Increase your Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D is essential to a balanced and healthy body. We often hear about this vitamin associated with the sun; however, Vitamin D is also found in food and supplemental form. Exposure to sunlight naturally gives our bodies Vitamin D by aiding the absorption of calcium into the body. Vitamin D, among other things, is essential for helping bones absorb calcium, keeping them strong to prevent osteoporosis.

However, as great as natural sunlight sounds to all of us, many of our lives are spent inside working, in front of a computer, or in a car. Amidst the busy schedules of life, try to incorporate ways to increase Vitamin D in your lifestyle. Moderate exposure to the sun can be beneficial without a huge time commitment. Try adding more outdoor sunshine to your life by taking a walk over your lunch break, eating dinner outside, or if possible bike to work.

Let’s be honest, some days are easier than others to get outdoors. For the harder days there are a few food sources of Vitamin D that you can focus on bringing into your diet. Salmon, tuna, sardines, eggs and fortified milk are all sources of Vitamin D. Supplemental forms of Vitamin D are also available. See your local pharmacy or vitamin store to purchase Vitamin D supplements.

Challenge yourself to increase your exposure to the sun, add Vitamin D food sources to your diet and/or take a supplement. Vitamin D will help you sustain a healthy and balanced body and life. Take the necessary steps now to prevent health issues in the future. We are naturally given Vitamin D by the sunshine- find ways to get outside and enjoy the nice weather this season.

Pay Cash

Stretch That Grocery Budget
The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is devoted to helping you save money on groceries. Posts will be centered on budgeting, shopping sales, bulk shopping, coupons, Fare For All, and resources. Follow along each week for new ways to keep your dollars in your wallet. The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is written by EFN’s resident dietitian, Katie Wahl. You can contact her at kwahl@emergencyfoodshelf.org.

Stretch That Grocery Budget – Pay Cash
So your grocery budget is set, or at least you are on your way. But your grocery budget is only as good as your ability to stick to it and if you are using a debit or credit card, going over a little bit is not a big deal. One sure fire way to stick to your grocery budget is to use cash. If you budget $100 per week for groceries, and your total at check out is $104.34, if you only have cash you will have to put something back to stay within your budget. It may seem embarrassing at first, but really this is about being disciplined. In these trying financial times, I bet you will find less embarrassment and more respect for sticking to your budget. So try cash and see if it helps! Small changes over time will lead to big savings in the long run.

Can Cake be Healthy???

You don't normally associate cake and nutrition. But that doesn’t mean you can't "healthify" some of your favorite baked good recipes with simple substitutions. Next time you are whipping up your favorite chocolate cake or cupcakes, try using canned pumpkin (unsweetened) in place of up to 3/4 of the oil called for in a recipe. This can cut down significantly on the calories and fat in your final product as well as add a bit of fiber from the canned pumpkin!

Apple sauce, pureed prunes, and mashed bananas can also be used to replace up to 3/4 of oil in a recipe. Making small changes like this will not affect the flavor or moisture in your recipe and can help you eat healthier! Try it the next time you're baking!

Help Make Fare For All Go Greener

Each week at our warehouse sale in New Hope, you can now recycle your used paper and plastic bags. Just drop them into the barrel inside the door when you come to do your weekly shopping! Help contribute to sustainable living by recycling at Fare For All.

Start With a Budget

How many items in your budget are fixed? Think about your mortgage, car payments, insurance, cell phones, etc. These budget items are the same every month and have a set due date. But how about your grocery budget? It is one of the few areas of your budget that you can control the most.

So many of us go to the grocery store with no plan or budget in mind and then are surprised at the check out by how much we spent and how little we actually got for our money. So how do you set your grocery budget? If you can, take a look at your bank statement and add up everything you spent in the last 4-6 weeks. If you do not have access to your statements, then for the next month, save ALL of your receipts for grocery purchases. Be honest, if you stopped to get milk at the corner store, then that counts toward your food budget.

Now you know how much you are spending and you can begin to cut back slowly. Just like any habit, slow and steady wins the race. If it seems like you are spending too much, begin by subtracting 10 percent of your total budget and work within that amount for the next month. Continue to lower it if you like. Knowing the amount you can spend on something helps you set limits. You will be more likely to utilize what you have in your pantry and plan ahead if you have a set budget. And remember, this is a learning process, so if you go over your budget one month, try to reign it in the next month.

Stretch That Grocery Budget

The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is devoted to helping you save money on groceries. Posts will be centered on budgeting, shopping sales, bulk shopping, coupons, Fare For All, and other budget stretching resources. Follow along each week for new ways to keep your dollars in your wallet. The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is written by EFN’s resident dietitian, Katie Wahl. You can contact at her at kwahl@emergencyfoodshelf.org.

Tips to Maintain a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle

With summer nearing, what better time than now to refresh

and remind ourselves about living healthy and maintaining a
balanced diet! Here are a few tips to keep you on track:

1. Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time.
2. Eat smaller portions, watch what you eat.
3. Think moderation.
4. Eat breakfast and eat smaller meals throughout the day.
5. Eat with others whenever possible.
6. Eat colorful– the more color in your diet the more variety of veggies and fruits you consume.
7. Drink more water- aim for 8 glasses a day.
8. Switch to whole grains.
9. Try different types of protein. Switch up your meals and substitute meat with beans or fish.
10. Focus on Calcium and Vitamin D to build strong bones.
11. Plan your meals ahead– make some quick and easy for busy days.
12. Be more active. Find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

13. Cook at home rather than eating out. Worried about the cost of cooking healthy? Purchase your fresh produce and frozen meat through Fare For All!

14. Take time to relax. Find something that helps you destress and take time for yourself in your daily schedule.

Grow Your Own Herb Garden

Spring time is here! Hopefully this chillier weather is nearing the end and summer will be on its way! As summer draws near, it is time to start thinking about planting. Even if you don’t have a garden there are things you can plant in pots and put on a patio, deck, or front doorstep. Growing your own herb garden is a great way to add flavor to your food and save money. Instead of buying herbs at the store, simply buy and plant them once and enjoy the added flavor to your food all summer. In a medium size pot you can plant your choice of several different herbs. Any local green house or nursery will have a variety of herbs to choose from, whether you want to plant from seed or young plant. Not sure what herbs you would use? Below is information on a few common herbs to help you better decide what would be useful for you to grow. Growing your own herb garden can save you money, add flavor to your Fare For All food, as well as be a fun new project. Who knows, maybe you start with a potted herb garden and then try tomatoes!?

Basil: Used primarily in Pasta or Tomato dishes. Sweet herbal flavor. Try topping tomatoes and mozzarella cheese with Basil for a fresh light salad.

Cilantro: Used primarily in Mexican, Middle-Eastern, and Asian foods. Citrus flavoring. Try adding it to salsa, dips for beans and chips, or mix it with sour cream to top tacos or chili.

Mint: Used primarily in desserts and jellies. Strong flavor with a cool after-taste. Try adding to salad dressings and or topping desserts.

Parsley: Used primarily as a garnish. Light fresh scent and flavor. Try adding it to salad dressings for light spice or atop steamed veggies or pasta for added flavor.

Rosemary: Used primarily in meat dishes. Tea-like aroma and piney flavor. Try adding it to melted butter to top veggies or add to meat dishes for extra flavor.

Info from: www.culinarycafe.com

Fare For All in the News

Fare For All was recently highlighted in the Twin Cities Daily Planet. Check out this article for information and facts on Fare For All, specifically the Express program. Visit our website for more information www.fareforall.org. Stay posted for more Fare For All news.

Twin Cities Daily Planet Article

Get Creative with your FFA Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes with Vegetable Filling
Ingredients:
4 large FFA potatoes
1 cup thin, bite-sized FFA carrot strips
1 cup thinly sliced red or green pepper
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon margarine
1 cup thin, bite-sized zucchini strips
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
1. Scrub and prick potatoes. Bake in 425 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Cool 10 minutes or until easy to handle. Cut ½ inch slice lengthwise from top of each potato and discard. Scoop out potato pulp, leaving ½ inch of the shell intact.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the pulp with a potato masher. Set aside.
3. For the filling, in a medium skillet cook carrot, pepper, and Italian seasoning in margarine until crisp-tender. Add zucchini and cook for a minute more, or until zucchini is tender. Stir vegetable mixture into mashed potatoes. Fill potato shells with mixture. (At this point, the potatoes may be refrigerated for up to 1 day).
4. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through (this will be 25 to 30 minutes if the potatoes were refrigerated). Sprinkle with cheese; let stand for 2 minutes.

Add More Fruit To Your Daily Life

Fruit is an important part of a balanced and healthy diet. Try adding more fruit to your everyday diet by eating fresh, frozen, dried, or canned. Go easy on the fruit juices unless they are 100% fruit juice without many added sugars. Try substituting fruit juice with a piece of fruit for breakfast. Grab an apple or orange to eat at lunch. For dinner cut-up fruit as a side, add fruit to a green leaf salad, or puree for a fruit smoothie for dessert. A healthy diet includes 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Is this overwhelming despite creative ways to eat more fruit? Fresh fruit can be very expensive for a daily budget. Utilize Fare For All to save up to 40% on fresh fruits and veggies. This week Fare For All has more fruit than usual in the produce and regular packages. These packages will each include 3 apples, 3 oranges, 2 grapefruit, and 1 mango. Come to any of our Express distribution locations this week to purchase a package of produce. Visit our website www.fareforall.org for distribution locations. Challenge yourself to add more fruit to your diet. Whether you eat it whole, cut-up, or pureed be creative in ways to introduce more fruit to your daily life.