Cellar Scribblings

[CellarDweller]

Hiya!  No reason to move the conversation! 


I was thinking it was funny to come here and read about potato 'crisps'.

[Front-Ranger]

Oh! Since Jeff's question was just about food deserts in general, I googled to see if SNAP dollars can pay for meal kits and got this answer:

"Because home meal kits from the likes of Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Home Chef, and Top Box send subscribers partially-prepared food ingredients to be prepared at home they are EBT eligible. However, a company needs to be approved by the USDA to accept payments with SNAP benefits."

There are other options too. People can band together and form a food co-op, they can start little bodegas or produce carts, they can get transportation assistance from agencies to go buy food, they can get free seeds to grow their own food, etc. But the best solution would be for grocery stores to make sure their stores are reachable by all neighborhoods of a city.

[serious crayons]

"Because home meal kits from the likes of Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Home Chef, and Top Box send subscribers partially-prepared food ingredients to be prepared at home they are EBT eligible. However, a company needs to be approved by the USDA to accept payments with SNAP benefits."

They'd probably represent a lot of a household's total SNAP dollars, though, right?

There are other options too. People can band together and form a food co-op, they can start little bodegas or produce carts, they can get transportation assistance from agencies to go buy food, they can get free seeds to grow their own food, etc. But the best solution would be for grocery stores to make sure their stores are reachable by all neighborhoods of a city.

At least a few of those are a lot to ask of people who are poor, likely not well-educated, and possibly working 2-3 jobs. But that would be a good project by a nonprofit. And in fact I have heard of things like that on a small scale. Or neighborhood gardens tended by volunteers who distribute the produce to low-income families.

Another possibility is ordering from a service that delivers less-than-perfect food (e.g., vegetables too malformed to sell in a grocery store) for a lower price. One is called, fittingly, Imperfect Foods. I've thought about trying that myself.

[Front-Ranger]

They'd probably represent a lot of a household's total SNAP dollars, though, right?

Let's just say there are ways around the perceived high price. When you sign up, you get up to 18 free meals. Portions are generous...I could eat a meal three times rather than just once. Also, subscribers can donate meals.

At least a few of those are a lot to ask of people who are poor, likely not well-educated, and possibly working 2-3 jobs. But that would be a good project by a nonprofit. And in fact I have heard of things like that on a small scale. Or neighborhood gardens tended by volunteers who distribute the produce to low-income families.

Food banks and such are working on larger and larger scales. I've visited the Western Slope facilities of Food Bank of the Rockies. During harvest season, they have trucks that go through the fields and orchards, harvesting whatever the growers can't or don't want to pick. They have processing facilities and big warehouses with freezer rooms. They are able to feed people in several states.

Another possibility is ordering from a service that delivers less-than-perfect food (e.g., vegetables too malformed to sell in a grocery store) for a lower price. One is called, fittingly, Imperfect Foods. I've thought about trying that myself.

One of the first places I visit at the grocery store is the shelf of imperfect produce. Often it's the only place you'll find ripe bananas, avocadoes, and other produce!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Food banks and such are working on larger and larger scales. I've visited the Western Slope facilities of Food Bank of the Rockies. During harvest season, they have trucks that go through the fields and orchards, harvesting whatever the growers can't or don't want to pick. They have processing facilities and big warehouses with freezer rooms. They are able to feed people in several states.

That used to be called gleaning. (See: The Old Testament book of Ruth.)

One of the first places I visit at the grocery store is the shelf of imperfect produce. Often it's the only place you'll find ripe bananas, avocadoes, and other produce!

The supermarket where my dad shops frequently has a "day old" rack for baked goods. They're perfectly good, and the prices are much reduced.

From time to time we see news stories about neighbors in distressed neighborhoods banding together to grow their own vegetables. Unfortunately these stories usually make the news because these gardeners are essentially "squatters" on vacant but owned lots, and they're about to be evicted because the property owner wants to use the land for something. Sometimes the owner is even the city.

[serious crayons]

One of the first places I visit at the grocery store is the shelf of imperfect produce. Often it's the only place you'll find ripe bananas, avocadoes, and other produce!

Mine doesn't have that!

The supermarket where my dad shops frequently has a "day old" rack for baked goods. They're perfectly good, and the prices are much reduced.

That I have seen, at bakery counters.

[Jeff Wrangler]

One of the first places I visit at the grocery store is the shelf of imperfect produce. Often it's the only place you'll find ripe bananas, avocadoes, and other produce!

Mine doesn't have that!

Mine either.

(I have to get bananas when they're just right. If they're too unripe, they "disagree" with me. If they're too ripe, they're just gross.)

[serious crayons]

(I have to get bananas when they're just right. If they're too unripe, they "disagree" with me. If they're too ripe, they're just gross.)

If they're somewhat too ripe (like, banana-bread ripe) you can freeze them and use them in smoothies. If they're completely black and mushy then yuck.

[Jeff Wrangler]

If they're somewhat too ripe (like, banana-bread ripe) you can freeze them and use them in smoothies. If they're completely black and mushy then yuck.

I don't know anything about making banana bread, so I don't know how ripe that is.

[serious crayons]

I don't know anything about making banana bread, so I don't know how ripe that is.

So if it's got brown spots it's no good for eating on its own, IMO. It can make banana bread or smoothies, as I said. If it's totally brown and black, I wouldn't use it at all. I like mine when they still have a tinge of green at the top, but not when they're so green they're hard to peel.

I don't like banana bread, so I have no dog in this race, but if you ever wanted to make some it's pretty simple. My son used to make chocolate-chip banana bread in grade school.