Tag Archives: Food pantry

Home vegetable gardeners are asked to ‘grow a row’ for their local food pantry

3-bottom, Food, Local Food, ,

By Kendra Wills, Michigan State University Extension


Feeding America believes that food insecurity impacts one in eight people in west and northern Michigan. To address this issue, Michigan State University Extension is encouraging home gardeners to consider “growing a row” of produce for donation to their local food pantry this season. Many northern Michigan pantries are seeking donations of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs.


All donations are welcome, but please consider popular items such as: 

  • Peppers
  • Apples
  • Potatoes 
  • Tomatoes
  • Green beans
  • Cabbage
  • Cherries
  • Cucumbers
  • Onions
  • Peaches
  • Carrots
  • Squash (winter and summer) 
  • Pears
  • Radishes 
  • Melons 

Pantries ask that donated produce is clean, fresh, ripe, whole, uncut, undamaged and in separate packaging for different produce types. If using pesticides, make sure to follow the pesticide instructions. Please don’t donate produce that you wouldn’t buy for your own family. 


Under terms of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, donors are protected from liability, should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the recipient. Be sure to check with your local pantry on the best days and times to bring in donated produce. 


Michigan State University Extension provides support for home gardeners. Their vegetable gardening website provides an extensive list of resources, from finding the best location for a vegetable garden in your yard, planting techniques, to managing pests and diseases. MSU Extension Master Gardeners also staff a toll-free hotline during normal business hours in the growing season for gardening questions at 1-888-678-3464


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).


Simple tips for using canned foods from community food pantries

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Food, How-To's, , ,

By Leatta Byrd, Michigan State University Extension

 

Hungry families and individuals who use community emergency food pantries receive several canned foods, like fruits and vegetables, as well as other non-perishable foods.

 

While fresh foods are always recommended for meal preparation, studies show canned foods are comparable to cooked, fresh and frozen varieties in providing major vitamins to the American diet.

 

According to the Canned Food Alliance, using canned foods in your meal planning has an array of benefits:

  • Canned foods add a variety of food types to your meal planning. Adding canned beans or chickpeas and canned tuna to a fresh garden salad instantly makes the meal more interesting and adds important nutrients, just from opening up a can.
  • Using canned foods and other forms of food (fresh, frozen, canned and dried) in your cooking can add more flavors to your meals and save on your food budget.
  • If you are crunched for time to prepare meals like many busy families, especially during the week, using canned foods will help you to get food on the table quickly.
  • Fresh food, while undoubtedly delicious and nutritious, can spoil if not used a short time after purchase.

Michigan State University Extension recommends that canned vegetables and beans first be rinsed to decrease salt content. Be sure to always read food labels and when possible, choose the low sodium varieties of canned foods.

 

There are still consumer questions about whether or not canned foods are healthy for you. The Canned Food Alliance says that despite the fact canned foods are getting a “bad rap”, they are actually nutritious, accessible, convenient, affordable and flavorful.

 

Keep food safety in mind when visiting and choosing canned food at your community food pantries. Never choose canned foods that are past their expiration dates or having any flaw such as dented or bulging.

 

Families who are on a tight food budget often use community food pantries and want to know how to flavor and spice up canned foods when preparing meals.

 

Ask your community food pantry if they have recipes for their participants, most community food pantries offer low-cost recipes. For additional recipes, you can also checkout Feeding America’s cookbook for a cause for tasty snacks and entree ideas.

 

There are several ways you can add pizazz to your meal preparation by using canned foods the following ways:

  • Canned chili beans, green chilies, mushrooms to casseroles, salads, etc.
  • Canned vegetables to soups, stews, salads and casseroles
  • Canned beans to soups, stews, nachos and casseroles
  • Canned tomatoes and tomato products to one-pot and skillet meals, casseroles, soups and stews
  • Canned cream soups to casseroles
  • Canned fruit to fruit salads, fruit parfaits and other desserts

Using canned foods are an economical way of saving money and provide satisfying and favorable homemade meals for your family. Using the above simple tips for preparing meals, entrée, desserts, etc. can be pleasing and provide a sense of well-being to those who are cash strapped.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Feeding West Michigan one Food Pantry at a Time

Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Volunteers, , , ,

By: Mike DeWitt

What comes to your mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Do you think of time spent with the family in front of the TV watching football? How about the food? Oh my goodness, yes, the food! Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and so much more. Thanksgiving is a time to carb-o-load and slip into a deep food coma.

For a holiday meant for giving thanks, it’s one that can easily be taken for granted.

Feeding America West MichiganOne in seven people in our region are affected by food insecurity, or an unreliable access to healthy food. Those who are considered food insecure regularly have to skip meals or buy cheaper, less nourishing food because of a lack of funds.

After 34 years and counting, Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank is looking to end that problem.

Feeding America West Michigan is a nonprofit organization that supplies food to more than 1,100 food pantries, youth programs, and other hunger-relief agencies in 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties. The food bank acts as the main supplier to the front lines of hunger all across West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

When it comes to food, Feeding America West Michigan can pack a punch – and a lunch! Last year, in 2014, the organization distributed over 26.5 million pounds of food. That food serves around 492,100 people, with at least 119,400 of them being children.

The majority of food donated comes from corporations, manufacturers, grocery stores, distributors, and farmers. In all, over 220 companies donate to Feeding America West Michigan. A handful of those companies donate over a million pounds a year.

In order to run efficiently and make sure all that food is delivered on-time and in good shape, the Food Bank makes fine use of its volunteers. On average, 40-50 volunteers help at the Food Bank each day. Volunteering opportunities include processing donated food, filling orders, cleaning, and re-packaging the food that arrives. If you can’t donate your time, there are other ways as well, every dollar donated provides four meals.

Volunteers repackaging cereal
Volunteers repackaging cereal

“The need is not going away. We still see more people needing help,” explained Feeding America West Michigan CEO Ken Estelle on the need for a food bank and food donations. “It’s a lot of working families. We see folks that have jobs, that are working trying to make ends meet but they just get to the point where at the end of the month there’s just not enough to pay all the bills.”

Year to date, Feeding America West Michigan is on pace to distribute more food this year than ever before.

The inability to pay the bills and afford healthy, nutritious food is a struggle for a large majority of the family that utilize the food pantries that Feeding America West Michigan supplies. Over 30 percent of client households had at least one adult member working for pay within the past four weeks before visiting a food pantry.

Here are some other numbers to chew on:

•    72% of client households choose between paying for food and utilities
•    72% of households choose between paying for food and transportation
•    65% of households choose between paying for food and medical care
•    58% of households choose between paying for food and their rent or mortgage
•    23% of households choose between paying for food and education

This Thanksgiving season, remember to give thanks for what you have and to give back to the communities you live in!

For more information on volunteer at Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, click here.