Fresh Food and Food Banks (and lots of photos of veg)

Roasted veg cooked ready for dinner later


On the news this morning they were discussing the rise in the theft of food from shops.  They asked a woman why she had stolen food, she said she wanted fresh food for her children.  She explained that food banks are great but you can't get fresh food from them.

As I was preparing meals today that interview came back to me,  I don't know how I would manage without fresh food.  We have really struggled in the past but we were lucky enough to live where we could get hold of fresh veg.  OH used to help out on farms and be given veg to take home.  We have even been out on walks and been given cauliflowers  from a farmer who told us that for what he would get paid by the  supermarkets he might as well give them away. I remember someone telling me that they had no fresh food left at all and as he was driving down the road found some cauliflowers that had literally fallen off the back of a tractor.  My dad and OH mum had greenhouses so there was always surplus tomatoes, cucumbers lettuce, along with loads of runner beans.  A friend used to go out picking mushrooms and bring us a basket full. Blackberries for free at this time of year.  There was also cheap veg sold at the farm gates.

 I am now lucky enough to be able to afford a locally grown veg box delivery every week, supplemented by fruit and veg from Aldi and some home grown veg which I have the space to grow.  I was also given some home grown apples by a friend last night, so much tastier than ones from the supermarket.  Most of the meals I prepare are based around fresh fruit and veg.  I crave fresh food when I haven't been able to have any.  As a vegetarian the lack of fresh meat doesn't affect me, but for many they would find it very difficult to manage without if that is what they are used to.

Years ago I worked in a sheltered housing project.  We would have families arrive with the clothes on their backs and not much more.  We were able to give them tins of food, dried pasta, rice,  toiletries, sanitary products all of which had been donated.  We would take them to a local charity to find clothes for free. Until they could get benefits sorted out, which often took ages, they had to rely on donations.   They wanted the best for their children like everyone else, they found it so upsetting to have to rely on handouts.   There are families today who have to rely on food banks and do not have access to fresh food.  There are also supermarkets today that will be throwing out fresh food.  Surely there is some way to get them together.  I know there are some schemes that do this, but it is not done nationally.

This is the veg just little old me used today.   If I had to rely on a food bank I couldn't even fill up on bags of pasta or cereal as it certainly wouldn't be gluten free.

Fresh tomatoes for a pasta sauce

Home grown spinach for mini omelettes

Tomatoes from the veg box, including black ones which I was only saying yesterday I had never seen before

Home grown lettuce for lunch

My lunch, full of  fresh veg with home grown lettuce, tomato and spinach.

I'm going to pick some chard later for dinner.


As you can see I am lucky enough to have a diet full of fresh food, so many people do not have this option.



Garden update:

A teeny tiny aubergine growing, such a beautiful colour

Beans

Peas starting to grow

A few carrots in the veg plot especially photographed for Paid in Chickens :)

Mini sweetcorn plants with no sweetcorn, I think it is probably too late to get some now.


On other news, I have woken up with a sore throat and ear ache nooooooooooooo  I can't come down with something, I want to get this damn operation over with!  Keep everything crossed for me that it will go away.

Chickpea xx