Fall food drives begins this month with the “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” campaigns in Ellis on Sunday, October 9 and in Hays on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Food collections often continue throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season in churches, schools, clubs and other organizations. This is an important time of year for local food pantries to fill their shelves to help those in need.
You can give the gift of better health by providing nutritious non-perishable food items to food drives in your community.
Many Americans eat more calories than they need. But it’s important to realize that although an overweight person may look well-fed, he or she may be filling up on calorie-dense food that doesn’t contain the nutrients his or her body needs.
In the United States today, health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are common.
Unfortunately, the prevalence of these conditions is often higher among people who use food pantries.
The good news is that these conditions can in part be controlled by the foods a person eats. Eating fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean proteins, and foods that are lower in salt and sugar can go a long way toward improving health and feeling good.
Before you give to your local food drive, think about filling a healthy plate. Use the food groups of the MyPlate as a guide for food drive donations with a healthier twist:
Fruit group: canned fruit in juice or light syrup, 100 percent fruit juice, raisins or other dried fruit.
Vegetable group: Low sodium canned vegetables– especially dark green and deep orange varieties, tomatoes and tomato sauces, low sodium canned soup, dry potato products.
Grain group: whole-grain unsweetened breakfast cereal, whole-grain pasta and crackers, oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, cornmeal, whole wheat flour.
Dairy group: nonfat dry milk, evaporated canned milk, shelf-stable milk boxes.
Protein group: canned or dried beans, water-packed canned tuna and salmon, canned chicken, unsalted nuts, nut butters.
For individuals with limited kitchen access, consider single-serve canned pull-tab foods such as fruits, vegetables, pastas, stews, chicken and noodles, etc. and single-serve items such as granola bars, packs of nuts or dried fruit, and individual juice packs or boxes.
Contact your local food pantry to find out what other items they need, such as infant formula, baby food, sugar-free or gluten-free items, or other foods for special dietary concerns.
K-State Research and Extension has developed a new bookmark-size flyer listing healthy options for donated foods. Use it for your own reference, or share it with others as you prepare for a food drive. Find it on our Ellis County Extension Office website at www.ellis.ksu.edu.
When donating food for a food drive at holiday time– or anytime– choose foods that provide maximum nutrition from each food group of MyPlate. Your neighbors will eat healthier when you contribute more nutritious foods.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.