What is a Superfood Drive? Well, it's a lot like a regular food drive, except that we will focus on collecting foods that are nutrient dense, rather than just filling.
In the United States, food insecurity ("the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food") and obesity are closely related. When families are forced to choose between paying bills and buying groceries, many make the choice that gives them the most calories at the lowest cost - usually this means low-quality food. This has led many people in our country to the state of being overfed, but undernourished.
Our goal with our Superfood Drive is to provide two hunger relief organizations (Acord Food Pantry in Hamilton, and The Open Door in Gloucester) with high-quality, nutrient-dense (and tasty!) foods for their clients.
We will be collecting donations in the theater entrance. There will be cardboard boxes labeled by class, each of whom will be asked to focus on a different category of food.
Seniors will focus on Proteins:
- Canned cold water fish (such as tuna and salmon)
- Canned beans and legumes
- Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews)
- Nut butters (natural and non-hydrogenated Almond, Peanut, Macadamia and Tahini butters)
Juniors will focus on Grains:
- Brown or wild rice
- Quinoa or couscous
- Wheat berries, amaranth, teff
- Steel cut or rolled oats
- Whole wheat or brown rice pastas
- Gluten-free pastas
- Whole grain cereals
Sophomores will focus on Fruits and Vegetables:
- Canned fruit and vegetables (low-sodium and packed in water, not syrup)
- Dried fruits (preferably with no added sugars)
- Canned soups (low sodium)
- Tomato sauce
Freshmen will focus on Herbs, Spices, Tea, and Oils:
- Green and white teas
- Herbs and spices (oregano, basil, black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, dill)
- Olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil
- Parmalat or another highly pasteurized milk (refrigeration not needed)
- Almond, soy, rice milk (refrigeration not needed)
Faculty and Staff will focus on COFFEE!
The drive will run from February 20 - March 12.
Sources:
"Hunger and Health." Superfood Drive. 2015. http://www.superfooddrive.org/hunger-and-health/.
