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Sharing Our
Bounty
Food Drives Need Healthy Donations by Avery Mack
W
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hat’s on the table can help lower risks of stroke,
heart attack, cancer and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association. Not all families are able to afford the healthiest foods, but fatty, high-sugar options can be avoided. The most-needed donations are nonperishable and high in protein, but low in sodium, sugar and fats. Give the best, most affordable products, according to these tips and the food drive’s guidelines. Organic and non- GMO (genetically modifi ed) foods are welcome. Note that not all pantries can store fresh produce, glass containers or personal hygiene items. “Pantries rely on informed community support,” explains Jim Byrnes, director of Pennsylvania’s Nazareth Area Food Bank. “Area churches, schools and businesses keep us supplied. We’ll help 300 families this year, compared to 100 in 2006, balancing nutrition with practical needs.” California’s San Diego Food Bank feeds better choices to 370,000 people each month, including military families, seniors and children. Such community efforts change lives. Meat: Tinned tuna, chicken and salmon store easily for use in salads or casseroles, on a sandwich and in whole wheat pasta, brown rice or low-fat stir fries. Avoid the bisphenol-A (BPA) associated with cans and plastic containers. Instead choose BPA-free pouch packaging and cans with BPA-free liners (see
Tinyurl.com/ BPAFreeCannedFood). Soup and Stew: Containing meat
and veggies, soups and stews provide fi lling, hearty comfort foods.
20 Central Florida natural awakenings
Please be generous at the holidays and year-round.
Vegetables: Yams and
whole-berry cranberry sauce turn dinner into a holiday feast. Add color to the plate with mixed veggies. Lentils, pinto,
black and kidney beans in stew, chili or salad provide fi ber, calcium, zinc and iron. Spices add zing. Tomatoes, sauce and salsa add fl avor; choose glass jar products only in order to be BPA-free, due to the acidic effect on cans. Pasta, Rice and Grain: In Kansas City, Missouri, Katie Thomas, owner of Crazy Daisy Cleaning, regularly organizes food drives. She says, “Pasta and sauce make a variety of dishes and extend the number of meals.” Whole grain pasta, brown or wild rice, quinoa and couscous are better choices than white pasta. Bulgur provides nearly 75 percent of a day’s fi ber requirement when added to soup or salad. Cereal: Steel-cut or rolled oats, farina (Cream of Wheat) and grits are low- calorie and nutritious options for a warm start to the day. All can be found as organic; farina in whole wheat or white wheat that is certifi ed kosher. Cold cereals should list whole grains as the fi rst ingredient and be high in fi ber and low in sugar, like organic Oat O’s. Snacks: Unsalted nuts, full of fi ber, protein and vitamins, are highly prized at food pantries. Packed in juice, fruit cups make a healthy treat. Dried fruit and sunfl ower seeds are another favorite. Low-salt, low-sugar peanut or sunfl ower butter packs protein. Honey is a healthy sweetener. Collecting Party: “A group of us collected and donated 600 pounds of
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