Dear Leah,

More and more, hunger in our community is being brought to my attention. I see it in my child’s school and in my own neighborhood. With summer coming up and school letting out, I’m worried about the kids. What if they don’t have enough to eat at home? I want to help. Do you have any advice on giving?

— Caring About Our Kids

 

Dear Caring,

I think a good rule of thumb when considering food donations is to donate food you would feed your own family. Balanced meals, or meal items that can be stretched a little, go a long way. When you are considering children and hunger, think about what they need to nourish their growing minds and bodies. There has been a lot of talk about learning loss over the summer months, and lack of nutrition plays a part in that.

So what does that mean? It means donating protein, pastas, grains and nutritious soups. Basic meal staples like flour, sugar and oil. Coffee. Canned fruits with no high fructose corn syrup and low sodium canned veggies. Cereal. Peanut butter. Almonds, nuts and seeds. Dried edamame. Cans or pouches of tuna in water. Even jerky is a nice option, if it’s not loaded with sodium.

We live in a very diverse community! Consider donations of rice and noodles. Tortillas. Dried pintos and beans. Canned black beans and peppers.

Our families also need fun! Have you considered donating a simple cake mix and frosting? How about a blueberry muffin mix for a special breakfast? Pancake mixes and maple syrup are always fun.

I would encourage you to avoid processed, unhealthy foods. While some may say any help is better than no help, items like Ramen noodles or Spaghetti-O’s will fill a tummy only once, and not very well at that.

There are convenient ways to donate, like the grab bags in the grocery store, but I would advise choosing your own food to donate. It makes the experience of giving more satisfying for you and better serves the families receiving the help.

In fact, you could get your own children and family involved. Ask your child to help you choose the food you will donate. Have the conversation in the grocery store about what you are doing and why. Maybe even make it a special trip, and when you’ve finished your shopping, go to the food pantry and drop off the donations together.

Community service is wonderful. You can take it a step further and create healthy meals for our children and families who need it most.

 

Leah Albert is a fictitious character. She likes wine and writing. Don’t ask her to be a matchmaker. Do send your questions to Leah at theniceadviceleahalbert@gmail.com.