Summer Fresh
Nutrition is on the menu for seasonal food programs in the area
School’s out for the summer but nutrition is still very much in season. Organizations throughout the region are providing healthy foods to communitymembers and freemeals to children 18 and younger.
FRESH2YOUMOBILE MARKET
A colorful yellow truck filled with fresh produce visits several locations throughout Chester County every week. The Chester County Food Bank uses the Fresh2You Mobile Market to bring healthy fruits and vegetables to communities throughout the area. The market is its third season and everyone is encouraged to shop at the food truck until Nov. 13.
The mobile market accepts all forms of payment and there is even an incentive for those shopping with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefits. There is a dollar for dollarmatch for the two programs. People who use their benefits to purchase produce at the food truck will receive “veggie bucks” for every dollar spent then the next time they visit themarket, they’re able to use that money for even more food.
Roberta Cosentino, manager of the mobile market, said customers appreciate the opportunity to buy local and fresh produce at a fair price. The fresh food items for themarket come froman Agriculture Program of the food bank, a local farmer in Lancaster and through food auctions.
“We’re really trying to make local, fresh produce available to everybody. We’re also trying to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables,” Cosentino said.
She said along with the mobile market, volunteers provide a weekly recipe demonstration. Cosentino said the demo allows the food truck to introduce new produce items to shoppers and if they like the recipe then they can buy a bundle of the produce ingredients for $5.
Samantha Stalford, a West Chester University student interning with the food bank, showed customers at the mobile market in Phoenixville on Wednesday how tomake a “Greens and Beans Sautee.” Stalford said sometimes people aren’t sure how to cook produce they’re not familiar with so each week the demonstration features a different food item and shoppers can take home the printed recipe.
The Fresh2You programis also encouraging consumption of produce through a pilot program with The Clinic of Phoenixville. The clinic providesmedical care for the uninsured and under-served. Cosentinosaidthis is thefirst year for the “Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program” where clinic patients get a dollar amount that can be spent at the food truck.
Dr. Ana M. Negrón is a family physician at The Clinic and the author of the book “Nourishing the Body and Recovering Health: The Positive Science of Food.”
“Eating plants is far more nutritious than eating the animal who ate the plants (cow, chicken, orfish) or their products (dairy, cheese, and eggs). Plus, eating plants protects us from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, andmany cancers. And, eating a whole plants foods diet, which is naturally low in fat, can arrest and reverse disease even after it has developed!” statedNegrón in an email to Digital First Media.
Everyweek, the fresh produce truck parks near the entrance of The Clinic in Phoenixville.
“It definitely connects when you have the physicians right across the street from the truck encouraging people to adapt that type of healthy lifestyle,” said MarreaWalker-Smith, director of public relations and development at The Clinic.
For more information about the Fresh2You Mobile Market and specific locations the food truck visits every week, go to the website chestercountyfoodbank. org/programs-education/nutrition-education/fresh2youmobile-market.
SUMMERFOOD SERVICEPROGRAM FOR CHILDREN
Organizations throughout Pennsylvania partner with the federally funded program toprovidefreesummermeals to children 18 and younger. The food program was established in 1975 so children could receive the same nutritious meals available in the cafeteria during the school year during summer vacation as well. The Pennsylvania Department of Educationadministers theprogram throughout the state.
There are free summer meal sites in Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware Counties. The North Penn SchoolDistrict is one of many in the region providing meals throughout the sum- mer. The district serves over 30 sites in the Lansdale area through the summer meals program.
“The Summer Food Service Program(SFSP) ensures that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session,” said Pamela Gallagher, coordinator of school nutrition services for the school district, in a press release.
NUTRIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The Nutritional Development Services of the Archdioceses of Philadelphia is another regional organization that partners with the national summermeals program. The nutrition service is a sponsor for the program and partnerswith about 450 sites in five counties. The counties are Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Bucks.
“Really are goal during the summertime is… feeding the childrenwhen school is out of session,” said BrookeMullen, assistant director of community relations for the Nutritional Development Services.
“We are hoping to feed as many children as we can and we know that hunger doesn’t discriminate during this time of year. Summer can really be a challenging time formany families,” Mullen said.
She said the summer meals meet the same USDA regulations for nutrition as the national school lunch program. The meals have a variety of fruits and vegetables such as dark leafy greens. Food items also include lean proteins, whole grain products, low-fat milk, beans and legumes.
“We’re making sure that the children have access to the nourishing meals that they need to learn, grow and succeed,” Mullen said.
Families looking for free summermeal site near them can text “food” to 877877 or call directly at 215-985-3470. The Coalition Against Hunger also provides searchable map that can be found at www.hungercoalition.org/ summermeals/map.
For more healthy living stories including recipes, visit the Fit for Life website www.pottsmercfit4life.com.