South East Texas Food Bank

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You are here: Home / Health and Wellness / Ready for SUMMER!!!

Ready for SUMMER!!!

06/02/2016

 

Howdy Hunger Busters! We are ecstatic for summer to finally be here and I know the kids are, too (parents, maybe not so much…).

Summer is one of our busiest times for programs and camps, and it’s also my (Rachel’s) favorite season for produce. I know I said that about Spring, but I can have two favorites, right? 😉 Speaking of produce, it’s time to see what we’re recommending!

Summer Produce:

Apricots, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe/musk melons, cherries, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, honeydew melon, kiwi, lima beans, mangos, nectarines, okra, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash & zucchini, tomatillos, tomatoes, and watermelon. For a complete list, click here: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/nutrition-through-seasons/seasonal-produce

During the summer, cooling off quickly becomes a priority-especially in Southeast Texas! One of my favorite things to cool off with is a nice, cold gazpacho. It’s super simple to make, then you store it in your fridge, no heating up required!

 

Rachel’s Watermelon Gazpacho

Serves 6watermelongazpacho2

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of seedless watermelon chunks
  • 2 cups of seedless watermelon, diced
  • 2 cups of diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup of cranberry juice cocktail
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice
  • Large pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup of diced red onion
  • 1 cup of diced cucumber
  • 2 tablespoons of cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons of parsley
  • Olive oil for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a blender or food processor, put in the 4 cups of watermelon chunks, 2 cups of diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup of cranberry juice, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and pinch of salt.
  2. Blend until desired texture, then transfer to large bowl.
  3. Add in 2 cups of diced watermelon, ¼ cup of red onion, 1 cup of diced cucumber, 2 tbsp. of cilantro and parsley, stir.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight to let flavors blend.
  5. Serve cold with a splash of olive oil for garnish.

What a great way to cool off and stay healthy! This is a great recipe for diabetics, too.

I also wanted to go over some Summer Safety Tips so that we can all stay active in the heat of summer, but be safe as well.

  • When going into heavily wooded areas, dress in long sleeves and pull your socks over your pants. Tick bites can get very serious. Use tick/bug repellent, stay on the path, and avoid heavily bushy areas. When you get home, do tick checks on all family members!
  • Wear a helmet. When biking, rollerblading, skating, riding scooters or skateboards (or longboards) and more. This goes for you too, parents!
  • Around water, there must be 100% adult supervision! No child or adult is “drown proof.” Do not run in extremely wet areas, and avoid using sharp utensils and glass in pool areas.
  • Sun safety is most important! Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Avoid being out during peak UV ray hours: 10am-5pm. If you play outside during the day, find a shady spot to play. Wear sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats to avoid face exposure, but be sure to use that sunscreen on your face, too. At least spf 30!
  • Parents: KEEP CHILDREN HYDRATED! Don’t wait for them to say they’re thirsty, make sure you have more than enough water bottles or sports drinks on hand. Heat-related illnesses are not forgiving.

For more tips, check out http://www.pbs.org/parents/summer/summer-safety-tips-for-kids/

The Food Bank is super busy this summer supporting Summer Feeding Programs, running Kid’s Cooking Camps, and preparing a new program we are planning to begin this fall. Although I can’t share details right now, look forward to the coming announcements of how to help our kids programs! We’ll need lots of volunteers and community involvement which is a great way to breed healthy communities.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next month for some July 4th fun!

Filed Under: Health and Wellness, News & Events Tagged With: gazpacho, southeast texas food bank, summer, summer health, summer produce, summer safety, watermelon gazpacho

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SOUTHEAST TEXAS FOOD BANK
  • News
    • News
    • Health and Wellness
    • Calendar
    • Newsletter
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Staff & Board
    • Job Openings
    • Partner Agencies
    • Financial Info
    • Newsletters
    • Our Location
  • Our Programs
    • Program Overview
    • Backpack Program
    • Mobile Pantry
    • Community Nutrition and Health Education
    • Social Services Enrollment
    • Retail Store Donation
    • School Tools
    • Senior Food Box Program
    • The Emergency Food Assistance Program
  • Get Involved
    • How Can You Help?
    • Make a Donation
    • Host A Food Drive
    • Volunteer Information
    • Funding Partners
    • Featured Volunteers
    • Volunteers In Action
  • Get Help
    • Do You Need Help?
    • Social Services Enrollment
    • Hardin County
    • Jasper County
    • Jefferson County
    • Newton County
    • Orange County
    • Polk County
    • Sabine County
    • Tyler County
  • Agency Zone
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
  • Virtual Food Drive