh produce costs are rising and most low-income families aren’t consuming the minimum servings of fruits, vegetables and whole grains daily. Here are some ways you can help your neighbors eat healthier foods this holiday season. Donating Healthy Food The South Coast Food Share (SCFS) is a member of the Oregon Food Bank and contains over 30 local food and meal sites in Coos and Curry counties in their network. Good non-perishable items to donate would include BROWN rice, WHOLE WHEAT pasta, canned or dried beans, peas and lentils, canned tuna, and dried fruit. You could also donate other grains like quinoa, teff, buckwheat and millet but please include recipes for using as most are unfamiliar with these whole grains. Purchase canned items that are low in saturated fat, trans fats and sodium. Select nutrient dense foods like canned pumpkin, yams, sweet potatoes and peaches. Look for no-sugar-added fruit, juices, applesauce and peanut butter. Select high-fiber (greater than 3 grams per serving) 100% whole grain cereals and crackers (make sure the first ingredient reads “whole”). Keep in mind the SCFS cannot accept home-canned or perishable items. Garden But the hungry still need fresh food. SCFS Fresh Alliance partners with local grocery and box stores to donate perishable products that would normally be discarded by the stores which helps. You can help, too. If you have a garden, you can donate a row of fresh produce to feed the hungry through the Plant-A-Row project. Community gardens are a great way to be engaged in the community needs. You can also donate fresh produce directly to a hungry family. Many families do not use the food bank services, for eligibility reasons, pride, or lack of knowledge. You may hear of someone in need through your local church, service organization or community meeting. Teach Remember the quote from Maimonides, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Offer to hold a cooking demonstration in your local pantry, or pass on recipes or cookbooks to families at church. Teach a family member a healthier version of a traditional favorite, or just bring healthier options to potlucks and gatherings. Feed the Children The SCFS also serves hungry children in Coos, Curry and Douglas counties with the Share Bear Snack Pack program. The snack pack provides foods for children on weekends or school vacations when school meals are not available. Foods are “child-friendly” meaning easily consumed, non-perishable and unfortunately, highly processed. This often means laden with preservatives and not always nutrient-dense. Donate child-specific foods to the snack pack program like individual packages of dried fruits like raisins or prunes, 100% whole wheat crackers, canned fruit packed in water and not syrup. If you would like to donate chips or other snacks, look for baked instead of fried, vegetable chips like sweet potato that have beta carotene, or whole wheat pretzels. Choose fruit-filled cookies over artificial creams and low salt nuts (Note: Even peanut M&Ms have more nutrient that regular M&Ms). Community Meals You may enjoy helping out at a community dinner. For instance, where I live in Bandon, the EAT (Everyone At the Table) program serves Tuesday meals all year long. Bandon also has a holiday meal open to everyone, regardless of income. In Brookings, the Chetco Activity Center serves about 100 meals every day, 5 days a week, both in house and delivered meals, to residents over 60 years. They also serve 15,000 Meals-on-Wheels to homebound residents. Recipients are asked to make a small donation ($6.00) or whatever they can to cover the costs of this valuable service. Programs like these could always use a helping hand. Give and Receive So remember to share the health this holiday season. Cook and donate healthier foods. Teach others to prepare a healthy meal and give your time to feeding the hungry. The best part is that everyone benefits, not just those receiving the meal, but you, too, because giving always gives back. Resources – For a listing of local food bank locations, go to: http://www.orcca.us/scfsdocuments/pantries.html and click on your county Chetco Activity Center, 550 Chetco Lane, Brookings 541-469-6822; Bandon EAT http://feedingbandon.org/eat.html Wellness Ink Subscribe to the free monthly newsletter prepared by OSU Extension Family & Community Health, by calling 541-572-5263 ext 292 or e-mailing stephanie.polizzi@oregonstate.edu. Electronic copies are free. Hard copies are available for $15/yr for printing and mailing costs. December’s issue is Gifting Healthy Food. Coming in January: Grading Fad Diets.
