“I first signed up for the Fresh Food Share box to be supportive of the program and ensure that it got off to a great start. Anyone that has walked through the lobby on the days the food is delivered can see that having a great start is not a problem. I have ordered the small box now for three months and have been very pleased with the results.
My family struggles when it comes to eating enough fruits and vegetables. We especially struggle with the vegetable part. There is a four year old in the house that has not learned the value of such foods yet, and as a consequence, we have fallen into the trap of making the same handful of meals that everyone (mostly) will eat. The simple act of bringing home the food share boxes has forced us to try some new recipes with some new ingredients that we normally wouldn’t keep in the house.
In the very first box was something I had eaten, but never used in cooking; beets. I had to talk to people to figure out how to cook them. Then I had to find a recipe that I thought we would enjoy. I settled on a salad with quinoa, beets, romaine, and several of the vegetables that came in the box. It was delicious. We even invited our family over and made it again a few days later.
In the most recent box the ingredient I had never cooked with before was collard greens. There were two bunches in the box, so my wife and I both chose a recipe to make on consecutive nights. Her recipe was the winner, but now we know how we like a food that we had never tried before.
Even the simple things like the carrots and the potatoes are an excellent value. My son will eat the carrots raw with dinner, which has added a very simple way to sneak in an extra vegetables. Having a handful of potatoes has made for some great fresh hashbrowns without the annoying feeling of opening a 5lb that has started to grow. Knowing that we will be getting more next month keeps me motivated to use up what we have on hand and think outside the “comfort zone” when it comes time to answer the question of “what is for dinner?”
If you have not tried the Fresh Food Share program food boxes yet, I highly recommend giving them a try. They are simple, affordable, and healthy.”
-Steven W.
Starting this month you will be able to order Fresh Food Share boxes at 3 YMCA branches:
- South Oakland Family YMCA
- North Oakland Family YMCA
- Boll Family YMCA
We are very excited to be able to offer this program to a greater number of members and staff. The Fresh Food Share is a fantastic way to get healthy, freshly grown food and help our local farmers at market value. You can have affordable fruits and vegetables delivered directly to one of the YMCA branches listed above.
Click here to learn more about the Fresh Food Share Program or to order your own Fresh Food Box.
Here’s what came in the April boxes:
