What makes a healthy meal from FIND Food Bank
Friday is the annual FIND Food Bank Telethon, and this year’s focus is on preventative food banking and healthy choices.
Get ready for the annual FIND Food Bank Telethon
As the desert’s regional food bank, FIND distributes around 5 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 140 partner agencies all around the community.
On average, more than 85,000 people each month access some form of food assistance from FIND, easing wallets and filling empty stomachs.
“When they go to their jobs and they go to school, [we want to make sure] they’re fully prepared by having healthy and nutritious meals at home,” said president and CEO of FIND Food Bank, Debbie Espinosa.
Espinosa said FIND Food Bank follows the United States Department of Agriculture “My Plate,” when considering what food should be distributed to the community. According to USDA, about a fourth of your diet should include protein, and your dairy intake should be low in fat.
Carbohydrate consumption should be primarily whole grains. Rather than cutting them out all together for a healthy diet, just avoid refined carbs.
Fruits and vegetables should make up half your plate, serving as an important natural souce of nutrients and fiber. Fiber is key for gut health, weight maintenance, and stabilizing blood sugar.
“We want to make sure that healthwise, they are being prevented from having type two diabetes and childhood obesity, and we know that we can help out with that by sending out the right foods into the community to keep them from getting into that space,” said Espinosa.
And you can help! $20 can provide 100 meals. Watch our annual FIND Food Bank Telethon this Friday at 7 PM, right here on News Channel 3. To donate during the event, call (760)-775-FOOD (3663) or go online to www.findfoodbank.org/donate. Lines will be open until 11 pm Friday night.
