Is There Anything More Wonderful than a Healthy, home-cooked meal?

We can’t think of anything more comforting – more wonderful – than a healthy, home-cooked meal.

And our mission is to ensure everyone in the community enjoys 3-squares a day!

The Challenge

Our Pantry is blessed with support through the NH Food Bank and USDA – and our generous donors – with plenty of healthy inventory. We have produce and eggs, legumes and pasta, meat and fish which we distribute to our guests. Yet: Many guests refuse or return healthier options.

Our guests know what is healthy and what is not healthy. They understand nutrition.

We have done some digging into this phenomenon and discovered a hard truth: Our guests either (1) are too stressed to cook a complicated meal, (2) do not know how to prepare those healthier options, or (3) have no access to cookware or appliances to prepare the healthier options.

• My kid won’t eat that. He will only eat burgers.
• I don’t know how to prepare lentils – what do I do with them?
• Don’t give me the cauliflower. It’s just going to spoil.
• I only have access to the microwave at the gas station… how do I cook this?
• Yeah, I’m not a big fan of fish. I could never afford that fancy stuff. Do you have hot dogs?
• Pasta takes so much time – I work two jobs and am too tired. Do you have those premade packets?

These struggles are real – even when those suffering with food insecurity have access to nutritional options. Historically limited food choices (which reinforce poor eating behaviors), chronic conditions (they eat what’s safe), limited time (due to work or illness or family/caregiver responsibilities) to prepare food, no access to cookware or appliances, stress (cognitive or physical overload).

And research demonstrates that cooking classes alone will not solve the problem.

The Community Table Cookbook

This fall, the Newport Food Pantry is launching a community initiative that brings together food, storytelling, and support for our neighbors in need. We are creating a community cookbook highlighting family favorite recipes shared by local residents, chefs, and pantry guests, and we would be honored to invite you to be part of it.

This cookbook is designed to be practical, welcoming, and meaningful. It will contain:

• Shopping and budgeting advice. How to stretch a food dollar.
• Four weeks of designed, simple meals (a full month of nutritional choices). Each can be made in minutes, prepared ahead of time, and stored or frozen for leftovers.
• Food storage and preparation guidance.
• Options for microwave or hotplate preparation for each recipe.
• A special section will also offer creative ideas for using common pantry staples, helping families make the most of what they have.

Plus: QR codes within the cookbook leading to a how-to video library of shopping trips and recipe preparation.

Plus: Healthy food kits aligning with each of the 4 weeks menus. These will include (we hope) cookware which can be used in an oven, on a hotplate, or in a microwave.

It is our prayer that we will be able to provide our guests copies of the cookbook at no cost. This is not a cooking class – it’s a resource to address real issues our guests face.

And we intend on releasing a book each year – building a library of resources and advice for our guests.

How can YOU help?

ADVERTISING

We are inviting local businesses to purchase advertising space in the cookbook. Each ad page will include a quarter-page ad (coupon, offer – whatever you like!)

This is an opportunity to showcase your business while directly supporting food security in Newport. Your ad will be seen by community members, donors, and families who benefit from the pantry, and your participation helps ensure that every guest receives a copy of the book.

And each advertiser will appear on our website donor page – so FREE advertising included!

Contact us at: [email protected] for more information.

dONATIONS

We are also seeking donations to supplement grant funds for this initiative. Please see our donation page and earmark your donation: Community Table.

cOMMUNITY CHEFS

We are also inviting ALL community members to share their family-favorite creations. Grandma’s Shepherd’s pie? Aunt Joan’s soup? Let’s share the love!

Steps to submit:

1. Gather those family favorites! Make a list of your favorite specialities. For each recipe, give us some background: who created it, when do you serve it? How should we classify it?
2. Classifications:
   • Entree
   • Sandwich or Small Plate
   • Soup or Stew (or chili – we love chili!)
   • Salad
   • Side
   • Appetizer
   • Dessert: cake, cookie, pie, pudding
   • Beverage (only non-alcoholic, please)
   • Include whether it’s budget-friendly, healthy, gluten-free, nut-free – Sell it!
3. Email us at: [email protected] telling us you donated and attaching your recipe. Each person should send individual emails.