Category: Blog

It’s July, and we can all remember shaking off the academic mantle and feeling the freedom of summer. Even as adults, there’s a halcyon feel to the end of June. Our cares seem to lessen, and our moods seem to lift. We get out more, we relax more, and we eat more. Jersey corn and tomatoes have arrived and even sitting in traffic getting down to the shore doesn’t seem that daunting. It’s summer, and the living is easy.

That is, unless you’re one of approximately 516,704 children in the state who are eligible for school meal programs that provide daily nutrition during the school year. For these children and their families, summer can be a long stretch of hunger and uncertainty. When school ends, many receiving free and low-cost meals through their schools struggle to find enough food to make it through the day.

To fill the gap, there are many Summer Meal Programs available to low-income communities throughout NJ. 84,000 New Jersey children, on an average day in July 2016 (only 21% of those who qualify), had breakfast and/or lunch through these programs. And while we’ve seen increases across the board, efforts are underway to improve the number of overall meals and children served.

To encourage participation, organizations providing meal assistance are combining them with free recreational and learning activities offering a safe place for kids and teens. And it’s not just kickball. There are academic programs preparing children for September’s new school year. Meals and services like these will be available in 2017 at many of the 1400 expected sites. Local, county and state organizations are working to create greater awareness. This year, families can text “FOOD” to 877877 to find meal sites close to them.

But, there is one thing that can be relied upon in summer. The local agencies, shelters and pantries that consistently serve the community will see an increase in visits from families with children out of school. Regardless of what is happening on the state or federal level, the service providers within each community will respond to the increased need and weather the drain on resources in order to help as many of their neighbors as they can.

These organizations, and the individuals who seek their services, can rely on Table to Table’s trucks to be on the road, each and every season of the year, working diligently with sponsors and partners to deliver as much fresh food as possible to meet the need. Because hunger never takes a day off, neither does Table to Table.

We invite everyone who might have vacation days to use this summer to learn more about what Table to Table does in the community.  Participate by volunteering at our Mobile Market, riding in one of our trucks for the day, or hosting a Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch event at your company or organization. School’s out for summer should be a reason for everyone to cheer!

We always notice a winning smile. It has been long observed that people’s teeth reflect and reinforce wealth or poverty, in fact, more than half of Americans believe someone with bad teeth would be less likely to land a job than a person with pearly whites. As a society, we blame bad teeth on the habits and choices of those with them, and for the poor, there is an undue shaming. Insufficient access to preventative dental care can cause serious health concerns for low-income families.

When poor communities and families struggle with food insecurity it impacts their teeth and dental health in the same ways it affects overall health. For children, it means missed school days, limited concentration due to dental pain and headaches, infections, speech impairment, and eating difficulties. It further increases the risk of poor oral health in adulthood that can lead to fewer earning possibilities. Lack of access to preventative dental care compounds these risks.

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found in 2009 that dental issues caused about 936,000 emergency-room visits and almost 13,000-inpatient hospital stays. Many of these patients had low-incomes and dental coverage that restricted care to emergencies or wasn’t accepted by accessible dentists. Untreated tooth decay and cavities develop from a simple filling to emergency care.

What’s wrong with our teeth and gums can many times signal and cause health problems. Often cardiovascular disease, celiac disease, diabetes, sinus infection, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel disease, gastroesophageal reflux, alcoholism, lower birth weights, and more are a result of dental health issues, making adequate dental care much more than a luxury.

A list of suggestions for healthy teeth beyond daily brushing and flossing looks remarkably like a list for general disease prevention.  It includes many foods and nutrients missing from the diets of those who find themselves food insecure.

Keep the following suggestions in mind to upkeep the health of your teeth:

• Eat whole foods: look for nutrient-dense foods with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin K & K2, and vitamin D.
• Eat raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables: these clean your teeth to a degree (think apples, carrots, bell peppers, etc.).
• Limit sugars: from both foods and beverages. Energy drinks, in particularly are damaging as they have a shockingly high sugar content.
• Increase arginine intake: spinach, lentils, nuts, eggs, whole grains, meat, seafood, and soy all benefit gum and tooth health.

And two things we can all benefit from that is forever connected to health-related concerns that bypasses income and wealth:

• Regular exercise: exercise can help protect against periodontal disease, not to mention a host of other health benefits.
• Avoid smoking: for many reasons but in addition, smoking can wreak havoc on gum and tooth health.

The importance of access to proper nutrition truly affects the whole body, and all communities deserve the opportunity to feed their families with the fresh, wholesome food provided by our donors. We continue to work on leveling the playing field between neighborhoods by bringing healthy, fresh food to over 100 agencies in 4 counties, making accessible better health, learning and job opportunities.   Hence, a winning smile!

“Breakfast”, my father always said, “is the most important meal of the day.” About one month ago, a teacher named Sara Gibson Howton posted an image of the snack cabinet she keeps in her classroom on social media and the image highlights that very point. In a survey of 1,000 public school teachers and principals, 76% say that students regularly come to school hungry, of those, 81% say it happens at least once a week. Children are coming to school that sometimes have not eaten since lunch the day before. Teachers are trying to fill in the gap spending an average of $37 per month on food for their classrooms. The money comes out of their pocket because educators know their students need nourishment in order to learn.

We wrote in a post from August 2015:

Hungry children have more social and behavioral problems, have less energy for complex social interactions, and cannot adapt as effectively to environmental stresses. The negative effects of hunger and food insecurity on children are:

• Greater absenteeism and tardiness.
• Impaired ability to concentrate and perform well in school.
• Higher levels of behavioral problems and more aggression and anxiety.
• Higher levels of hyper-activity.
• Decreased IQs, poor problem solving, recall, memory and verbal function.
• Lower math and reading scores.
• Impaired social skills.

In the latest report from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), more than 12 million children of the 21 million who qualify for free lunch, eat free or low-cost breakfast at school. Too many miss out either because the meal is served before school starts, kids can’t get there in time or because students are too ashamed to admit their families can’t afford the basics, or their schools simply do not offer breakfast. To counteract these challenges, many schools have moved to no cost breakfasts for all students, leading the path to implementing in-classroom breakfast. Teachers who do have in classroom breakfast report that the positive results are worth the 15 minutes of class time for the meal. They are using the time to collect assignments, take role call, and read announcements. Students become  more energized and ready to learn. There is greater attendance, increased attentiveness, fewer behavioral problems, greater recall and problem solving.

School breakfast and lunch programs are becoming more important than ever. For the first time, low-income children make up more than half of all students in public schools in the US.  Within the communities we serve at Table to Table, 54% of students are eligible for school breakfast programs in Essex County, 55% are eligible in Hudson County and 57% in Passaic County.  Although Bergen County is ranked #20 of 21 counties, there is still a 26% eligibility rate.  That equates to 1 in 4 kids in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Statewide, New Jersey has seen a 77% increase in the number of students receiving a healthy school breakfast, rising to more than 240,500 in April 2016. The progress is due to a greater number of districts serving “breakfast after the bell.”

School breakfast and lunch programs; along with SNAP benefits can give low-income children a chance at regular, healthy meals.  And whether or not these programs exist, we, at Table to Table, continue to rescue and redistribute healthy food to community organizations like La Casa De Don Pedro in Newark and St. Augustine Youth Program, Paterson, to help fill the gap in breakfast, lunch AND dinner in a most nutritious way!

Food rescue can help teachers nourish children’s minds without having to worry about their bellies.  And amazing teachers like Sarah Gibson Howton can continue to focus on educating the minds of the future.

It’s a simple concept. Pick up food and deliver it to those in need. But let’s be honest, nothing is ever really that simple. Table to Table, like all nonprofits, faces a variety of challenges each day, as we translate the idea of food rescue to actually feeding our hungry neighbors.  The daily operation of our program requires funding, which comes from sources such as special events, corporate and foundation grants, and individual donations.  And as most organizations find, success in these areas is only as good as the infrastructure it has developed and the people it has working to make it all happen.

In January we excitedly announced our Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America. Being a recipient of this prestigious award not only provides funding for Table to Table, but also a number of Networking and Leadership events throughout the year that help to lay the groundwork for developing a solid infrastructure while enhancing the skill-sets of our staff.

Each of the approximately 80 Neighborhood Builder recipient organizations from throughout the country are invited to send their Executive Director and an Emerging Leader for a very intensive, week-long conference filled with formal workshops, informal sharing, and many networking and skill building opportunities. Held in February in Houston, Texas, the first session was attended by Emily Force, our Director of Community Engagement and Marketing Programs. Emily returned to work overflowing with information that will have a significant impact on the way she works to achieve our goals and serve our communities.

As Emily explained, “Being in an arena with peers doing similar work was beneficial beyond measure.  We learned a lot from each other and by the end of the week, I not only developed a support group filled with wonderful people to lean on, but the foundation needed to become more proficient in the work I am doing.” Emily further stated she was able to immediately put into practice many of the skills learned and most of the information gained.

Here is a look at a few of the topics covered during the first leadership meeting.

• Leadership Inside Out – Targeting our corporate persona. Who are we as an organization and how to project that message from the moment we enter a room.
• How to Identify & Overcome Hidden Biases – Focusing on the impact hidden bias has on decision-making, this session enabled each individual to identify the psychological preconceptions that hinder finding appropriate solutions for our individual missions.
• Change the Story, Change the World – We all have a story. Over time, the story can get lost or diluted but the story, the raison d’être, is critical to the success and authenticity of any organization. This workshop focused on understanding and communicating why we do what we do.
• The Power of Storytelling in Social Media Marketing – Learning to tell that story in order to create awareness.
• Financial Sustainability – How to assess our financial position in a way that fosters financial sustainability.

Bank of America has created an extremely multi-faceted, diverse and relevant program that brings together a network of leaders from all over the country.  Each bringing to the table their expertise in a different social or human service need, everyone emerged from the week ready to bolster one another as each works to build and support their own communities.

The Neighborhood Builders program has been around since 2004.  Table to Table continues to be honored to have been selected for this award and is thrilled to be able to share its benefits with our followers, donors and recipients. Best yet, there’s more to come. Stay tuned to our social media channels and here for more about the Neighborhood Builders experience.

Growing up, the least favorite job around the house was taking out the garbage and it seemed it needed to be done daily. In adulthood, it’s still the least favorite and still too frequently needed. If there’s someone around to be convinced to take the garbage out we’re all over the offer. Wishful thinking aside, it’s a fact of life and it got us to wondering if there is a way to attend to it less often – or at the least make it more useful?

Great news! There are a number of ways to get the most out of our trash and reduce food waste. Sure, you can use food scraps for soup stocks, pestos and smoothies but we thought we’d take the idea a step or two further and bring you some easy suggestions for items we don’t generally consider useful leftovers.

That Last Drop

We all know some overage is imbedded in the cost and weight of that condiment bottle or jar, but once we get the bulk of it out it feels like there is so much left even though it’s either inadequate for a full serving or not easily removable. Use what’s left as a base for something else by adding new ingredients and shaking to loosen the dregs.

• Peanut Butter – add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil for peanut sauce that can be used on everything from cold noodles to salads.
• Mustard – add balsamic vinegar, olive oil and maple syrup for Dijon-Maple vinaigrette.
• Nutella – add coffee, milk and ice cubes for an iced Nutella coffee.

Around the House

Food remnants can be used in the house and garden as cleaners, fertilizers and insect repellants.

• Coffee Grounds – In the northeast we grow lots of azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, roses, and other acid-loving plants. Mix your old grounds with dead grass clippings, brown leaves, or dry straw to neutralize some of the acidity, the spread them around your plants.  Used coffee grounds add nitrogen and potassium to the soil as well as a boost of magnesium, which all plants need to stay healthy.
• Lemon Rinds – The old diner trick to make glass coffee pots sparkle: add ice, salt and lemon rinds to an empty coffee pot; swirl around for a minute or two, dump and rinse well. Lemon rinds are equally as effective on mug stains. Put some lemon peel into a coffee stained mug, add some warm water and let sit for a few hours. Pour away and then scrub. The coffee stains should disappear.
• Tea Bags – To clean a microwave, boil water and add a used tea bag to steep. Once cool enough use the tea water to wipe down the inside and outside of your microwave. It removes odors and adds a fresh smell to your microwave.
• Ketchup – use the leftover in the bottle to remove tarnish and other stains on our pots and pans. Simply rub into the silver in circular motions and wash off.
• Egg Shells – If you have problems with slugs and snails in your garden, try sprinkling crumbled eggshells around the plants where these slimy little pests like to dine.  The shells’ sharp edges deter snails and slugs by abrading the sensitive foot of any land mollusk that attempts to cross the barrier.

Every step taken toward rethinking our daily approach to food waste has an impact. Small habits grow into greater awareness that spreads throughout the community reducing environmental expenditure, greenhouse gas emissions and food waste. That awareness creates a culture of support for organizations like Table to Table that rescue food from its likely dire end – the garbage can. Last year alone, Table to Table rescued more than 11 million pounds of food from our community of donors. A full circle approach of smarter shopping, throwing away less food, reusing and recycling food scraps and waste, and supporting food rescue organizations will all work to address the crises of hunger and maintain the well-being of our neighborhoods.

Some of us love winter and some of us hibernate under the covers and can’t wait for spring. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, winter is guaranteed to bring with it cold, snow, ice, and illness. It’s cold and flu season and if you’re not so lucky, winter sports injury season. Most of us are fortunate enough to have insurance and chiropractors as well as access to the nutrition that aids in the repair of muscles, and shortens or fights colds and flu.

Eating well and being rested are two weapons against cold and flu.  Although not to be taken as medical advice and something that should be discussed with your own healthcare professional, here are some less well-known options to add to your diet along with Vitamin C, Zinc and a nap:

Mushrooms: They are one of the few food sources of Vitamin D, which can reduce the risk of influenza but also shorten its duration. Mushrooms are additionally a great source of potassium, fiber, and Vitamin B and possess immune boosting anti-oxidants. Simply add to any dish from a salad (leafy greens are good for colds too) or soups (yay hot liquids!) to gain their benefits.

Anise and Fennel: These are often confused on grocery store shelves since their flavor is similar. They also have in common anti-bacterial properties, a natural expectorant function, they aid in clearing chest congestion, and soothe persistent coughs. Easily make a tea by adding 1.5 teaspoons of seeds to boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. Add anti-bacterial, anti-fungal honey to it and relax!

Garlic: You need to consume a lot of it but the benefits cannot be beat. Not only does garlic ward off vampires, but inflammation and bacteria as well. This anti-fungal, anti-microbial plant helps to boost immunity and treat colds, coughs, sinusitis and viruses. More than one source says to put crushed cloves in your socks to absorb the allisin compound.

Winter also brings with it some of our greatest and most treacherous sports. Hit the slopes with a mix of skiers, snowboarders and beginners and you’ll catch our drift. No one is immune to potential muscle injuries but they can be supported by the right food. For sore or strained muscles and DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) add these foods to your recovery plan – even if that means spending the rest of the weekend on the couch:

Coconut Products: Coconut oil is in everyone’s pantry these days and with good reason, but bet you didn’t know it aids in muscle recovery. Coconut oil is a good source of the fat that is instrumental to healing muscles. Because it absorbs into the bloodstream like a carbohydrate, also important for healing, it is a better option than other fats. Consume it in small portions during the day in shakes; use it for cooking – even in baked goods. Don’t forget the coconut water too. Mix with water and swig all day long for electrolyte replacement.

Protein: This one is not a revelation; most of us know that protein has building block amino acids that are important to healing muscles. Protein keeps blood glucose levels normal and is responsible for maintenance and repair. Whether shakes or steaks, add this to your diet when you’ve had a muscle injury.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Oily fish like Salmon, Tuna and Mackerel are rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. These fats aid in reducing inflammation but also help the muscles accept proteins for repair. Omega 3s will help prevent injury as well as support brain function and support the immune system to prevent and reduce the severity of colds and flu. All year long, at any age, Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a beneficial to add to your diet.

For illness and injury, drinking plenty of water is also important. It flushes our systems of toxins and waste, reduces inflammation and aids in recovery.

Our neighbors in low-income sectors of our communities may not have the access to the types of food that helps prevent and aid in illness and injury recovery. For these neighbors the price of being sick or injured is higher. Many of the jobs they hold are physical in nature and many have cobbled together a few part-time jobs that do not offer sick time. By providing our recipient agencies with foods that are healthy, fresh and nutritious we are helping create more fit communities, both physically and financially. We have a waiting list of agencies that need nutritional support. Your partnership and generosity make it possible for Table to Table to fill more of the gap, level the playing field, and ensure that everyone in our communities has the same opportunities for a healthy winter season.

Fighting Hunger with Friends: Neighborhood Builders Award

With the holiday season in our rearview mirror, our thoughts and efforts turn toward new aspirations and, dare we say, resolutions for the New Year. There is hope and promise to fine tune objectives, revisit missed opportunities, and even toss out some less than great ideas. Enthusiasm for what is possible abounds.

Table to Table is thrilled to have met our 2016 goal of 16 million meals and we are rolling up our sleeves and eager to get started to achieve 17 million meals in 2017. Working to address the problem of hunger for our neighbors in the Northern New Jersey counties we serve motivates us to get up and out at 5 am each day to pick up nutritious food from our donors and deliver it to neighborhood agencies and churches where it is needed the most.

We’re also excited to be entering a new era as our founder reinforces her commitment to Table to Table by taking a Vice President position on our Board of Directors while stepping away from day to day operations. We are growing and changing by the moment – new voices, new trucks, more recipients – over 100 now – and great partners like Bank of America and its Neighborhood Builders Award to make it all happen.

As stated by Ilene Isaacs, Executive Director of Table to Table, “this Neighborhood Builders Award could not be timelier and there could be no better partner than Bank of America.  Through Neighborhood Builders, our organization will be given the opportunity to transition strategically, creating an even stronger and more effective program.  Everyone at Table to Table is committed to benefitting from every aspect of the program’s training and resources, enabling us to uphold our long term vow to be this area’s reliable source of fresh, nutritious food.

Through Neighborhood Builders, Bank of America honors its commitment to local communities to be a neighborhood bank invested in their needs and in moving the community forward. Since 2004, their Neighborhood Builders Award has endowed nonprofits to help them create greater impact and prepare for the future through an investment that awards $200,000 along with leadership training for nearly 100 partner organizations, nation-wide, each year. This year, Table to Table is proud to be a recipient of this award.

It’s easy to throw money at a problem and, to some extent, it does keep the wheels on the road.  But Bank of America recognizes that more is needed, so has created a program that backs the unrestricted funds up with leadership training. We cannot sum it up better than they do on their website, which states that  “Neighborhood Builders seeks to foster success throughout the communities Bank of America serves, helps nonprofits create greater community impact and better prepare for the future by providing the tools and resources they need to develop stronger strategic plans, chart a succession plan, navigate through tough economic times, and enhance their funding opportunities.”

Through at least three sessions, held around the country over the course of 2017, topics that present challenges to the nonprofit sector will be presented and discussed in formal and informal workshops. Leaders from all organizations who’ve received the award attend and benefit from networking, informal sharing of ideas and experiences, sharing from Neighborhood Builders Alumni and formal presentations such as access to capital, legacy planning, leadership development, and the nonprofit environment in current political climates.

The New Year promises to be an exciting one at Table to Table. Keep up with us here and through our social media as we travel on our Neighborhood Builders journey!

It’s true, giving is good for the soul.  Important to know as we enter the Season of Giving where financial contributions to any number of nonprofit organizations can have a lasting impact on the good they’re able to accomplish as well as a lasting impact on personal well-being. Mahatma Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

And there is great truth to it. Psychologists found, in a survey of over 600 Americans, that spending money on others led to greater happiness at all income levels. There are psychological health benefits and social health benefits of giving. Research shows humans are intrinsically social and generosity is a survival instinct. Without caring and looking out for one another, we would have died out long ago. Personal happiness keeps us personally healthy and taking care of others keeps society healthy.

We examined some of the benefits of giving and put together this list of how and why charitable donations work to create a happy, healthy and well-rounded life, for individuals and for society as a whole

Volunteering versus Giving

We all have that image of standing behind the soup line, serving those less fortunate or packing boxes to be delivered to those in need.  But not everyone can find the time in these scheduled to the minute days. The truth is, giving monetary gifts help organizations in measurable ways. Often nonprofits can make a dollar stretch farther and put it to use for operations beyond the front lines, where much of the work happens. At Table to Table, we’ll turn $1 into 10 meals. Giving in any way that personally works, whether time or money, improves the lives of many and should feel equally good!

More Meaningful

Donating to a charity by attending fundraisers creates opportunities to meet new people who believe in the same cause. That can infuse our everyday life with more meaning. Been stuck in a rut, whether personally or professionally? Sometimes the simple act of giving can reinvigorate our lives by allowing us to see beyond our own problems. Each season we see first hand how coming together at sponsored events with like-minded people increases our donors’ happiness with and connection to our food rescue mission.

Knowing Whom the Gift Will Help

Child sponsorship programs have been putting this to use longer and better than anyone and, while the commercials showing poor children living in squalor can be uncomfortable, putting a name and face to the cause gives a big emotional boost. Donations are 60% greater when there is a name, age and picture of someone who will benefit from the donation. This is called the identifiable victim effect; we care more about the one person we know compared to the numerous others that are just numbers. When donating to Table to Table, every cent is going to your local community and potentially to neighbors you see on the street everyday.

No Strings Attached

Making a donation to get something in exchange for a material item can limit the altruistic high. Making a purchase that gives to a charity makes us feel better about our purchase but can decrease overall happiness. Gifting with no strings attached or tangible trade off will maximize the meaning of the gift and increase the level of happiness and satisfaction.

The holidays have always been a time of reflection and giving, even amid the chaos of the season. Nonprofits, like Table to Table, rely on charitable gifts to continue our work of bringing healthy, nutritious meals to our communities and neighbors. Donations keep our six refrigerated trucks on the road year round, in all types of weather, to bring food to our neighbors. There are no snow days, no sick days, no time when we’re not solving problems to remediate hunger and to serve those who need help putting food on their families’ table.

We are grateful for the caring support of our donor community and we wish everyone a season of love, health and good fortune. Thank you for taking this journey with us throughout this year and beyond. Happy Holidays.

This year National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is November 12^th through 20^th and it’s no coincidence that it’s the week before Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect time to reflect, give thanks, and think of others as we enter the holiday season. Many of us make charitable contributions and gifts during this time of the year. Our compassion rises as we take stock of what we have, recognize those who have helped us throughout the year, and acknowledge those in need.

At Table to Table we are beyond grateful for our donors every day. Without them and their long-term commitment to making the lives of our hungry neighbors in northern New Jersey better we could not have rescued more than 15 million meals last year. And without the donated funds used to replace one of our old, small refrigerated trucks with a larger one and our van with a full size truck, we could never achieve the 16 million we are committed to for this year.

As we head into the holidays and wrap up our annual Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch initiative for 2016, we want to offer our gratitude with some insight. Our trucks pick up nutritious fresh and perishable food in the morning and deliver it that very same afternoon. They start early, sometimes 4 or 5 am, and finish around 4 pm. Surely it’s not hard to imagine the chaos a down truck can wreak on a packed, tight schedule of pick-ups and deliveries. Not to mention the costs of keeping 5 trucks on the road filled with gas, properly insured, safely maintained.

But we’re lucky to work on a multi-lane road, with assistance that comes in a multitude of ways.  We are supported with food donations, donated services, and financial contributions. Bag a Lunch is a grand undertaking with about 200 schools, companies and organizations working to raise awareness and money. It’s not just about asking folks to share their lunch money and brown-bagging lunch for the day – it involves so much more.

Well, really, it involves those bags! Each bag that we mail out to potential donors or bring to organizations that participate is touched 4 or 5 times; it’s labeled, stuffed, labeled again, sealed, and stamped. That work is done by volunteers. Another group of volunteers packs up the bags and delivers them to participating schools and companies running the campaign. Once they are filled, our office staff opens and counts everything that is returned. The effort is massive, and again, we get support on both sides – those giving funds and those sharing their time.

If you’ve received a Bag a Lunch bag in the mail, your child’s backpack, or at your work, you’ve seen some of our donors listed. Our Presenting Sponsor, Inserra Shoprite Supermarkets has been a long-term and ardent supporter of Table to Table. They provide food from their stores, funds for operations and participate on our board and committees. Dunkin Donuts and Becton Dickenson are Premium and Grand Sponsors of Bag a Lunch, respectively. And they are joined by Supporting Sponsors, The Children’s Place, PNC Bank, Takasago, American Airlines, and Hackensack Meridian Health. Without them, this program would not have near the impact it continues to have.

This year several companies supported us by volunteering to label and stuff more than 36,000 bags. Suez N.A., Provident Bank Administrative Offices, Unilever, Movado Group, World Finer Foods, CBRE, Fidelity (Paramus office) – all pitched in. Volunteers at Tenafly Presbyterian Church sealed and stamped the bags, once again providing the invaluable help they give us each and every year.

You can see the levels and depth of support we receive for just one drive. Multiply that throughout the year!  For those who have been a part of any event or campaign we held this year, we’d like to take this time, during this month of gratitude, to say Thank You! To each of you who has made a donation, stamped and labeled an envelope, ridden on a truck, provided resources, became a sponsor, bid on an auction item, hosted an event, or supported us in any other way – you have helped to keep our trucks on the road feeding children, senior adults, veterans and struggling families in our community.  And you have made the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors a whole lot better.

Is pizza junk food? There can be whole food ingredients involved but it’s so good can it possibly be good food too? Many of us have asked the same question.

According to Wikipedia, “Junk food is a pejorative term for food containing high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Use of the term implies that a particular food has little “nutritional value” and contains excessive fat, sugar, salt, and calories.”

A good exercise, as we exit Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and enter Breast Cancer Awareness Month, might be a quick look at how junk food relates to cancer and obesity. After all, obesity has associated links to the following cancers:

• Esophagus
• Pancreas
• Colon and rectum
• Breast (after menopause)
• Endometrium (lining of the uterus)
• Kidney
• Thyroid
• Gallbladder

According to the Cancer.org website: “A projection of the future health and economic burden of obesity in 2030 estimated that continuation of existing trends in obesity will lead to about 500,000 additional cases of cancer in the United States by 2030. This analysis also found that if every adult reduced their BMI by 1 percent, which would be equivalent to a weight loss of roughly 1 kg (or 2.2 lbs) for an adult of average weight, this would prevent the increase in the number of cancer cases and actually result in the avoidance of about 100,000 new cases of cancer.”

Since we’re in the throes of pink ribbons, it’s worth noting the site points out that the obesity-breast cancer link is stronger for post-menopausal and Caucasian women. The excess weight leads to higher levels of estrogen for this group, increasing the breast cancer risk. It also includes a statement that weight loss increases the likelihood of prevention. So there is good news.

Where to start? We know junk food is bad for us and we should eliminate the empty calorie, low fiber, zero nutrition items from our shopping lists and dining out options as much as possible. The how to is a little trickier, so let’s look at ways to manage the grocery store and the menu.

• Start with Fruits and Veggies. Ever notice as you enter a grocery store it’s through the produce section? No? That may be the first change to make. It’s a great place to start your shopping. In fact, for the healthiest shopping trips, walk the perimeter of the store. Fresh produce, meats, and dairy are always around the edges and where you’ll be inspired to create healthy meals.
• Make a List. Meal planning for the week or a few days at a time and having a list of ingredients needed for those meals will help keep you on track and away from the processed and junk food.
• Avoid the Frozen Food Aisle. Unless you are stocking up on plain frozen veggies and fruits, avoid this aisle and its frozen meals, like pizza. They are loaded with sodium –  often several days’ worth. Pre-make dinners and store them in the freezer for quick, healthy meal options. This infograph provides guidelines for food storage in the freezer, which is helpful since you’ll be eliminating preservatives in your home cooked meals.
• Bigger Isn’t Better. It might be a bargain for your wallet to super-size your order.  But it’s no bargain for your health. Skipping the super-size should be a no-brainer. You increase the fat content, calories, sugar, and sodium the larger the size. You will be just as satisfied with a smaller portion since no, a larger portion is not going to keep you full all day. We’ve all fallen for that lie. (wink, wink)
• Soda Does Not Hydrate. It is important to stay hydrated for a number of health related reasons but make a smarter choice and select skim or low-fat milk, unsweetened iced tea, seltzer, or water. High-calorie, sugary beverages will add on the pounds. Do not choose diet soda, it confuses the body and may contribute to weight gain and to bladder cancer.
• Choose from the Light or Healthy Options. Most restaurants offer special sections and items on their menu that are prepared with fewer calories and fat.
• Say No to Sauce. Mayonnaise, tartar sauce, some spreads, sour cream, gravy, “special” sauces, and salad dressing all have additional fat and calories. If you must indulge, ask for the dressings on the side. Don’t use as much as the restaurant would add. The goal is to have sauce leftover.  Salads are a healthy option, especially with a healthier dressing; try olive oil, a little sea salt, and lemon juice to enhance those greens.

These are some simple changes we can all make to live healthier lives. We have access to grocery stores, farmers’ markets, wholesale and discount clubs, and a variety of dining out options that include healthy choices and whole food ingredients. We have the means to make those decisions.

Low-income communities are challenged to make these changes and that leads to a higher incidence of cancer and other related health issues. These communities often exist in a food desert where there are few place to purchase healthy options and the breath of choices that most of us enjoy is limited. They work multiple jobs to cover expenses and lack the time it takes to shop and prepare a meal. Low-income families face a form of yo-yo dieting we don’t think about, where there are cycles of overeating when SNAP benefits are renewed each month and then deprivation at the end of the month as funds run out. Through our Mobile Market in the Ironbound section of Newark we are helping families with great healthy food choices that enable them to create nutritious meals each day. Table to Table has been providing vegetables, fruits and herbs to the 500+ families who attend the market each week from April through November. Learn more here. Oh, and in answer to the original question, when using the right ingredients, pizza is not junk food!