WAIMEA — Food Day, created by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington D.C., has inspired Americans to change their diets and take action to solve food-related problems in their communities at the local, state and national level.
Last year, thousands of events across the country celebrated real food on Oct. 24, with some of the country’s most prominent food activists united by a vision of food that is healthy, affordable and produced with care for the environment and the people who grow, harvest and serve it.
This month, Food Day will be celebrated for the first time on the Big Island. The 2016 National Food Day theme focuses on making changes in our diets and taking action towards a greener diet.
Food Day organizers say that greening your diet doesn’t just mean eating more greens, it means being aware of how food arrives to your plate and all of the steps it takes to complete the food cycle. Bringing awareness to the food sources provides a deeper appreciation for the planet, people and animals, as well as the vegetables, fruits and whole grains that provide the sustained energy needed to thrive.
“On Oct. 24 between 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Big Island Food Day events will be held at KTA stores in Waimea, Puainako and Keauhou,” said Lenard Allen, a public health educator for the Department of Health. “There will be educational handouts regarding the health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, calories, vitamins, how to wash produce and healthier Halloween options, in addition to many other booths and activities.”
Food Day partners include University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank; The Kohala Center; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Blue Zones Project Hawaii; UH Master Gardeners West Hawaii and East Hawaii; Hawaii Department of Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division; Hamakua-Kohala Health; and Hawaii Department of Health, Bi-lingual Health Aid Program.
Blue Zones Project Hawaii and UH Master Gardeners will demonstrate small raised-bed demos at each store to help educate residents on how to start growing produce at home. Some starter vegetable plants will be given away.
To make healthy food more accessible, The Food Basket will provide SNAP Outreach workers at the KTA Food Day events in Puainako and Waimea to assist residents interested in applying for SNAP benefits.
CTAHR, HIPHI and Blue Zones Project Hawaii will lead 45-minute market tours with tips on how to make better food choices at the three KTA locations at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon, and at KTA Waikoloa Village at 4 p.m. Sign-up sheets for the tours will be available at the pharmacy.
For residents on the run during lunch break, KTA will offer National Food Day healthy lunch specials in the deli section, and free apples for keiki at the check-out stands after school.
“Food Day is a reminder that if we eat better we’ll feel better,” Allen said.
To bridge Food Day and the holidays, a “Nourish Your Neighbor” Food Drive was launched on Monday to help needy Big Island families and kupuna get a healthy start on the holiday season. Canned tomatoes, kidney beans, corn and chili powder are specific donations requested as four simple ingredients families will need to make a pot of vegetarian chili.
Donations bins are available at all of the KTA locations islandwide; fire stations in Kawailani, Kaumana, Central, Waiakea in Keaukaha, Waimea or Honokaa; Hawaii Electric Light Company offices in Hilo and Kona; and Kohala Village HUB.
“Once we’ve collected the donations we will share them with a ‘plant slant’ recipe for those in need in our community,” said Carol Ignacio, community program manager for Blue Zones Project on Hawaii Island.
Volunteers will also be needed to help distribute the food donations.
“Residents can support the food drive by helping sort and distribute collected ingredients on Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at The Food Basket in Hilo,” Ignacio said. “As we get closer to the holidays, The Big Island Giving Tree will also distribute donations to families on Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Waimea School Cafeteria in Waimea.”
Info: To volunteer for the food drive in Hilo call Jade Iokepa of Blue Zones Project – East Hawaii at 756-5772. For Waimea distribution call Sue Dela Cruz of Blue Zones Project – North Hawaii at 564-4762, or go to hawaii.bluezonesproject.com/events