by Guest | Feb 28, 2019 | Eat Well
Photo credit: Broken Banjo Photography
With the bounty of the farmers market season just around the corner, we are all craving the fresh berries and vegetables that will soon be abundant, but those delicious treats can be hard to access for community members who are food insecure. In Oregon, one in six community members experience hunger. To help make local foods more affordable to all, our community, like many others across the nation, has developed SNAP match incentive programs at area farmers markets. SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, was formerly called food stamps in decades past.
In Tillamook County, for the past eight years Food Roots has been working with area farmers markets to administer SNAP matching programs, rebranded Double up Food Bucks (DUFB) in 2016. DUFB’s works by incentivizing SNAP shoppers to spend their federal benefit dollars on nutritious locally produced foods available in our communities, and benefiting our farmers. For every dollar that a SNAP participant spends at a local farmers market they receive a one to one match, up to $10.00. These matching funds can be spent on fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, dry beans and fresh herbs.
Through increased engagement at farmers markets, SNAP shoppers are seeing that it’s not more expensive to purchase local food. 77% of our surveyed program participants over the past three years say that produce at the markets is equal in price or less expensive than the grocery store. Spending money at local businesses, including with small farms through direct to consumer markets helps our community flourish.
Local economic growth and health is a pillar of this program. With every federal dollar that is spent locally, $1.79 in economic activity is generated in our community, helping our local farmers increase their bottom line, pay their employees, and support other local businesses in turn, the multiplier effect. Food Roots is passionate about supporting our small farms and connecting our community to their products.
In 2019, Food Roots has the following goals for DUFB in Tillamook County:
- Expand this program to Food Roots’ year-round FarmTable storefront located at 113 Main Avenue in downtown Tillamook. This local food storefront already accepts SNAP payment, but with DUFB, we aim to increase the affordability of fresh produce past the 3-month farmers market season. FarmTable is open Monday-Friday, 9-5pm and makes available everything from fresh produce to meat, cheese, eggs, honey, canned tuna and more from Tillamook County farmers, ranchers and fishers.
- Food Roots aims to expand this program to include SNAP CSA’s. Community Supported Agriculture programs are membership boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to the FarmTable storefront weekly by a local family farm. Food Roots will accept SNAP benefits on behalf of the member and the farmer and aims to provide matching dollars to the member so that these boxes are more affordable, again, enabling SNAP families to stretch their food dollars on nutritious local food items while providing earned capital to our local farms. This program will pilot this year for a limited number of SNAP CSAs depending on funds raised.
- Continue to partner with Manzanita, Tillamook, Pacific City and Neskowin Farmers Markets to fundraise, increase program visibility and farmer participation, and provide technical support for Market Managers to administer SNAP and DUFB at these farmers markets.
“I am able to buy more fruits & veggies for my family – leading to more homemade meals & weight loss for the adults in the home.” “What a relief to be able to eat healthy. Thank you!”
Food Roots is fundraising to support all of this work! If you would like to make a donation to “pay it forward” for our food insecure families, please consider making a donation payable to Food Roots “RE: DUFB”, and mail it to P.O. Box 1275, Tillamook, OR 97141. We also accept donations online via: foodrootsnw.org/donation but please make sure to indicate that your donation is for DUFB!
A big thank you to all the community partners that help make this program possible: Tillamook Farmers Market, Manzanita Farmers Market, Pacific City Farmers Market, Neskowin Farmers Market, Adventist Health, Oregon Food Bank,Tillamook County Wellness, DHS, NorthWest Senior & Disability Services, Tillamook Ecumenical Council and local churches, Tillamook County Wellness, OSU Extension, and Tillamook County Community Health Centers.
Food Roots exists to grow a more robust food system on the north Oregon coast by engaging the community, supporting farmers and entrepreneurs, and improving access to local food. Visit our website today at www.foodrootsnw.org to learn more.
by Guest | Jan 17, 2019 | Eat Well
Making Health Affordable
Making healthy lifestyle changes are most often thought of as being too involved and very expensive, at least that was the belief of Bill and Bettie Lou Meador as they embarked on this new adventure. They had just signed up to attend CHIP, the Complete Health Improvement Program, held by Tillamook Regional Medical Center. Bill and Bettie Lou, at 78 and 80 respectively, were still very busy and active but could feel age creeping up on them via higher blood pressure, extra weight, a small stroke and stiffening joints.
Having read stories about CHIP participants in the hospital newsletter, Life and Health, they really wanted to see if they could afford the cost so they could reap the benefits. The program included a pre and post health screen including blood draw, daily 30-minute video teaching how lifestyle changes bring improvement in chronic conditions, 18 evening meals, 2 breakfasts and cooking demonstrations. In partnership with the YMCA, participants have free use of their facilities for 3 months to encourage development of a regular exercise habit. It seemed beyond their financial means to be able to pay for all of this.
In discussion with Ginny Gabel, the CHIP facilitator they learned the many options available to cut the cost enabling them to attend. So a financial plan was set up, they paid the discounted agreed-upon fee and got started. Each week they set goals, began walking more deliberately, tried new healthier recipes and ate and ate!
“The food was delicious” reports Bettie Lou,“ and through the cooking demonstrations by Janice Wolk, RD we learned how to save money by cooking healthier. I have been a cook for many years but there was still so much I learned.”
After the second week, Bettie Lou came in and handed Ginny a small check and said that it should be applied to the cost of the program. Each week thereafter she handed in another small check to be applied to her program fees. The last night of the program she brought one more check and in amazement, Ginny asked Bettie Lou, “Where has this money come from? Do you realize that you have completely covered the full couple-cost of the program and you won’t need the discount and scholarship you were offered?”
Bettie Lou smiled proudly, “Yes, I know. This is the money I saved each week from the meals we ate each night and the leftovers you sent home with us. I also saved money from my grocery shopping because I am no longer buying soda, chips, candy and snacks, packaged & processed foods, or cuts of meat. I have changed to fresh produce, beans, rice, whole grain foods and therefore saved enough to pay the full price for CHIP. It took some money to stock my kitchen at first, but I never would have believed that eating healthy would benefit my pocketbook so much.”
CHIP begins Jan 21 – Feb 28, 2019. To find out more about how CHIP can help you find Proven Results and Priceless Benefits contact Ginny Gabel, 503-815-2270 or gabelgl@ah.org.
by Michelle | Dec 6, 2018 | Eat Well, Recipes
By Dana Zia, The Golightly Gourmet
“I think it is more important to have fun and spend time with my guests at parties.” The Barefoot Contessa
The festive party season has officially begun. Lovely parties decked out in garlands of cedar and holly berries, beckon to us. Twinkling lights, laughter and rich holiday foods grace warm homes filled with party goers. We might even be so inspired by the season as to deck our own halls and have a party. Whatever the case, going to or having a party, there is a definite art to it. Here are some tips to help you avoid getting stressed out of your mistletoed mind and expanding your waist to Santa’s girth.
One of the key components of a stress-free holiday party is easy, healthy food. I know “easy” and “healthy” used in the same sentence with “holiday party” seems like an oxymoron, but it is possible. I assure you.
There are two festive dishes that you can serve at any party that will be received with big rosy smiles; the vegetable platter and the fruit and cheese platter. We’re not talking just any ole platter like you get from a grocery store. (Even those will do in a pinch) We are talking about an updated, healthy and sexy looking tray of merry, healthy foods! These trays are easy to put together and filled with goodness that we all need this time of year. They can even be elevated to art work, with little planning and prep. Oh, and they don’t require any cooking. Easy, healthy and delicious; check.
First off, when planning the platter of your choice, think textures and colors. Start by choosing an interesting platter to arrange it on. A large wooden cutting board or a bamboo tea tray are my favorite go-to containers. I have found some great platters at Good Will or other thrift stores that are interesting and affordable too.
Let’s start with the luscious fruit and cheese platters. Pick out an array of different cheeses; a hard one, a soft creamy one, a mild one and a pungent one. Choosing locally made cheeses adds even more interest to the tray or try making a cheese log for a kick. Tip: Let your cheeses come to room temperature for a few hours before serving as cheese tastes better that way.
Next, think fruit; colorful, different shapes, and the simpler the better. Choose fruits that are in season and are easy to pick up and eat. Grapes, apples and pear slices, figs and tangerines slices are good choices for this time of year. (To keep your pear and apple slices from turning brown, squeeze the juice of an orange over them and toss till well coated.)
Add some dried fruit, like cranberries and apricots, then some nuts roasted cashews and almonds are always good. Choose some sliced breads or crackers for the platter as well. I love nut crackers, like “Blue Diamond Nut Thins” because they are healthy, gluten-free and have great crunch.
Let’s talk vegetable platters, or in French, “crudités platter,” which are equally enjoyable to create. Once again, think colors and textures. Carrots of different colors, sliced in half lengthways, radicchio and Belgian endive cut into little scoops, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, lightly steamed green beans and asparagus, julienned bell peppers and celery make great choices. Make a dip for the vegetables that is sleek and different. Something like a “Green Goddess”, baba ganoush, or zesty orange hummus dip. (Recipe follows)
Now for the fun part, assembling your masterpiece. Allow your creative spirit to flow here. Pick some herbs, like sprigs of rosemary and sage, to arrange around the platter to add interest. Pine boughs that have been washed work too if you can’t get fresh herbs. Pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries sprinkled around the herbs make a lovely holiday theme.
You can use leaves from the garden to place under the cheese, fruit and veggies. Make sure they are non-poisonous and pesticide free first! Our native salal is a great one to use; completely edible and evergreen. (Holly and mistletoe are not edible, so don’t use them.) Then arrange the fruit and cheeses or the veggies in a fun and pleasing way. Use your imagination and most of all enjoy the process and the different flavors you are presenting. Your tray will be well visited! There are many people wishing to eat healthy foods this time of year. I wish you a healthy and (relatively) stress-free holiday season!
Zesty Orange Hummus
Adapted from Cooking Light. You can get all the spices, from your local grocery store, including Mother Nature’s in Manzanita. Great served with veggies or pita wedges.
½ onion roughly chopped
2-6 cloves of garlic
¼ cup of orange juice
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
2 teaspoons of low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste)
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
¼ teaspoon of ground coriander
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of cumin
½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
Or regular paprika
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
Get down the old food processor or a blender on steroids. Add the onion and the garlic to the food processor then whirl until diced up. As the processor is running, add the rest of the ingredients, one at a time until well blended.
Serve sprinkled with smoked paprika, a drizzle of a really good olive oil and some holiday love.
by Michelle | Oct 25, 2018 | Eat Well, Recipes
Serves 5
INGREDIENTS
2.5 oz. cream cheese
6.5 oz. cheese, cheddar, yellow, reduced fat, shredded
1/3 cup yogurt, low-fat, plain
2 Tablespoons milk, 1% low-fat
20 crackers, whole grain, low-salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Place cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add yogurt and milk. Puree again until smooth.
Transfer dip to a serving bowl.
Serve with whole grain crackers.
Refrigerate leftovers.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Calories: 216, Total Fat: 12.40 g, Saturated Fat: 6.75 g, Cholesterol: 30.64 mg, Sodium: 360.65 mg, Calcium: 378.88 mg, Protein: 13.57 g, Carbohydrates: 13.43 g, Dietary Fiber: 1.68 g
Dietitian’s Tip: A fun way to get calcium, protein and whole grains.
by Michelle | Oct 18, 2018 | Eat Well
By Rachel Pettit, Food Roots’ Farm to School Program Coordinator
What is farm to school?
Hands in the soil.
Seeds. Sprouts. Fruit.
Sharing and not being afraid to try something new.
Laughter. Smiles. Teamwork.
Farm to school is also a general term used to describe work being done across the United States to connect students with local food and encourage the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors. Tillamook County is a community rich in agricultural tradition that should be celebrated and shared with children of all backgrounds, farm kid or not.
This agricultural tradition in Tillamook is both deep and wide. Many families hold dairymen and women close, but a full diet of locally produced foods is available if you know where to look. Fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, eggs, sheep’s and goat’s milk, dairy, honey, bread, teas, and herbs are all produced in our community. Farm to school seeks to connect students with as many of those producers as possible.
In addition to celebrating agriculture and local food, farm to school programs also provide students with exciting opportunities to explore the world. Children are curious and eager to try new things, especially if those things are outside or involve eating! Students who participate in farm to school activities get to spend part of their school day gardening, cooking, conducting science experiments, spending time on farms, talking with local farmers who visit the classroom, and tasting all different kinds of produce.
Their seeds may not always grow, they may get a little messy, they may not love kale, but all of these students are building lifelong skills and relationships with their neighbors in the process.
In the spring, classrooms at Nehalem Elementary School, Garibaldi Grade School and South Prairie Elementary School hosted visiting farmers including Moon River Farm and Green Fork Farm both in Nehalem, and Leuthold Dairy, Wilson View Dairy, Zweifel Farm Eggs, and Zweifel Custom Farming who all call Tillamook home. In May, two classes of students from Nehalem Elementary School spent part of their school day on a field trip to Nehalem River Ranch. This summer, students from Nestucca Valley Elementary School harvested 100 pounds of produce and sold it at the Pacific City Farmers Market. Throughout the course of the 2017-2018 school year, students at seven schools in Tillamook County tasted new foods grown by local farmers.
Farm to school programs may be small, but they have big impacts on a community’s health and economy. Students who participate are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables at school and are more likely to ask for extra veggies at home. They do better in school, especially in science, and have positive behavior changes. Farmers gain exposure, and families learn where they can buy local foods.
School gardens and Food Roots’ farm to school program are part of student life at Nehalem Elementary, Garibaldi Grade School, South Prairie Elementary, Tillamook Junior High, Nestucca Valley Elementary, and Neskowin Valley School. Grant funding from the Oregon Department of Education, and our partnership with national service organization FoodCorps help us provide regular farm to school lessons that complement what students are already learning in science, math, English, language arts, and social studies.
Our favorite lessons are out in the garden planting and caring for vegetables, or cooking simple, tasty recipes in the classroom with local produce. We also conduct regular all school Tasting Tables, participate in school Family Nights, help maintain school gardens, organize field trips to local farms or farmer visits to classrooms, and we run the School to Market project where students grow produce and sell it at market.
This year is also our second annual participation in National Farm to School Month, an October celebration that helps recognize farm to school programs like ours. We’re marking this season of abundance by harvesting the last of school garden produce and planting vegetables that will grow slowly through the winter for spring eating.
We’ll also be hosting a Tasting Table at each of our partner schools for students to try a special potato variety called the Makah Ozette fingerling. This variety of potato was never cultivated in Europe and made its way from the Andes Mountains to the Pacific Northwest via overland trade routes over hundreds of years. Food geneticists have proved this through recent testing, and we purchased the seed potatoes from a farm in Oregon City. Students planted the seed potatoes at the end of the school year and harvested the mature potatoes in September. Now they’ll be able to eat the fruits of their labor and learn a little bit more about how the foods we eat today carry generations of stories. A truly special celebration!
The final way we’re marking National Farm to School Month is with Local Food Open Houses, where school district families have an opportunity to try locally grown products and get to know local growers! Watch the Food Roots website or Facebook page for event announcements.
For more information about Farm to School Month, volunteering with school gardens, hosting students on your farm, or anything at all related to farm to school in Tillamook, please contact Rachel Pettit, Food Roots’ farm to school program coordinator, at rachel@foodrootsnw.org .
by Guest | Jun 15, 2018 | Eat Well
June is Dairy Month! Here in Tillamook County, we have a lot to celebrate. Our friends at the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council have provided us with an update on the topic of dairy fat.
Dairy fat has been in the news lately. Headlines say saturated fat is ok and that’s caused a bit of confusion, especially when some health recommendations still call for fat free and low fat. What do the experts say?
Besides being delicious, dairy foods are also an irreplaceable part of a healthy diet because they are packed with protein, calcium, and lots of other important vitamins and minerals. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating low-fat or nonfat dairy foods for everyone. But is there room for the higher fat dairy foods like whole milk, whole milk yogurt, cheese, and ice cream in your diet?
To answer that question, let’s begin by exploring the current science of fats and dairy fat.
First, your body needs fat for energy and growth. Fat helps us absorb some vitamins and also produces hormones that are important to our bodies. There are different types of fats and foods contain mixtures of different fats. Saturated fats are one type of fat found in animal fats such as meat and dairy foods, and some plant based fats such as coconut and palm.
What do we know about saturated fat?
For more than 70 years, scientists have linked diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol to an increased risk of heart disease (Dennett). Recently this conclusion is being challenged by scientists. We reported a couple of years ago on the newer research showing saturated dairy fats may not be linked to heart disease in healthy adults. (Link to May 2016 Wellness article “The Whole Truth about Dairy Fat”) Let’s look at what we know now in 2018.
What have scientists found in the past couple of years?
There have been some recent, interesting studies looking at the effects of dairy fat on the risk of developing heart disease (Miller). A 3 week study done in Denmark of 17 healthy adults found that drinking about 2 cups of whole milk a day instead of skim milk did not increase markers for heart disease: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or triglycerides. Also, drinking whole milk instead of skim milk increased the good HDL-cholesterol. (Engel)
A review of dairy and heart health found there was no evidence that eating dairy foods is bad for heart health. Full fat dairy foods were found to be neutral in terms of risk of heart disease (Drouin-Chartier). Maintaining a healthy weight is important for adults and a cup of whole milk does have 70 more calories than a cup of skim milk. But this research suggests that if foods and physical activity are balanced to maintain weight, whole milk can be a part of the diet of healthy adults. (Engel)
Researchers now consider saturated fat as a very large category of different substances. They have questioned the connection that all saturated fats influence the risk of heart disease in the same way. (Mozaffarian) About two-thirds of the fatty acids in milk are saturated fat and there are more than 400 types of fatty acids in milk (Dennett). A 2012 study looking at different saturated fat-rich foods, found dairy fat was associated with less risk of heart disease than other saturated fat-rich foods (De Oliviera).
So how do dairy foods fit in my diet?
Can I eat ice cream, butter, and cheese? The simple answer is, yes. Dairy foods are an important source of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Three servings of dairy foods a day are part of a healthy eating pattern which also includes eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.
The foods you choose are one part of a healthy lifestyle. Other important factors are maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, not smoking, and drinking alcohol in moderation. Leading a healthy lifestyle will help us prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
So stay tuned for more research on saturated fats. Focus on your lifestyle choices and enjoy nutritious dairy foods of varying fat contents (including a little ice cream) along with vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.
References:
Dennett C. 2016. The truth about dairy fats. Today’s Dietitian. 18 (10): 26.
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/1016p26.shtml
De Oliveira Otto MC, Mozaffarian D, Kromhout D, et al. 2012. Dietary intake of saturated fat by food source and incident cardiovascular disease: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 96 (2): 397-404.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396447/
Drouin-Chartier JP, Brassard D, Tessier-Grenier M, Cote JA, Labonte ME, Desroches S, Couture P, Lamarche B. 2016. Systematic review of the association between dairy product consumption and risk of cardiovascular-related clinical outcomes. Adv Nutr. 7 (6): 1026-1040. https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/7/6/1026/4568635
Engel S, Elhauge M, Tholstrup T. 2018. Effect of whole milk compared with skimmed milk on fasting blood lipids in healthy adults: a 3-week randomized crossover study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 72 (2): 249-254. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29229955
Guest. TillamookCountyHealthMatters.org. June 23, 2016. The “Whole” Truth about Dairy Fat. http://tillamookcountyhealthmatters.org/the-whole-truth-about-dairy-fat/
Miller G. National Dairy Council. February 27, 2018. Whole Milk Dairy Foods: Exploring the Evolving Science. https://www.nationaldiarycouncil.org/content/2018/milk-fat-exploring-the-evolving-science
Mozaffarian D. 2016. Dietary and policy priorities for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity: a comprehensive review. Circulation.133 (2): 187-225.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/133/2/187.long
