Happy Holidays!
Author: Agency Relations & Programs Team
This Thanksgiving season cozy up to the sweet comfort of winter squash. This family of nutrient packed vegetables include pumpkin, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and butternut squash. These fall favorites provide numerous health benefits that may help reduce various types of illness such as heart and respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. Benefits are also found in the red, orange, and yellow pigment of the skin where high levels of alpha- carotene and beta- carotene convert to Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for vision health and can help boost immune function. Winter squash is also packed with fiber which can help keep blood sugar levels stable.
The best part is that most winter squash varieties are naturally sweet which makes it a great food for kids to try. You can bake, broil, or steam the vegetable to vary its texture. The healthiest way to prepare winter squash is to peel the vegetable, remove the seeds, cut the squash into cubes, and then steam them for about seven minutes. If you don’t want to peel the vegetable, you can cut it in half and poke the meat of the vegetable with a fork. Then throw it in the oven and bake until tender. For a power packed holiday treat, try roasting butternut squash with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Avey, Tori. “Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash – Vegan Recipe.” Tori Avey, 18 Nov. 2019, https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/maple-cinnamon-roasted-butternut-squash/.
Collins, Karen. “The Best Winter Foods for Kids.” EatRight, 13 Dec. 2018, https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-tips-and-trends/best-winter-foods-for-kids.
“Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin A.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/#h7.
Swartzendruber, Kris. “Enjoy the Taste and Health Benefits of Winter Squash.” MSU Extension, Michigan State University Extension, 2 Oct. 2018, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/enjoy_the_taste_and_health_benefits_of_winter_squash.
November 1, 2019
Thank you!
Author: Agency Relations & Programs Team
On any given day you will find these two ladies waiting to greet you in our Partner Agency Lobby at the Orlando Warehouse. Many times I can hear laughter pouring over from the agency lobby and I can almost always count on it coming from Charlotte or Evelyn interacting with the agencies. They offer a familiar face and help the whole shopping experience feel less intimidating and more welcoming. I once asked both of them what they love most about their jobs and they both said that the agencies they interact with daily make their job meaningful. Charlotte and Evelyn are responsible for scheduling agency appointments, finalizing agency orders, answering food assistance calls, managing agency shopping and the list could goes on! Above all of this they continually provide great customer service to each agency that walks through our lobby doors. So, the next time you’re in our agency lobby be sure to stop and give an extra thank you to Charlotte and Evelyn we could not do what we do without them!
– Fernanda Ngo
October 4, 2019
Brevard Agency County Meeting Recap
Author: Agency Relations & Programs Team
Thank you to everyone who came to the Agency County Meeting on Thursday, September 25th. Dave Krepcho, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, was in attendance. He led an open forum where agencies asked anything and everything!
Read More …September 5, 2019
Agency Spotlight: The Picnic Project in Seminole County
Author: Agency Relations & Programs Team
(From Left to Right: Ryan, Brooke and Mark)
The Picnic Project served its first meal in August 2010 at Centennial Park in Sanford, FL. About year later, they moved directly across the street into a Fellowship Hall at the invitation of The First United Methodist Church of Sanford. With this new location, Chef Mark Thompson was able to begin preparing meals on-site with their new commercial kitchen.
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