Posts Tagged ‘super food’

Majority of SuperFoods are available as non-perishables!

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Health magazine published an article today listing the best SuperFoods for women.   7 out of the 10 most recommended SuperFoods can all be found in non-perishable form.

Wild Salmon (canned), wild blueberries (dried), oats, walnuts, red beans, olive oil and dark chocolate were on the top 10 list. The 3 items that are perishable are brocolli, avocados and greek yogurt. 

On the list of runner-up SuperFoods, 11 out of 15 are available in non-perishable form.

Almonds, green tea, lentils, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, spinach (canned), quinoa, raisins, sweet potatoes (canned puree), cherries (dried) and tomatoes (canned) are all affordable ways to stock your shelves with SuperFoods.  The 4 perishable items on the runner-up list include beef, eggs, kefir and organic milk.

The take home point is this: every person can stock their own shelves with the non-perishable SuperFoods mentioned here, then supplement with some fresh produce such as brocolli and avocado plus some low fat dairy items such as greek yogurt, eggs, kefir and organic milk. 

By stocking your pantry with these nutrient dense non-perishable SuperFoods, you will Give the Gift of Health to yourself, and to those who receive the foods you donate in the next local food drive.  Make a small change today. Print this list for the next time you go to the grocery store, or print the shopping list from our website: http://www.superfooddrive.com/Get_Involved/Educational_Marketing_Materials

To learn more about why these foods are SuperFoods, read the full article: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20331905,00.html

SuperFood Drive helps celebrate San Diego Urban Slow Food’s 1 year anniversary!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

It was an incredibly delightful feeling to recognize many of the faces who walked past the registration table at this evening’s San Diego Urban Slow Food’s one year anniversary celebration at the Vela Restaurant (the Hilton Hotel in downtown San Diego).  What was even more exciting was seeing how many of these familiar friendly faces came doting bags of nutrient dense non-perishables to donate to the evening’s SuperFood Drive.  In just 3 hours we collected almost two full barrels of healthy foods.  Beans, Grains, Nut butters and Canned fish galore!

There is a very special group of food-loving individuals in the urban San Diego community. Some may call them “foodies” and I am proud to be a part of this passionate group. These are people who care where the food they eat comes from; they care to meet the farmers, brewers, growers and distributers of the fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, eggs, dairy and meat they eat. These “foodies” delight over restaurant menus that boast locally grown produce and they swoon over the week’s freshest picks at the farmer’s market or in their CSA box.  These people enjoy getting together with good food, good wine and good friends to celebrate the slow food movement of awareness and enjoyment of what we eat.  What may sometimes go unnoticed is the fact this this group of intelligent, food-conscious individuals are also very generous when asked to give to others.  I received countless words of encouragement and praise for SuperFood Drive’s efforts as well as many people who stated they would like to learn about additional ways they can help with the cause.

Cheers to all of the Slow Food Members who bring a community consciousness to accessibility of locally-produced, organic, healthy foods.  And cheers to San Diego Urban Slow Food’s 1st year as an official chapter. May the years that come be as successful as 2009.

Get Healthy Foods in Schools

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
The Time for Lunch Campaign is a project of Slow Food USA, an educational non-profit with the goal of creating a world in which everyone can enjoy food that is good, clean and fair.  The Time for Lunch web site has been encouraging individuals to host Eat-Ins on Labor Day, Sept. 7th-cities and towns across America are getting people together to share a meal and send a clear message to legislators: It’s time to provide our children with real food at school.
An Eat-In is a potluck.  Because it takes place in public, it’s also an opportunity to bring your community together, to get the media’s attention and to build support for serving children real food at school.  Check online to find an eat-in in your community: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch-attend_an_eat_in/
In September, Congress will decide whether to update the Child Nutrition Act, which is the law that determines what 30 million children eat at school every day.  No one wants to have to tell a child, “2009 was the year we could have begun building a strong foundation for your health, for your security and for your opportunity to succeed.  But we missed our chance.”

Food Inc. Movie calls for awareness

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Food, Inc is a film that discusses all of the important issues that pertain to the food we eat, how it affects us, and where it comes from. 

The important thing is not whether or not you agree with this film 100%, but that there are opportunities for education and hopefully watching something like this will lead to discussion with your friends, family or co-workers.  It is time to pay attention and take responsiblity for the choices we make and how they affect us, regarding our food and where it comes from.

I have not seen the entire film yet, but the trailer is enough to wet the pallette.  See it for yourself at www.foodincmovie.com

SuperFood Drive is in alignment with the other organizations affiliated with this film-we are all about food justice and awareness, and ultimately about helping to create a healthier future for our children and their children. 

After you see the film, let me know your thoughts!

Farmers Markets at Hospitals

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

This is a great article about hospitals having Farmers Markets on site, offering fresh, local, organic produce to patients, employees, and visitors alike.  Kaiser Permanente has over 30 farmers markets! Mostly in the western states of Oregon, Washington and California, but the demand is growing. Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, opened its farmers market in May of this year.

Acknowledgement of the importance of healthy food choices is spreading and individuals, families, restaurants, grocery stores and corporations are all starting to make some drastic changes is what types of food they are selecting.  With education about what nutritious food choices are, the trend is going towards making healthier choices…

Again, this is where SuperFood Drive comes in. Some individuals don’t have a choice for what they receive from government food programs and as a result get stuck with whatever the cheapest items are of what a corporation donates in bulk.  SuperFood is working to shift the expectation that all food donations, from the public and private sector,  will be nutrient-dense.  It is important to look out for the health and well being of all individuals, regardless of socio-economic status.

So way to go hospitals! What a spectacular idea to make fresh produce so readily available to populations who may be at higher risk of health problems and their loved ones.  Keep up the good work…SuperFood Drive endorses all organizations who promote Giving the Gift of Health!

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/03/farmers.markets.hospitals/index.html

San Diego’s Urban Slow Food rocks SuperFood Drive’s first event

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

SuperFood Drive had its first event on May 20th: Over 250 Urban Slow Food members gathered at Tender Greens restaurant in Liberty Station in Point Loma.  Each person came ready to network, taste wonderful appetizers from Tender Greens, and with a nonperishable SuperFood item to donate.  

Slow Food members are beyond generous. I loved watching people pull cans of beets or beans out of their purses and pant pockets as they arrived.  And when people arrived without their nonperishable, they were very ready to give monetary donations instead.

With only 2 hours of collection time, we gathered 302 pounds of SuperFood! This equates to enough food for 236 meals.  We also raised $105, which was all donated online via our Virtual Drive page to feed 406 people!!!

SuperFood Drive is looking forward to many more collaborative efforts with Slow Food. This was the first of many successful community events.