Nutrition classes teach kids healthy recipes

“Who can name some fruits and vegetables that are the color red?” asks Molly Burke, Program Manager of Nutrition Education at the Food Bank, to a group of excited 1st graders. And so begins a lively and energetic lesson on “eating the rainbow” — an exercise where kids have the chance to talk about the nutritional benefits (and deliciousness) of all the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple produce that they can think of.

After learning about all the great things fruits and vegetables can do for their health, the students then help to cook the rainbow! Crunchy cabbage, carrots, snap peas, bell peppers, chicken and a homemade salad dressing are combined to make a Zesty Asian Chicken Salad.

“I love seeing kids get excited about eating healthy foods,” Molly says amongst shouts of “yum!” and “can I have some more?” “I hope this class encourages the students to continue eating colorful meals moving forward.”

You can see many of the tasty, affordable recipes we use on our partner site, EatFresh.org, like these 27 spinach recipes.

Recently, students at San Francisco State University were treated to a delicious, nutritious surprise:  bushels upon bushels of ripe green pears, baseball-sized onions, crisp orange carrots, and gigantic sweet potatoes – all free for the taking, right in the middle of the University’s bustling campus.

At first, passing students and staff were confused, but once they realized all the great food was for them, a long line formed. It didn’t let up for the next hour and a half.

It’s all part of “Produce Pop-Ups,” a new Food Bank initiative that aims to overcome barriers to food assistance among neighbors in need – especially people who might not consider themselves eligible, or who are simply unaware that food assistance is readily available.

“Produce Pop-Ups showcase the fabulous, seasonal produce that we distribute every day,” said Nutrition Education Program Manager Molly Burke, who noted that 60% of all food distributed by the Food Bank is fresh produce. “We are attracting new participants by dispelling misconceptions that the Food Bank distributes dented cans and bruised fruit.”

Paul, a junior studying business at San Francisco State, was delighted to happen by the free food stand: “The economy here is tough, and people oftentimes compromise on food. This is a really great option for us, a total bonus.”

Burke said the Pop-Up aims to reach people just like Paul, who struggle to make ends meet and sometimes put grocery shopping near the bottom of their to-do lists.

SF State Sophomore Toshi reveled in the abundance of pears, saying, “I need more fruit in my life.” As someone who enjoys cooking, she said the carrots and onions would come in handy for the stir-frys she often makes.

Early success builds hope for future

The Food Bank team hosted more than a dozen Pop-Ups since July, targeting high-traffic areas such as health clinics, community-resource fairs and even public libraries – places where neighbors in need congregate and seek out services. Nearly 1,700 people received free produce at our Pop-Ups, and more than 200 people were referred directly to our pantry network.

Pleased by the pilot’s successful run through the end of October, the Food Bank will push for additional funding and volunteer support so we can restart Produce Pop-ups next spring and expand them into Marin.

Help make our Spring Pop-Ups a reality with a donation.

“At Transitions Health Clinic, we can see that, without a doubt, eating and health go hand in hand. When we think about health — a healthy body and healthy mind — the things you eat have a direct effect on your energy and well-being.”

That’s according to Joe Calderon, a community health worker at the Transitions Health Clinic who invited the Food Bank to teach nutrition classes at the site. The clinic provides a wide variety of care for former inmates re-entering society, including primary care, health insurance, and a food pantry.

“By teaching people how to take care of themselves — how to eat — it helps them understand their self-worth.”

Some clients were incarcerated for upward of 30 years. The life skills they once had have fallen out of use, and the outside world rapidly evolved while they were away. Cooking skills and knowledge about nutrition are at the top of the list, along with taking the bus, using a cell phone, debit cards, and computer skills.

Molly Burke, the Food Bank’s nutrition education program manager, taught a three-week nutrition class at the clinic. She says participants talked a lot about what it’s like to cook on their own post-incarceration.

“Cooking has the ability to give us all the freedom to make our own healthy food choices,” Burke says. “It empowers us to treat ourselves well and take ownership over our lives and our health.”

So far, Burke has demonstrated how to make a sweet potato hash, breakfast smoothies, and hummus with foods commonly available from the weekly food pantry. The savory sweet potato hash was a hit with participants. They discussed different ways to tweak the recipe, such as adding eggs or beans and wrapping it all in a flour tortilla to make a hearty burrito.

“One of the easiest things to do after you’ve been in prison for so many years is to head straight for the ice cream and soda, and I was surprised at everyone’s willingness to taste all three of the dishes we made in the class,” Calderon says.

“A lot of people wanted copies of recipes and of the educational flyers showing, for example, proper portion sizes and how sugar affects the body. They were really very interested to learn those things.”

Calderon says he believes there’s a growing awareness about the challenges the prison system presents for inmates, and the best way to address them is one person at a time.
“We teach them how to cook right, eat right, think right, take care of their health, and get jobs. Successful re-entry saves the neighborhood.”

“What the Food Bank does with its partners, like Transitions Health Clinic, is the foundation of change. By teaching people who historically have been ignored how to take care of themselves — how to eat and how to reintegrate into society — it helps them understand their self-worth.”

School will be here before you know it. With the return of busy mornings and hectic evenings, packing healthy meals and snacks can feel like a big challenge. Our Nutrition Education team has rounded up some of their favorite tips and recipes to help make packing nutritious meals and snacks a breeze for family members of all ages.

Empower kids

Research shows that children who help make their own lunches are more likely to eat them at school. Simple, portable dishes are best. Check out these recipes for hummus and veggie wraps and peanut butter and banana roll ups, which kids can help prepare; these bean and corn pitas and tuna apple salad recipes are also great options to try.

Strive for balance

Meals do not need to be complex. Aim to include foods from at least three of the five food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy — in every meal. And, try to provide two food groups in each snack.

Plan for leftovers
Double the yield on a recipe you make for dinner. Then package leftovers in single-serve Tupperware for an easy grab-and-go, home-cooked lunch.

Salads and other dishes that can be consumed cold are especially wonderful, since it’s not always easy to heat leftovers. Here are recipes for cold noodle salad and couscous vegetable pilaf, favorites that can be eaten hot or cold.

Prep ahead
Chop or spiralize veggies in advance. Zucchini/butternut squash noodles will stay fresh in the fridge for 3–5 days, and chopped vegetables like carrots, onion and pepper will last a week when refrigerated properly in a sealed plastic bag or Tupperware. Combine prepped veggies for salad and pack dressing in a small container; dress the salad when you are ready to eat it so the vegetables do not get soggy. If using veggie “noodles,” add sauce and protein (such as tuna, cheese or beans) in the Tupperware and heat it before eating for a healthy, filling meal.

Hard boil eggs on a Sunday morning. Place one layer of eggs in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, cover, turn off heat, and let sit in the covered pot for 12–15 minutes. Once cool, place eggs in the refrigerator for a quick source of protein on the go.

Wondering how to keep summer fruits and veggies from spoiling too fast? Here are five tips from our Nutrition Education team to help you maximize freshness, reduce food waste, and enjoy tasty summer produce all season long.

1. Start with your shopping bag — Keep heavier items like melons and potatoes at the bottom of your bag and place lighter, more fragile items like peaches and tomatoes on top. This helps avoid bruising which could lead to early spoilage.

2. Fridge, Counter or Pantry? — Produce emits gasses and ripens when exposed to warm temperatures, so refrigerating certain types of fruits and veggies can keep them fresher longer. Use these tips to help preserve great taste, texture and nutrition:

Refrigerator: berries, chard, cherries, cut/peeled fruits and veggies, green beans, peas
Counter (and then refrigerate as needed to help them last): avocados, bananas, bell peppers, melon, stone fruit (apricots, peaches, plums), tomatoes
Pantry (or other cool, dark place out of the refrigerator): potatoes, onions, garlic

As a reminder, keep fruits and vegetables separate wherever they are stored to preserve best taste and texture. Keep strong-smelling foods like onions and garlic away from other foods, too.

3. Keep your items unwashed and whole as long as possible — Prepping produce speeds degradation, so only wash, peel or cut your produce immediately before you plan to eat or use it.

4. Glean produce that has started to go bad — If you find a bad spot on your summer squash, cut one inch around the entire perimeter of the spot to remove it. The remainder of the vegetable is still yummy and nutrient dense. If a molded cherry is in your basket, toss it. Mold can spread quickly, so removing compromised fruits or veggies keeps the rest of the batch fresh.

5. Use or freeze produce before it goes bad — Need some inspiration? Check out eatfresh.org for quick, healthy recipes using Food Bank staples. Preserve fruits and vegetables before they spoil by washing, chopping and storing them in the freezer in single portion baggies or Tupperware. Smoothies are a snap when you blend up frozen fruit and greens with milk. Adding frozen veggies to your favorite pasta sauce, soups, stews and casseroles is also a great way to use frozen summer vegetables.

Leading the Charge Against Food Waste

At the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, summer is a time of abundance. Growers throughout the state share their bounty of melons, berries, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, stone fruit and other amazing produce, and we are able to distribute these delicious and nutritious items to neighbors in need. Read how the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank pioneered the food waste movement by establishing the Farm to Family program, which in April 2016 provided its one-billionth pound of produce to food banks across the state.