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Superfoods! What goes in a food parcel – and why!

2nd May 2018

Superfood - Bournemouth Foodbank Food Parcels

Superfoods!

What goes in a food parcel and why?

The contents list of an emergency food parcel has been very carefully considered by the Trussell Trust’s team of nutritionists to ensure we are providing a balanced diet to our clients.

Recently, we’ve been pleased to work with nutrition students from Bournemouth University’s Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. They’ve also been taking a close look at our parcels.

 

Bournemouth Foodbank and The Trussell Trust are carrying out fantastic work in providing nutrition to those in crisis.

 

Whilst at the foodbank, I assessed the nutritional content of the food parcels given to clients and was surprised at how nutritious they were! Overall, the clients receive food parcels that are healthy, nutritious and the food can be used to make balanced meals: a positive from all angles.

 

Roisin Hickson, BSc Nutrition student

 

In Bournemouth, our local community is hugely generous with food donations!

Still, there are times when we struggle to include certain items in the parcels we make, due to short supply. This is part of the reason we include a ‘top 5 items needed this month’ in our monthly newsletters.

 

We thought you might like a bit of insight in to why these items are most needed. So Gamze Yolgeçer, an MSc Nutrition and Behaviour student, has helped us compile a list of our ‘Superfoods’ – those items that really put a smile on our clients’ faces:

 

Fruit Juice (long life)

When purchasing long life fruit juice, we should look for brands containing 100% fruit juice with no sugar added to ensure it counts towards someone’s ‘5-a-day’.

UHT Milk

Exposed to temperatures of 135-150°C for just a few seconds, this long life milk is high in protein and calcium.

Tinned Vegetables (peas, carrots, sweetcorn…)

Vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet as they provide numerous vitamins and minerals. Canned vegetables are a convenient, inexpensive way to boost intake of these beneficial foods.

Tinned Fish

Even next to fresh fish, the canned version still has comparable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids — good fats that may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Tinned Pudding (custard / rice pudding)

This sweet, rich and creamy mixture is downright delicious. You’ve got to love that it’s made from simple ingredients like rice, milk, sugar and eggs.

 

Thank you to everyone who has continued to donate goods to the Foodbank. Local people in crisis benefit from each and every carton, jar, tin and packet.

To find out more about how to donate food, and how you can get involved, please check our Donate Food page.

 

Find out more about donating food

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