Hot, Cheap & Easy

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead.

In this spirit, I am donating today’s food blog post to Food Bloggers Against Hunger. I hope you will take a minute to take action against hunger too!

So many of us spend our time celebrating abundance and plenty and making good-looking and delicious treats. But so much of what we do is because we are privileged enough to know where our next meal is coming from, and to buy healthy, fresh, high-end food items.

Food Bloggers Against Hunger! Click the image for more information

Could you make do with $3 or $4 for food? I don’t think I could. But folks on food stamps (SNAP) do, often in food deserts where the only close-by food outlet is a gas station.

So here is some information, a call to action, and a recipe for rice and beans that anyone can make and make very cheaply.

First are some of the reasons why I am supporting Share Our Strength and writing to my representatives:

Food Insecurity and Very Low Food Security ^{iv  from FeedingAmerica.org}

• In 2011, 50.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 33.5 million adults and 16.7 million children.
• In 2011, 14.9 percent of households (17.9 million households) were food insecure.
• In 2011, 8.8 percent of seniors living alone (1 million households) were food insecure.
• Food insecurity exists in every county in America, ranging from a low of 5 percent in Steele County, ND to a high of 37 percent in Holmes County, MS.^v
• So if you are concerned.
• Take Action – Go to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign and send a message to your representatives about keeping kids fed. I sent my message and I would love it if you did too.

Read Fair Food by Dr. Oran Hesterman. He recently spoke to my class and the general college campus (Nassau Community College!) on food inequality and his book talks about some of the sensible and effective  action his Fair Food Network is taking – like offering SNAP recipients in Detroit double food dollars to spend if they use their for fresh local produce at the farmers market. I am reading it now and getting inspired! (More on his visit with my students in a future post)

See A Place at the Table (which is my plan sometime this week!) for more on the fat and the skinny (sorry for the puns) about national food. With Jeff Bridges.

Visit The Giving Table on Facebook for more on doing good with food. (Shout out to Nicole who has organized this day of action).

Click on the Hunger Site each day and with one click send food to needy people – at no cost to you!

And start soaking your beans. At $0.89 to $1.59 for a pound bag in my supermarket, beans offer vitamins, fiber, taste and variety. Soak them overnight in abundant water and a teaspoon of salt. Rinse and soak again while you are at work or busy with your day. Then simmer with abundant water to desired consistency (with a hefty pinch of salt). There is no end to what you can do with them! Link here for my top ten Latin bean recipes! (including a recipe for Five-Minute Black Beans with four ingredients. Or here for Black Bean Burgers

Black Beans – frijoles negros

I hope you will give a thought to the hungry today and take action.

Tags: A Place at the Table, Fair Food, Fair Food Network, fighting hunger, Food Bloggers Against Hunder, food insecurity, how many people are food insecure in the U.S., hunger in America