nutrition

 We believe that every person should have access to nutritious food, regardless of their financial situation. We also believe that when in crisis, fueling our bodies is key to having the strength to fight the battle. With those things in mind, we strongly feel that the meals we provide should contain healthy ingredients and no ultra-processed foods. We focus on whole foods and scratch-made meals because we believe this is the way we are intended to eat and the best way to honor our bodies. 

It is challenging for people with the necessary resources to maintain a healthy diet, but almost impossible for those facing financial challenges to do so. When this is the case, we can provide the necessary calories to sustain life, but we can also do substantially more by supporting those we serve with proper nutrition. 

Our meals contain real food. We make sauces from scratch, we locally-source ingredients when possible, we use real food including whole fruits and vegetables, we omit unnecessary sugar, seed oils, sodium and ultra-processed foods, and we strive to use organic ingredients when budgets allow. Making the quality of the food a priority also prioritizes the dignity of those we serve as well as caring for them as a whole person. We know that good nutrition not only benefits the physical body, but also mental health. We want to care for and love those we serve and providing healthy, nourishing meals is key to doing that.

We also seek to empower those we serve with exposure and knowledge about proper nutrition. We know that many people live in “food deserts” where fresh food can be almost impossible to find. In this case, our meals can be an important way to expose kids and families to good nutrition when they otherwise might not see much of that. We also label our meals with highlights about the nutritional content. For example, if the meal contains broccoli, we may include a graphic about why fiber is important in our diet. Knowledge is power and we believe we can empower those we serve in this way.

Eating meals with others is also great for our overall health and well-being. When we provide a family-style dinner that can be quickly and easily prepared, we also send the hope that it will be enjoyed in a social way and can help a family gain more precious quality time around the table. Our meals include suggestions for topics of conversation around the table to promote a positive meal-time experience. 

Below are examples of the meals we prepare:

• Traditional beef lasagna 
• Sweet potato turkey shepherds’ pie
• Chicken, broccoli & quinoa casserole
• Turkey, sweet potato, black bean & corn stacked enchiladas
• Beef, vegetable & barley soup
• Turkey & zucchini meatballs in tomato basil sauce w/ whole wheat pasta 
• Chicken noodle soup casserole
• Chicken, spinach, & artichoke white lasagna
• Chicken, vegetable & rice soup and casserole
• Honey lime quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes
• Chicken & dumpling casserole
• Beef & vegetable shepherds’ 
• Buffalo chicken & potato casserole
• Chicken, chorizo, spinach & corn stacked enchiladas