Category: Uncategorized

Blog Post Written By: Briella Hirsch, UNH Sustainability Fellow

We have the perfect dish for you to bring to your next summer cookout or gathering! Many of these ingredients can be found at your local farmers’ market or farm stand. This colorful, flavorful, easy to make tuna pasta salad, will sure be a fan favorite. You can always switch up the recipe depending on what you have on hand and what is seasonally available to you where you live. Here is what you will need to recreate this dish. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for our Youtube video for this recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz) pasta
• 3 cans (5 oz) tuna
• 1 red onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup tomatoes
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup diced dill pickles
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the package. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, red onion, tomato, pickles, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir well to combine.
3. Stir in tuna.
4. Once macaroni is cooked, drain well and rinse with cold water until pasta has cooled. Pour drained macaroni into a large bowl.
5. Pour mayonnaise mixture onto pasta.
6. Then add thawed peas. Stir well.
7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
8. Put bowl into the fridge for a couple of hours, then serve.

Local Ingredients: If fresh peas are in season, which happens to be right now (June-July) you could swap the frozen peas for fresh ones. To find out what produce is in season during every month of the year click here to find our harvest calendar. You can currently find peas at your local farmers’ market, to find a farmers’ market near you click here. There are also local pasta varieties available at farm stands and farmers’ markets, Valicenti Pasta Farm happens to have many varieties to choose from. You could also make your own pickles or there are some wonderful canners locally including but not limited to Debbie D’s Homemade and Cassie’s Canning Cabinet. If you wanted to use fresh, local fish you could also substitute the canned tuna for a variety available from a fishery local to you, click here to learn more about local seafood.

Blog Post Written By: Briella Hirsch, UNH Fellow

It’s official, we have kicked off our new pilot program, Refresh! We at Seacoast Eat Local are proud to be partnering with Whole Foods Market and Red’s Good Vibes to help connect SNAP and low-income recipients to healthy, locally sourced food. We all share the same belief that all people should have access to fresh, local produce and that is why we have come together to pursue that vision. 

REFRESH is an introductory subscription program that delivers biweekly shares of produce from a variety of farms and producers. More than supplying healthy, local food, the REFRESH program will educate low-income customers about the value of eating local food and connect them with resources that will help them become long-term customers of the farmers and producers in their community. REFRESH hopes to contribute to a thriving local food economy, supporting local agriculture and food access for all!

We are sharing this recipe on our blog as well as in the subscription box for the program. Today we have for you, a delicious lemon-garlic kale recipe as well as tips and tricks for preserving kale. Scroll to the bottom of this post for our new Youtube video of this recipe! 

Ingredients

• -2 cups sliced almonds
• -⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 4 lemons)
• -Kosher salt
• -1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
• -4 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat side of a knife, peeled and minced
• -10 to 12 ounces washed and dried kale leaves, thick stems removed (weight after trimming)
• -1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Instructions

In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in olive oil, add garlic and set aside.

Working in batches, cut the kale into thin ribbons: gather a large handful of leaves, bunch together tightly, and use the other hand to slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. This does not need to be done very precisely or neatly; the idea is to end up with a kind of slaw.

Place chopped kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds and then with cheese, if using. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly. Serve within 1 hour.

How to Preserve Kale

Keep moisture at a minimum and store kale loosely in plastic bag or dish towel. You can preserve kale by making pesto and freezing it to use on sandwiches, pizza dough, pasta, or on veggies!

Our Seacoast Area Mobile Market (SAMM) is in need of volunteers to help successfully operate the program this summer. If you aren’t familiar with SAMM, learn more here. We need volunteers for both one-time events and weekly recurring Mobile Market stops. Sign up for our volunteer mailing list to receive updates and requests for volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

We ask the following of all volunteers:

–  Interact professionally and positively with producers, customers, and staff
–  Be sensitive with all populations
–  Be willing to learn and contribute in a meaningful way
–  Adhere to all COVID protocols
–  Follow all health and safety guidelines as presented by staff
–  Communicate clearly to staff about experiences, problems, and important information

Click here to signup for our volunteer email list. If you are interested in volunteering for the Mobile Market this summer contact our Mobile Market Coordinator, Celeste Gingras, at [email protected] It never hurts to ask what we have available!

Written by Leila G., UNH Dietetic Intern

Turkey! Mashed Potatoes! Pumpkin Pie! Oh my! 

It’s that time of year again: Thanksgiving. 

Certainly, this has been an unexpected year for all of us. Despite that the holidays may look a little different this year, hopefully, we are able to gather around the table with our loved ones and give thanks for all of our blessings.

We all have our own unique holiday traditions. Some of us may spend Thanksgiving with family. Some of us spend it with friends. Some of us may eat in the early afternoon, and some of us eat late at night. Some of us may even add our own cultural spin on the foods we serve and eat! The one thing that we all share in common, however, is a Thanksgiving meal. Although turkey is usually the star of the show, it’s the side dishes that really amp up the feast. Filling the table with delicious and nutritious side dishes will make for a wonderful meal as well as lots of different flavors! Incorporating seasonally available produce specifically into our recipes has many benefits:

• Eating seasonally available produce improves your nutrient intake and allows you to enjoy it at its optimal harvest.
• Purchasing produce seasonally saves you money and benefits the environment.
• Buying produce from a farmer’s market, farm stand, or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), allows you to form a closer connection to where your food is coming from and benefits the community as a whole.

Below are 5 seasonal side recipes you can try at home! Nutritional benefits are highlighted along with simple tips and tricks to up your nutrient intake, while still enjoying a tasty dish!

• Roasted Beet Salad with Asian Pears and Honey

Beets are an excellent source of phytochemicals, antioxidants like betalains and carotenoids, and inorganic nitrates and nitrites, all which have unique health benefits. This root vegetable is also a good source of dietary fiber, folate, and potassium. Beets can be enjoyed many different ways. When they are roasted, they have a much sweeter flavor. Try roasting smaller, cubed beets and adding salad greens, red onion, lemon, honey, fresh thyme, and walnuts to create a delicious winter side salad! 

• Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole 

Green beans are rich in vitamin A, which helps with vision and vitamin K, which improves bone health and blood clotting. They are also a great source of vitamin C, which aids in wound healing and maintaining healthy skin. When possible, it’s better to use fresh or frozen green beans as they provide a better source of nutrients than canned green beans. If you do end up using canned green beans, make sure to rinse and drain them – this will reduce the sodium content! Choose low-fat milk for this recipe and if time permits, consider making homemade crispy onions using whole wheat bread crumbs, olive or canola oil, and your own amounts of seasoning!

• Potatoes Au Gratin

It’s a common misconception that potatoes are not healthy for us, especially with the recent fad of low-carb diets.This myth is likely because most of the time, potatoes are cooked or eaten with large amounts of butter and sour cream. However, on their own, potatoes are pretty low in calories and provide us with a variety of nutrients that are preventative against chronic diseases. They are an excellent source of potassium, a major player in maintaining healthy blood pressure, along with many other vitamins and minerals. Try substitutions like plant-based butter and low-fat milk and cheese when making this dish!

• Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is a seasonal favorite among many – it’s low in calories and loaded with vitamins A and C. Peeling and seeding a butternut squash is quite simple and doesn’t take too long! There are many tutorials online showing instructions. Try tossing cubed butternut squash with olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a little bit of salt to create a sweet, yet savory side dish. And since butternut squash is naturally sweet, you only need to add minimal amounts of maple syrup! Kick up the flavor by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika.

• Roasted Garlic and Kale Stuffing 

Kale is a dark leafy green vegetable and like green beans, is also an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K. In fact, one cup of raw kale has more vitamin A and vitamin K than you need in an entire day! It’s considered a superfood because of all the brain-boosting nutrients and antioxidants it contains. Adding kale or another leafy green to your stuffing will increase its nutritional value and add a unique flavor sure to please your friends and family! Use olive or canola oil instead of butter to include more healthy fats instead of unhealthy fats for this recipe.

https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0220p26.shtml

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285753 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280579#nutritional_profile 

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-many-types-and-health-benefits-of-kale#:~:text=Kale%20is%20a%20nutrition%20superstar,friendly%2Fweight%2Dfriendly%20vegetable. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/kale/

Written by Leila G., UNH Dietetic Intern

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, national school meal programs, like the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, had been providing breakfast and lunch to roughly 30 million students from low-income families each day. These programs have played a crucial role in providing these children and teens with adequate nutrition who may not be receiving nutritious meals at home. 

Due to the pandemic, an overwhelming number of individuals in the country became unemployed, which has consequently resulted in many more people facing serious economic hardship. Immense stress has been placed upon families with children especially, as parents continue to juggle working remotely while caring for their children who are learning online from home. Food insecurity has also become a significant stressor, as there are now triple the number of households with children being classified as food insecure. Many of these households have already struggled, and now continue to struggle, to provide enough food for their families. 

Several months ago, shortly after the pandemic began, the USDA announced the nationwide meal waivers under the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, for all students under the age of 18. These waivers ensure the following: 

• Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option meals can be served anywhere and at no cost
• Group settings and mealtimes that are usually required are not pertinent to meals being served 
• Meal pattern requirements are waived as necessary
• Parents/caregivers can pick up meals for their children from any school site

The waivers were administered under these two programs as they offer greater flexibilities than the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program. With this, many families were reassured that their children would be provided with nutritious meals at no cost. However, there were expiration dates on these waivers, as it had been indicated by the USDA that they would last till the end of 2020 or until funding ran out. This created question and uncertainty for families with children, school nutrition directors and administrators, child nutrition advocates, registered dietitians and other healthcare professionals, and more. Therefore, many of these individuals were pleased to see the USDA extend these waivers multiple times within the past few months, once to last till August 2020 and again, modified to last till December 2020. These extensions have allowed school districts to continue serving all school children free meals regardless of school enrollment. They also have allowed parents/caregivers to continue being able to pick up meals from any school site, rather than be required to only pick up from the school in which their child is enrolled in. 

About a month ago, on October 9th, the USDA announced that these waivers will again be extended throughout the 2020-2021 academic school year, specifically till June 2021. This update attempts to meet the hunger needs of all children as the nation continues to navigate through the pandemic. It also attempts to avoid placing more stress on school administration and eliminate stigma associated with receiving free (and/or reduced meals). 

This extension is a positive for sure, as school districts nationwide will be able to continue providing nutritious meals to children and teens. In some school districts, meal sites have been centralized in places such as churches or large apartment complexes. Meal sites have been placed at bus stops along bus routes and have even been delivered to homes. Even locally here in the Seacoast region, schools have made great efforts to feed students and provide them with the access they need to nutritious food. In fact, the City of Portsmouth has already updated their specific website regarding the recent waiver extension update, emphasizing free meals for all students and providing clear instructions on how families can continue to obtain these meals. Breakfast and lunch will continue to be served daily to students attending school in-person. And for families with remote learners, curbside pick-up at either the local middle or high school will continue to be available. The Rockingham County Food & Nutrition Services website also has clear indication on free school meals for all students and instructions for parents/caregivers on how to obtain these via curbside pickup for remote learners. The York School Department (YSD) has updated their Facebook page with information of the recent news, along with other resources on free school meals, and marketing lunches via aesthetically-pleasing photos of the food they continue to serve. YSD has also been providing the ability for students who are learning via the hybrid option to have breakfast and lunch sent home with them to last for a couple days until they attend in-person the next week. Similar to Rockingham and York county, Strafford County has also developed an organized system since the start of the pandemic to ensure nutritious meals are served to all students, utilizing several towns and locations within the county as sites. Many of the schools in these counties are utilizing an online customized meal order form, similar to grab-and-go services like DoorDash and Grubhub. It looks like these systems will continue to be used throughout the academic year.

However, there remains a question: are all the students who need school meals the most actually receiving them? It appears that despite these extraordinary efforts made by schools, counties, and towns, the participation rates remain quite low. Unfortunately, some schools, even here in the Seacoast region, are only providing curbside pickup on specific days of the week. This poses an issue for parents/caregivers who may not be able to pick up food on those days or even pick up meals at all, if they don’t have means of transportation. Schools allowing pick up for multiple days of meals in a single visit, like YSD, seems to be a minor solution, at least for the parents/caregivers who can pick up on at least one of the specific days. The nutrient-density of meals is also something to consider, as the grab-and-go-/delivery options previously mentioned are typically associated with packaged, processed foods, which can often be less fresh and less nutritious. 

Moving forward, more must be done. Schools have made attempts, but it’s going to require further innovative efforts to improve the issue of child hunger, especially as it relates to the pandemic’s impact. Schools need more funding as they continue to adapt to the new norm. Providing schools with more money will assist them in addressing the increasing rates of food insecurity and allow them to achieve better health outcomes for students and families, especially those who need it most. In a broader context, there needs to be more thought and resources put into improving protocol for school pandemic safety. Ultimately, if schools can fully reopen safely, they’ll be able to provide children access to free meals as it all once was.

References:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usda-free-meals-for-kids-schools-program-extended-as-children-start-school-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/ 

https://www.ednc.org/usda-extends-free-meals-for-all-students-through-2020/ 

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/10/09/trump-administration-extends-free-meals-kids-entire-school-year 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/28/how-politics-keeps-14-million-american-kids-getting-enough-food-column/6051427002/ 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-21/covid-pandemic-online-teaching-means-fewer-students-get-free-school-meals 

The increase in unemployment has left many of our neighbors food insecure. Food insecurity is not a new problem, however it is growing more rapidly due to the increased rate of unemployment due to COVID-19. Some individuals may have never experienced the stress related to having to choose between paying for a place to live versus putting food on the table, but it is becoming increasingly more common. The good news is there are local resources to help those in need at this time. If you are familiar with other resources that are available but not listed please share in the comments. 

Food Access Resources

Listing of local food pantries

Do you have an excess of food in your garden? Click here for Food Pantries that accept fresh foods

Where you can use your SNAP benefits locally. 

Local Farmers’ Markets Schedule

Updates on our Winter Farmers’ Markets in Exeter and Rollinsford

NH Food Access Map was created to enable food access organizations to offer and list services and share them with the public. The map includes a directory of pantries/meals, local food discounts/benefits, nutrition assistance, and summer meals.

The New Hampshire Food Bank works to distribute millions of pounds of food to partner agencies each year. If you are in need of food, please contact your local Food Pantry or call the NH Food Bank SNAP Outreach Coordinator who can assist you in applying for SNAP (Food Stamps) at 603-669-9725 ext. 1147.

To sign up for SNAP go to www.nheasy.nh.gov

Gather is an agency committed to ending hunger in Seacoast, NH located in Portsmouth. Gather offers many services, a few include:

Gather’s Pantry market is open:

MONDAY-THURSDAY:  10A-5PM (PANTRY MARKET)

FRIDAY:  9A-1P (COMMUNITY FRIDAY: OUTDOORS AT COMMUNITY CAMPUS)

Please bring a photo ID + proof of residency. 

Meals 4 Kids is a program offered by Gather that is available to all school aged-children that are eligible for free or reduced school lunch. Each week children receive healthy ingredients and recipes for 10 meals.

Local Food Access News

The NH Food Bank in partnership with the NH Food Alliance, NH Farm Bureau and NOFA-NH  are proud to announce the pilot launch of “NH Feeding NH” a statewide initiative designed to support the purchase of NH grown food to feed our food insecure neighbors with nutritious locally grown produce throughout NH communities during COVID-19 and beyond, something we believe every Granite Stater should have access to.

While unemployment continues to rise, many restaurants, schools and farmers markets are closed across the state, which also means many of our farms have lost their outlet to sell their product. This program, modeled after our neighbors in Vermont and Maine, will not only support our local farmers, but will also help nourish communities in need.

SAMM, The Seacoast Area Mobile Market, is Seacoast Eat Local’s mobile market, and was the first mobile market of its kind in New Hampshire! This year, we’ve shifted the focus of SAMM to help meet the needs of people most affected by COVID-19. We’re purchasing fresh food from farmers that have lost sales outlets and are donating that food to area food pantries and senior housing communities.  This enables people who have no other option of getting fresh local food to their table an equitable opportunity to enjoy the local harvest. During the season, we’re reaching over 400 households per week. Thanks to our partners for the season: NH Charitable Foundation, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, Gather Food Pantry, and Tuckaway Farm.

Check out this great article written about SAMM. 

*All photos featured in this post were taken prior to COVID-19.

Shopping of any nature can seem like a daunting task on a normal day, and even more difficult during the COVID-19 crisis. Usually farmers’ markets are seen as a social event along with a food access point however this year things are a little different. Everyone is concerned with hygiene and sanitization in the pursuit of staying healthy and virus free, and farmers’ markets are no different. Here are nine reasons to shop at farmers’ markets during the COVID-19 pandemic and why they are among the safest and best places to grocery shop.

1. Farmers’ market aisles are the widest of any market, indoors or out! This makes social distancing procedures easier to follow.
 Many markets are even mapping out the route customers should take through the market to keep traffic all heading in one direction. Vendors are spaced out so that it is easier for customers to shop at the same time with different vendors.
2. You are buying from the farms and often times even the farmers who harvested the produce. 
This means that far fewer hands have handled the food overall reducing the risk of transmission by surface contamination.
3. Shopping outdoors means you are in the healthiest air you can breathe! Indoor air systems recirculate their air and with it the virus.
4. When this all done, you will want your local farmers growing things you like to eat
. When shopping outside your local network of producers (usually products from grocery stores or the internet) many other people are included in the process which increases the risk of transmission of any illness or contaminant.
5.  It’s more fun, and more relaxed! When the social distancing restrictions are lifted you can meet so many amazing people and local producers at the market. Keeping the markets going means when this all passes you can enjoy all the things markets have to offer.
6. The farmers’ market can be thought of as your pantry.  They have fresh food every week, so you can stock up slowly, and count on us to have food every market day
. You don’t have to worry about inventory shortages like the grocery store.
7. The food is fresher
. The food is often harvested within a few days if not the same day as the market, whereas at the grocery store the food has traveled long distances.
8. You are helping to keep many of your neighbors in business and supporting your local economy. When you buy locally you are putting money directly into the pocket of the local food producer where they can use it to support their families.
9. Supermarkets have many staff members that handle everything from unpacking, stocking, ringing, bagging, and more. When you shop at the farmers’ market usually there isn’t more than 1-2 people per stall and usually they are the ones who packed the product and even harvested it!

To find markets scheduled near you click here.