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.”