Good nutrition can be challenging as cheap food doesn’t always
mean healthy food
Healthy eating and cooking can be a challenge to anyone, but for
families that rely on help from local pantries it can be nearly
impossible. A recent study by America’s Second Harvest found that
obesity and diabetes are growing concerns for low-income and
homeless people who use pantries and soup kitchens as a main food
source.
Good nutrition can be challenging as cheap food doesn’t always mean healthy food
Healthy eating and cooking can be a challenge to anyone, but for families that rely on help from local pantries it can be nearly impossible. A recent study by America’s Second Harvest found that obesity and diabetes are growing concerns for low-income and homeless people who use pantries and soup kitchens as a main food source.
The study found that 1 in 5 families said someone in their household had diabetes and a third of those surveyed said they could not afford to buy fruits or vegetables. But the survey also found that half of those surveyed were interested in learning more about nutrition and how to cook healthy food.
At least 80 percent of the ingredients in each low-cost healthy recipe below are available regularly from Community Pantry or the Women, Infants, and Children program. The recipes are flexible and can be altered to work with whatever foods families have on hand.
Burritos (makes four)*
Ingredients:
2 cups of filling – cooked ground beef, shredded chicken, scrambled eggs or beans.
4 tortillas
½ cup chopped lettuce
½ cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
½ cup salsa
1.) Cook the filling with little or no oil or butter
2.) Warm through tortillas
3.) Fill tortilla with a quarter of the filling and the other ingredients.
4.) Roll up tortilla
Noodle Tuna Bake (serves 4)*
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cans of tuna
1 – 8 oz. package of pasta
1 can whole kernel corn
2 cups thinly sliced vegetable, such as carrot, zucchini squash or celery
½ cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2.) Cook pasta according to package directions
3.) In bowl, mix tuna, cooked pasta, corn and vegetable
4.) Grease baking dish with oil
5.) Spoon into baking dish and top with cheese
6.) Bake for 50 min.
Pasta Salad with Veggies (serves 4)*
Ingredients:
1 – 8 oz. package of pasta
2 cups broccoli
1-cup beans
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 diced tomato
½ – 1 cup low fat vinaigrette dressing or oil and vinegar
1.) Cook pasta according to package instructions
2.) Mix vegetables, garlic and pasta together
3.) Chill in refrigerator
4.) Top with cheese and serve
Vegetable Frittata (serves 6)*
Ingredients:
6 medium or large eggs
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded cheese
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion
1 glove garlic
1 ½ cup fresh canned or frozen vegetables
1 medium tomato sliced
1.) Beat eggs with pepper and cheese in a medium bowl
2.) Heat oil a frying pan. Add onions, garlic and other vegetables and cook on medium until soft
3.) Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cook until set
4.) Top with tomato slices and cut in wedges
*Recipes provided by the California Department of Health Women, Infants and Children Web site.
*^Recipe provided by the U.S. 5-a-day program.
SEE RELATED STORY:
SEE RELATED STORY:
