ChicopeeFRESH
  • About
    • Local Sourcing
    • School Gardens
    • Meet the Team
  • Farm to School 101
    • Download the Guide
    • Events
  • Lunch Menus
  • Resources
    • For Families
    • For Food Services
  • Contact
    • Volunteer
    • Media >
      • Photos
      • Project Food Awareness
  • Blog
  • About
    • Local Sourcing
    • School Gardens
    • Meet the Team
  • Farm to School 101
    • Download the Guide
    • Events
  • Lunch Menus
  • Resources
    • For Families
    • For Food Services
  • Contact
    • Volunteer
    • Media >
      • Photos
      • Project Food Awareness
  • Blog

Read our Blog

Spring Cleaning For Your Body!

3/31/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Ashley Sturgis, Dietetic Intern

​
We all have heard about spring cleaning in terms of your house, but how about spring cleaning for your body?  Here are 4 tips to jumpstart your body and get an extra jolt of nutrition this spring!


1) Curb Your Cravings With Springtime Veggies!
Many refreshing and health boosting veggies are “in season” during the spring.  Vegetables that are in season have a lot more flavor and give you a great health boost!  Veggies also provide some fiber, which helps fill you up and keeps you full longer.  Try adding some spring veggies like asparagus, peas, spinach, chives, or fresh parsley to your breakfast to help kickstart your day!

Veggie Omelette Recipe

2) Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Springtime Fruits!
Fruits contain many different vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for overall health.  They are also rich in antioxidants, which can help reduce your risk of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, and can reduce inflammation. Try adding some springtime fruits like strawberries, lemons, kiwis, apricots, or pineapples into your diet to help rejuvenate your body and provide some more naturally occurring ingredients!

Lemon Apricot Fruit Pops
​

Picture
3) Get Everyone Involved!
Kids are more likely to try new foods if they have a hand in helping make them!  Use spring fruits and veggies and create some food art on your plate!  Try some new recipes or have your kiddos pick out something new at the grocery store to try and have them rate it like a food critic!  This can be a fun way to incorporate more variety into your diet.
​

Fruit Cookie Pizza Recipe
​

4) Try Starting an Herb Garden!
Fresh herbs are very easy to grow and can even be grown in the windowsill!  Herbs can be used to help add great flavor to your food and can help reduce your salt intake.  There are many different herb garden kits that can help jumpstart your garden or you can simply buy some pots and soil and start them on your own!  Pick a spot in your house that gets a lot of light and make sure you give your herbs a lot of love!  Some great herbs to try to grow indoors are: Parsley, oregano, mint, chives, lemongrass, thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Picture
0 Comments

10 Ways to Stay Healthy @ Home

4/2/2020

0 Comments

 

By Caroline Grady, FoodCorps Service Member

Many of us are at home right now wondering how to take care of ourselves as we experience life transitions in our home and working environments. While we all live life a little differently at home, there are steps we can all take to make our health and wellbeing first priority. Read on for some peace of mind as we dive into easy steps everyone can take to be healthy at home!

1) Establish routine: 

When we are at home for long periods of time, it can be difficult at first to get things done. Setting healthy habits is crucial. Wake up at the same time every day as well as go to bed at the same time every day. Spend a half hour in the morning after you wake up to stretch, make a cup of coffee, and read the morning news. Routines are critical for crushing to-do lists while simultaneously allowing ourselves well deserved breaks for rest and social connection. Plan meals out the day before and schedule weekly check ins with your supervisor and best friend. Repeat routines each day for structure and support, and aim for a balance of productivity versus rest and being still. ​
Picture

2) SPICE UP YOUR LIFE:

Picture
Stuffy nose? Unplug with spices like cayenne pepper, chili powder, black pepper, or curry. Throw a teaspoon into your stir fry, soup, or even put on pizza. Other anti-inflammatory spices include turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cumin. Time for a taste test! Big tea fan? Try some ginger turmeric or chai tea. 

3) AIM FOR A BALANCED DIET:

A colorful plate is typically a healthy plate. Aim for plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially fresh ones. Include whole grains into your meals and snacks--whole wheat bread, multigrain crackers, and whole grain cereal. Diversify your protein--lean meats such as poultry and turkey, eggs, dairy, and vegetable based protein such as legumes and tofu. Increase water intake, decrease the amount of added sugars. Big sweet tooth? No problem! Trade milk chocolate for dark chocolate once in a while. Bake with coconut sugar or honey instead of cane sugar. Make a berry smoothie! ​​ 
Picture

4) SURPRISE YOURSELF WITH CITRUS:

Picture
A simple way to take in more Vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system, is to throw slices of citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, and orange into your water bottle. Citrus fruits keep you hydrated and are a great source of fiber. Water has never tasted better and your home will feel like a hotel resort or spa!

5) Move your body:

Good news...there are so many ways to move your body and boost the natural feel-good chemicals we produce. Walking, running, dancing, what’s your pick? Even simple stretches help blood flow and release tension in our muscles. Busy day planned? Chat on the phone with a friend while you take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Join in on that conference call while you do some light yoga or stretching in the living room.
Picture

6) Consider new hobbies:

Picture
Did you know that learning a new skill boosts brain creativity? Check out tutorials and beginner-101 videos online such as on YouTube. Curious how to become a puzzle master? Or knit? Now sounds like the perfect time, and hobbies are a great way to take breaks during the day.

7) Pick up on old hobbies:

Dusty guitar lying around? Crafts stored in bins that are begging to be made? Revisit that half-finished story and unroll that yoga mat. You’ll probably be glad you did! Hone in on skills you already have and watch magic happen. 
Picture

8) Lean on your support system:

Picture
Stay connected to loved ones from afar with phone calls, video chats, and letters or cards by mail. Check on neighbors and offer support, as well as donate to a local nonprofit doing good in your community, such as a food bank. Spend time with pets for stress relief and laughs. Play board games with family and host family movie nights. 

9) ​Explore nature's beauty:

​The sun freely gives us Vitamin D, an important vitamin that helps make our bones strong. Take a step outside and inhale some fresh air, spruce up your front or backyard, start a garden or plant some seeds. No green space at your home? No problem! Plant indoors, if possible, or save seeds for future planting. You could take a seed, wrap it in a cotton ball, dip it in water, and let it sit in the sunlight in a small plastic baggie. Nature will then take its course! In addition, take phone calls outside for a change and go for a walk with family and pets in your neighborhood or on a public trail/in a public park nearby. 
​
Picture

10) Organize for peace of mind:

Picture
​We often forget how much the space we live and work in impacts us. Try forming to-do lists and set goals every day, revisiting them at the end of the day. Clear out clutter in your inbox and home...spring cleaning anyone? Free up mental space by removing any distractions and extra “stuff” laying around. This includes cell phones or television, too. Give yourself blocks of time to check social media and stick to them, to counter endless scrolling. Productivity will (hopefully) skyrocket! 
0 Comments

The Dupont Hoop House Is Making A Comeback!

3/10/2020

0 Comments

 

The Damage:

In early November, huge gusts of wind ripped through the Dupont hoop house, completely detaching the plastic covering and bending the metal frame to one side. The extent of the damage came as a shock, especially since we had been about to put up side walls, which would have prevented the wind from wreaking so much havoc.
Picture
Picture
Thankfully, the Horticulture program from Chicopee Comprehensive High School came to our rescue, and we worked together to make a plan to improve the hoop house for this coming growing season! The Horticulture shop has been a wonderful partner, and has helped us grow our school garden program across the district by building and repairing garden beds; distributing seeds, starts, and soil; and offering soil testing and other expertise. We're very thankful for the huge role that they've played in getting this hoop house ready to rock and roll for spring 2020!

On the Mend:

The pictures below were taken four months after the wind storm. Horticulture teacher, Jonathan Duff, and a group of his students are attaching end walls and doors to the hoop house. Students have been hard at work over the winter months building these doors, as well as new tables for seed starting. These tables will line one side of the hoop house, and the other side will be tilled so that students can plant directly in the ground. 
Picture
New tables for starting seeds!
Picture
Horticulture students attach end walls to the hoop house
Picture
The project be should be completed by the start of Dupont's spring garden club on March 19th! Garden club students will be starting seeds to plant in Dupont's garden beds, as well as to distribute to some of the elementary school gardens across the district.
0 Comments

An Udderly Amazing Adventure at Gillette Stadium

8/8/2019

0 Comments

 
We had a blast at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough yesterday at the Dairy Innovation Challenge! We were lucky enough to bring a team from Dupont School to experience this unique and informative event.

The day started with a photo shoot with Pat the Patriot, followed by some dairy trivia (who knew cows could smell so far?!) and a rotation of activities to help us learn more about dairy farming and nutrition. We enjoyed hearing from Kies Orr, a dairy farmer at Fort Hill Farms in CT, who showed us some of the different components of a cow's diet.  At lunch time, dairy took center stage in the amazing spread. We treated ourselves to creamy mac and cheese, and whipped up some fun concoctions at the milk flavor bar. And let's not forget the chocolate chip cookies, perfect for dunking!

After lunch, it was time for the students to buckle down to the challenge -- how do we get students to drink more milk in schools?! According to the New England Dairy Council, only 17% of students are getting 2 or more servings of dairy per day.  We heard some awesome presentations from schools across the state. Dupont student, Mariah, worked with a group from Worcester, coming up with the idea of a "Moo Mobile," or a wheeling cart featuring a variety of customizable dairy options. Way to go, Mariah!!

Once the presentations wrapped up, everyone got a behind-the-scenes look at Gillette stadium. The rain cleared up just in time for our tour, as we made our way through the corporate boxes, media box, clubhouse, and then down into the opposing team locker room. 

On the whole, we had a moonificent day learning and creating with teams from across the state. We're honored to have been selected to participate and hopefully we can add some innovative dairy items to our menus this year!

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Garden Makeover: Bowie School

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Drum roll please.........We're thrilled to unveil the recent makeover of the Bowie School Garden!

With funds raised by the PTO and a grant from SeedMoney.org, Bowie commissioned the Chicopee Comp Horticulture program to construct brand new raised beds. There are now 10 raised beds in the garden, and they are flourishing this season with help from the Fire Department and our Farm to School Team. There's a variety of crops growing--everything from kohlrabi to strawberries--and our Salad Days beds are looking ready for a bountiful fall harvest. A big thank you to everyone who has worked to improve the garden this year! We can't wait to see how Mrs. Schofield and her students use the garden this school year. 

Before:

Picture
Before: Bowie school garden beds were rotting and soil was eroded. Beds were overrun with weeds.

After:

Picture
After: 8 brand new raised beds. Beds topped up with soil and have been kept weeded and watered this summer. Plus a new garden sign! More to come :)
0 Comments

Garden Snapshots

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
It's August, and our gardens are in full bloom across the city! We hope you enjoy this gallery of garden snapshots from our 7 school gardens. Our gardens are located at P.E. Bowe, Bowie, Dupont, Lambert Lavoie, Litwin, Stefanik, and Streiber. If you are interested in helping out with garden maintenance, please email Greta at gshwachman@cpsge.org. Thank you!
0 Comments

August Harvest of the Month: Peaches!

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Fruit lovers rejoice! Juicy, fragrant, delicious peaches are finally in season! There's so much you can do with peaches, where to begin? You can grill them and top them with vanilla ice cream; make a sweet peach salsa; slice them up and add them to a salad; make jam and cobbler; and the list goes on! Click below for a simple and refreshing peach sorbet recipe that's bound to delight the whole family on a hot summer day!
Peach Sorbet Recipe
0 Comments

Harvest Spotlight: Sage

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

Nutrition Facts

Sage like most herbs have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as anticancer actions. Some health benefits of sage is increase in brain function and protecting the brain.

How to Harvest

Most herbs are great to be harvested in morning or early afternoon to have the ultimate freshness, especially sage. When harvesting sage you either can harvest leaf by leaf or cut an entire stem off, using scissors. If this is your first time growing sage only harvest lightly then for the years to come you can pick as much as you want.

Fun FAct

​Sage was rubbed on teeth to make them whiter in nineteenth-century America.
Chicken Breasts With Fresh Sage Recipe
Insider Tip: Sage pairs well with butternut squash! For a delicious pasta dinner, cook pasta in butter with sage and garlic, and then toss in roasted butternut squash and sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese. Yum!
0 Comments

Harvest Spotlight: Parsley

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

Nutrition Facts

Not only is parsley a source of vitamins and antioxidants but also has health benefits. Parsley has breast cancer protection, fights inflammation, strengthens bones, and helps with digestion. ​

How to Harvest

​To harvest parsley, you need scissors because like other herbs parsley likes to be snipped. When harvesting parsley grab a handful of parsley then you snip at ground level.

Fun FActs

​Parsley stems have a stronger flavor than the leaves. Add chopped parsley at the end of cooking for a burst of freshness.
Parsley Pesto Recipe
0 Comments

Harvest Spotlight: Basil

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

Nutrition Facts

​Basil contains antioxidant vitamins and phenolics, is a rich source of vitamin K, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium and dietary fibre.

How to Harvest

​The method to harvesting this herb differs depending on the amount you intend to pick. For small batches, just pick it off the amount you want from the plant. For larger batches, you pick top down. Cut back a third of the plants height, if cutting the entire stem of the herb plant. Cutting by thirds allow the plant to produce more, allowing you to harvest more.

Fun Fact

​Basil repels insects like mosquitoes. Basil has properties that are toxic to mosquitoes.
Strawberry-Basil Shortcake Recipe
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Authors:

    The ChicopeeFRESH team is a group of creative individuals who are working to feed Chicopee students healthy, local and FRESH foods each day. 

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Cooking
    Garden
    Harvest Spotlight
    Molly Burke

    RSS Feed

Contact Us