Monday, October 23, 2023

October 24, Food Day - From Our Garden to Our Table

Welcome to Our Food Day Celebration!
From Our Garden


Food Day inspires Americans to change their diets and our food policies. Every October 24, thousands of events all around the country bring Americans together to celebrate and enjoy real food and to push for improved food policies. 

6 FOOD DAY PRINCIPLES

1. Reduce diet-related diseases by promoting safe, healthy foods.
2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness.
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger.
4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms.
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids.
6. Support fair conditions for food and farmworkers.




Planning Our Food Day Meal
Every family is unique. When planning our meal, we considered foods from our garden, finances, physical abilities, including finger foods and easy to chew and swallow, and color – the theme for our dinner. 

Our family and friends come from diverse backgrounds with physical and emotional challenges or chronic illnesses, such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Heart Disease.


Our Meal
The main course is a tri-color pasta with various toppings to choose from.  Our garden provided us with tomatoes, onions, broccoli, cucumbers, and basil. We purchased spinach, pasta sauce, locally grown fruits, and part-skim mozzarella, and for the meat-eaters, we had ground turkey meatballs and shredded chicken.

In addition, we prepared a red, white, and green grilled cheese sandwich from the US Dept of Health and Human Services cookbook 
Keep the Beat Recipes, recipes. A free copy of the cookbook is available on their website. 


The dessert was a big hit. We made fruit kabobs using locally grown fruits and paired them with low-fat ice cream, and for Jake, we prepared a smoothie using the same ingredients.


Adaptations and Individual Preferences

My son Jake was born with Cerebral Palsy and is quadriplegic. He is unable to hold utensils and requires a straw to drink fluids. Finger foods and a weighted cup with a flexi straw usually provide him the most independence.






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