CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester-Andover Family Center is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $3,000 EpicPromise cash grant from Vail and Okemo Mountain Resort.
The grant funds will be used to support the Chester-Andover Family Center Food Shelf Recipe Kit Initiative. Volunteers work with the food shelf manager to determine what produce and shelf-stable foods will be in abundance each month, then develop and test recipes using the available items.
The recipe kits are available to food shelf recipients once per month. Each recipe kit includes a volunteer-tested recipe for a main dish featuring fresh produce and shelf-stable food items. Our goal is to incorporate and introduce food shelf recipients to unfamiliar produce, such as daikon radishes. Sometimes there is a shelf-stable item that no one is selecting from the shelves. That usually indicates recipients are not sure how to prepare or incorporate it into their weekly meals. That’s when our volunteers get creative. For example, one month we had ramen noodles sitting in our storeroom. We experimented and arrived at a delicious “cold toasted ramen salad” with fresh vegetables and a spicy dressing. Everyone loved it, and ramen noodles started flying out the door.
Each recipe kit includes a detailed recipe listing the ingredients and explicit cooking instructions. Additionally, the kit includes all the ingredients needed for the recipe, including spices. The recipes also contain information for safe food handling. We want to ensure every participant a successful and delicious food experience.
We know the cost of food is going up, and people are reluctant to try unfamiliar food items. Thanks to this generous grant, the Chester-Andover Food Shelf can provide a special, new food experience for our recipients every month. Food shelf recipients tell us they look forward to the recipe kits because they provide a different cooking and meal experience every month.
If you would like to volunteer to help with the recipe kit initiative, stop in or call the food shelf. A volunteer will put you in touch with the recipe kit team.