Category: Growing Food Security

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What is Fresh Food Friday?

What is Fresh Food Friday?

Fresh Food Friday is pantry service we provide the first Friday of every month. It is currently a two hour pantry held from 10:00am to 12:00pm. Coming soon in the fall, it’ll be a one hour pantry every first Friday. At FFF’s we only provide fresh produce from our garden or from Linn Benton Food Share, these differ from the Shopping Style Pantries where we walk clients through the pantry to get dry goods.

Why do we have a pantry dedicated to produce?

Ask yourself, how often you eat something that has come directly from a tree, the ground or a plant? Did you eat a fruit or vegetable today? Yesterday? Students don’t have easy access to affordable produce. That’s why we provide produce at our shopping style pantries as well as our Fresh Food Friday’s. The last year we learned a lot at the HSRC and our goal is for everyone who walks away from our Fresh Food Friday to have a few days worth of fresh produce.

Students and fresh produce? Is it an actual need?

To put it simply, yes! We also connect students to a resource here in Oregon called SNAP that can get them a monthly allowance to buy expensive items like produce. 

Below are some real examples of students expressing interest in produce.

“A few weeks ago, we helped a student sign up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps), connecting her to $192 in monthly grocery money. She was emotional as she shared that she’d been getting all her food from the dollar store and was so excited to be able to afford some fresh produce and buys salads again.” – Miguel Arellano Sanchez, Basic Needs Navigator at HSRC

“Having SNAP has been so great. I am less stressed about buying food. My month started again last week. I invited my friends over for dinner this Sunday and I even bought asparagus & salad!” – Student

– Breonna

 

 

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Cherish your Perishables

Our primary supplier of fresh produce is LBFS. The fresh produced is ordered along with perishable goods. Once the delivery is made the fresh produce is inspected for rotten, squished and moldy produce. Then the quality approved produced is stored in the cooler present in the community kitchen.

HSRC cooler for fresh produce and other perishable items. The cooler is also used to store eggs, margarine and fresh milk. 

Produce for the People is the primary community partner we obtain fresh produce from in addition to the produce received by LBFS.  

Sometimes, HSRC staff goes out to different organizations when they have produce to donate.

The HSRC also has a garden which was built and maintained in partnership with the OSU Center for Civic Engagement. When the garden is in full production, we will harvest produce for pantries from there. When planting produce in the garden we usually conduct a survey with our patrons on what they would like to be planted in the garden.

The HSRC garden

For the Pantries, the produce is laid out in crates and trays almost 30 minutes before the start of the pantry and restocked from the cooler once it is low in quantity by our volunteers and staff members.

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Recipe: Banana Pancakes

As college students we hardly have time to have breakfast. Having something to eat before starting the day keeps our energy up and makes it a little easier to go on with the day! For our cooking class we prepared easy breakfast recipes that you all can try. This recipe was adapted from Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown. We have several copies of the book, you are welcome to come check out the cookbook!

Banana Pancakes:

Serves 4 (Makes 10-15)                                                           

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

4 bananas

2 eggs

1.5 cups of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter

Syrup for serving

  1. Combine the flour, brown sugar,baking powder,baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.
  2. In another bowl, mash 2 of the bananas with a fork. Add the eggs,milk and vanilla, and mix well to combine.
  3. Add the dry mixture to the bananas, stirring with a spoon until everything just comes together. Tender pancakes come from not over mixing the batter.
  4. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile slice the 2 remaining bananas.
  5. Turn the griddle to medium heat. Once its hot, melt a small amount of butter, about ½ teaspoon, in the skillet and ladle some pancake batter into the center of the pan.

Cook until it’s browned on both sides, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.

Serve hot with syrup plus the remaining banana slices.

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Black Bean Chili with Acorn Squash and toasted pumpkin seeds

 

Serves 6

  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 acorn squash, peeled and diced
  • 2 cans (15-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 2 cans (14-ounce) fire-roasted tomatoes
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds, for topping

Directions

1.In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add acorn squash and onion. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add black beans, vegetable broth, tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes.

2.In a small bowl, combine spices and mix. Add to chili pot.

3.Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4.Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

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Recipe Spotlight: Chicken and Orzo with Spinach and Feta

This is the recipe we prepared during our first cooking class this term; Cooking for 1 or 2. The goal of the class was to learn how to cook efficiently for 1 or 2 in order to cut down on food waste.

Recipe serves 2

Why this recipe works:

In order to make a simple skillet chicken memorable we made the side the star of the show. We used Orzo pasta, which is a small pasta that is easy to cook.

Image result for orzo

In order to add a  deep and complex flavor, we toasted the orzo until golden brown and then simmered it in just the right amount of turkey broth until it was perfectly tender.

Image result for toasted golden brown orzo

To give the recipe some flair we added garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and stirred in baby spinach, feta cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.

You will need:

3/4 cup orzo

2 ( 6-8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded if necessary.

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

1(1/4) chicken/turkey broth

4 oz (4 cups) baby spinach

2 oz feta cheese (1/2 cup)

1 (1/2 )teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1.Toast orzo in 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until golden brown, 3-5 minutes, transfer to bowl.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in now empty skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes to now empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and toasted orzo.

4. Nestle browned chicken into orzo add any accumulated juices, bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10-12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken back to skillet, tent loosely with aluminium foil.

5. Continue to cook orzo until al dente and creamy, 2-5 minutes, stirring in additional broth, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to loosen consistently. Stir in spinach, 1 handful at a time, until wilted about 2 minutes. Stir in feta and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with orzo.

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Coooking for 2 cook book)

 

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Get To Know Our Staff!

Name: Anne

Pronouns: she/her/hers

HSRC Job Title: SNAP Outreach Liaison

Major/minor: I’m majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Spanish, and a certificate in Food and Culture in Social Justice.

Career Aspirations: There are so many things! Eventually I’d like to pursue a Masters and PhD, and hopefully end up teaching in higher-ed. I’ve always loved teaching and education, and in the meantime, would also love to pursue my passions for food justice and local sustainability through grassroots and non-profit work, in whatever form that might take.

Why did you want to work at the HSRC?: I really wanted to find a place where I could make a real, tangible difference in the world, and try to make it better. The HSRC’s values of abundance and focus on putting students first really stood out to me; the way that students take ownership of the programs and events at the HSRC is really amazing. I love being able to come to a work space and be surrounded by individuals who are committed to pushing back against poverty, racism, sexism, capitalism, and other injustices that are so prevalent in our society.

What will you be working on? I will be working on developing the SNAP Ambassador program, which will aim to get students talking to each other about SNAP benefits, tearing down the stigma surrounding government assistance and educating their peers on what the college student experience might look like for under-resourced students. In addition to that, I will be doing outreach to students we believe might be eligible for SNAP benefits as reported by our Food Assistance Application.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love to read! It’s one of my favorite past-times- when I was in grade school I actually got in trouble for trying to sneakily read under my desk while the teacher was talking. I find myself incredibly busy during the school year, and often unable to do this, but when I have time, I really love cooking more elaborate and complex meals. There’s something really meditative to me about the process of putting together a meal. Even better is when I get to share what I’ve made with others!

What’s your favorite yummy and cheap meal that you like to make?: Fried rice! I almost always have the essentials (in my opinion): eggs, rice, and soy sauce.  After that, if I have any veggies I’ll chop those up and throw ’em in! This is especially good for the veg on its last leg, like when the carrots get a little less crunchy and more bendy, or the bell peppers start to wrinkle. You can make a  bunch in one go if your pan’s big enough, and then have lunch prepped for the whole week. I’ll add different sauces like Sriracha, sweet and sour, General Tso’s, or teriyaki to mix it up throughout the week and keep from getting bored of eating the same thing. If I want a little extra protein, I’ll fry up an egg over medium to put on top, or mix in some cubed tofu.

Do you have any tips for students on how to save money? I love coffee, and especially during the most stressful, busy times of the term, find myself wanting multiple cups per day, but not able to go home to make them. Even if you just get drip coffee, 3 of those in a day equals like $6, which adds up if you do that multiple days in a row! I’ll take a reusable mug and bring in some powdered instant coffee (I think the Trader Joe’s brand is way tastier than Nescafe, though of course straight from the bean is best!) Cafe’s around campus will fill up your mug with hot water, then you can add in your own instant coffee, and add milk and sugar as you like it!

What are you favorite things to do in Corvallis? I love dancing, so almost every week while school is in you can find me doing West Coast Swing at the Women’s Building Wednesday nights.  The monthly event Rainbow in the Clouds (21 over, sorry 😉 ) is also one of my favorite things in Corvallis.

Where is your favorite spot to relax on campus? I love setting up a hammock between two shady trees when the weather is nice. In the winter the MU common space is always a favorite. It has a really cozy atmosphere, especially when they have the fires going!

Which building on campus would you haunt and why if you were a ghost? I’d like to haunt LINC. People expect the older buildings on campus to be haunted, like Waldo, or the Women’s Building, but no one would see it coming from a new one! That building already has occasional tech problems; I’d be happy to contribute to those as a ghost!

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Differences between ‘use by’ ‘best by’ and ‘sell by’ dates

Have you ever found something in the back of your pantry and seen that the best by date was just one week ago and you’re not exactly sure if you should still eat it? Well here are definitions by the USDA as to what those confusing ‘use by,’ ‘sell by,’ and ‘best buy’ dates mean and hopefully this will help you the next time you find yourself confused as to whether you should toss something out or still safely consume it.

  • Best if used by/before: not a purchase or safety date. Indicates when the product will be at best quality and taste. You can still safely eat the product once this date passes.
  • Sell by: Not a safety date. This just tells the store how long to display the product for inventory management.
  • Use by: Not a safety date. (unless its baby formula then it is a safety date) This states the last day that the product will be at best quality and taste.

It is up to you, the consumer, if you want to eat the product once it is past the best by or use by date, but  just know that it could still taste perfectly normal once the date passes. And it is safe to eat also since these are not safety dates (unless you see mold, or it has a bad odor).

If you want to read further information about the process and requirements of food dates, take a look at the USDA website that is linked right below!

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/food-product-dating/food-product-dating

 

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Can Food Insecurity Impact Your Health?

by Linh Ho, HSRC Intern

For low-income individuals and households, health issues and food insecurity are things that tend to go hand in hand. Food insecurity can be generally defined as “the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of money and other resources” (Healthy People 2020). If you’re skipping meals regularly, or eating less than you might normally eat because there’s not enough money or not enough food in the house, it’s very possible that you fall into the category of being food insecure. Food insecurity comes with a potential for many health problems, and has been strongly correlated with negative health outcomes for both adults and children alike.

When people aren’t access fresh and nutritious food, their quality of life and health can take a serious turn for the worst. Unfortunately, fresh and nutritious foods can be much more expensive than foods that we often consider to be unhealthy, like junk food or fast/convenient foods. Food insecure individuals also tend to have to face the dilemma of having to decide what their income will be going towards each month. For many people, it becomes a competition between food and housing costs, food and school costs, food and medical costs — the list goes on (Feeding America).

So, what usually happens is that food insecure people will go with the cheaper, less nutritious food option because it means they will be able to pay for their other costs of living. However, although cheaper, junk and fast foods when consumed too regularly can lead to chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Or, the opposite might occur and people will end up spending most if not all of their money to feed themselves and their families, especially if they have children. In that case, then they will likely forgo other important but not “urgent” medical expenses, such as doctor’s appointments, health insurance, and even prescription medication. Either way, having to choose between one or the other may have pretty negative consequences for physical health.

In addition, this chronic stress and worry over whether or not you will be able to afford food, housing, school, or other basic life needs takes a toll a person’s mental health as well. Research conducted by Dr. Andrew D. Jones at the University of Michigan found a causal association between food insecurity status and poor mental health (Science Daily). This is likely because being food insecure can cause feelings of stress, alienation, shame, and guilt often associated with anxiety and depression. Having to find and use alternative methods of obtaining food can also come with social stigma that can create feelings of inadequacy or embarrassment.

All in all, food insecurity and health can because of a vicious circle of not so great consequences. The thing is, your health absolutely does not have to suffer, just because you’re in a tight spot with money. There are so many choices, especially as a student here at OSU.

If you’re struggling with affording food, consider one of the following options:

  • Stop by Avery Lodge for one of our Shopping Style Food Pantry events for canned and dry goods, produce, and even butter and eggs!
  • Come to the HSRC during business hours (and non-Food Pantry event days) for an emergency food box and we’ll try to meet your needs.
  • Consider applying for SNAP benefits to help pay for groceries each month.
  • Stop by the HSRC if you have questions or to see how we might be able to help you further!
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Gettin’ to know the Garden

by Anne Snell

Did you know the HSRC has a garden? That’s right! Just to the East of the building are 7 rows of soil,  and two raised beds. (Or, if you’re directionally challenged like me, the side with the 30-minute parking spots.) There is also a mini orchard which includes dwarf-sized fruit trees like fig, apple, pear, and persimmon. The garden began in the 2016-2017 school year as part of the Growing Food Security Initiative between the HSRC and the Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI).

Two of the garden beds, growing baby kale and pepper plants

If it doesn’t look like much now, it’s because this will actually be the garden’s first year producing a full season of crops!  It takes time for well-producing gardens to form. The Organic Growers Club grew the starts from seed to help us save money. This also helps make sure we get the varieties people want to eat.  The soil conditions are constantly improving, so in a few years, they will be even more nutrient rich than they are now. More nutrients in the soil means more produce!

Colorful Swiss Chard is almost ready to harvest!

This year the garden, which is mostly managed by the SSI, is growing vegetables like Swiss chard, tomatoes, kale, tomatillos, bell peppers, carrots, beets, squash, and garlic. Everything grown in the garden is harvested directly for the HSRC’s Shopping Style Food Pantry nights or Fresh Food Friday. Production is slow right now, but come summer, and into the fall, we will have vegetables galore!

The apples aren’t quite ripe yet, but they will be soon!

 

 

The HSRC Community  Garden isn’t just for  providing fresh produce to the food pantry. It is also a learning environment, where students can get their hands dirty and help grow the food harvested from the garden. In the future we hope students can engaged in the process of growing food, both so they can give back to their community, but also so they can learn the skills required to grow your own food for themselves. The community garden we have is small, and still very young, but growin’ strong!

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HSRC PRESENTS: COOKING CLASSES!

 

Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. In an ideal world, healthy and delicious food would be all around and easily accessible to everyone. But we all know that it is not a perfect world and there are several barriers keeping us from eating nourishing food. Money and time should not be among the reasons. As college students with very busy schedules and not a whole lot of money, making delicious and healthy meals can be challenging.If you can gain a few more kitchen skills, you can be creative with the ingredients available to you and make some healthy and fun meals.

The cooking classes this Spring at the HSRC are FREE and focused on empowering the participants with basic cooking skills. The recipes that will be used are easy, cheap and quick, because yes, we always have tons of homework and deadlines to beat, but of course we need to eat healthy yummy food too!

Rice Every Which Way- April 17th, 5-7pm.

Versatile ingredients save meals time and money! Rice is definitely one of them. Boiled rice on its own is not very difficult to make, but it can be pretty bland and definitely get old. In this class we will be playing around with herbs, spices and vegetables (more vegetables=more flavor) to make rice healthy, tasty and fun. The other amazing thing about rice is that you can make a lot of it over the weekend and make different meals from it, all week long to save a lot of time. Rice is one of those staples that you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Ramen Revamped-May 3rd, 5-7pm. 

We have all lived off one too many Ramen bowls at one point in our lives. They are quick and easy, and don’t require any cooking skill but most of all they are cheap! while we have certainly come to accept Ramen as part of ‘the college experience,’ we can have fun making it  healthier, tasty and more nourishing.

 

Knead Bread?  May 15th, 5-7pm.

When you consider the simple ingredients that form the foundation of all breads—flour, yeast, salt and water—it’s truly remarkable how many varied products can be made from it. Bread baking can often seem very intimidating and complicated. This class will be focused on stove top breads, which can be an easier and cheaper alternative.We want to empower you to feed yourself, and take your baking skills to the next level!

 

 

Cheap and Gourmet- May 31st, 5-7pm.

Good and cheap! Eating healthy and tasty food while on a budget can be a real hustle. This class is designed to explore ways you can create an amazing meal with simple affordable ingredients. Improvisation is the soul of great cooking! Our hope is after this class you will be able to tailor things to your taste and preference all while on a budget!

Registration is recommended not required. Click here to sign up!  The classes will be held at Avery Lodge.  

We are looking forward to cooking with you!