To help of Filipinos afflicted by unemployment, poverty, and hunger caused by COVID-19 pandemic, provision of free food items and other essential goods through community pantries were initiated. (See: http://bit.ly/communitypantryrecos).

Among the typical food items offered in various community pantries are canned goods and processed foods. These items are convenient, readily available, easily carried and have prolonged shelf life. Since these food items are pre-cooked, they are ready-to-eat, can be prepared with minimal cooking or mixed with some recipes. However, these are usually high in salt, sugar, fat, or other types of preservatives.

To make these food items more nutritious, addition of other food items can be done to transform it to a hearty meal that can be enjoyed by the family. Level up and upgrade the nutritional content of your ordinary relief food items through these five (5) healthful yet quick recipes adapted from the FNRI Menu Guide Calendar: Nutritious Meals during Extended Emergency Period:

1. Veggie Sardines with Miswa

2. Sauteed Kamote with Luncheon Meat

3. Tuna-Sayote-Carrots Guisado

4. Sotanghon with Corned Beef

5. Tuna Gisado

Being known of its high calorie, sodium and fat content, frequent consumption of canned and processed foods may increase risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure) and other cardiovascular diseases. However, these medical conditions can be averted through the recipes above-mentioned.

Organizers of the community pantries are recommended disseminate recipes to each beneficiary for their own future references. As an advocate of nutrition, NNC MIMAROPA commends putting into practice the recommended healthy, low-cost recipes by FNRI-DOST to increase the nutritional content of the canned and processed goods generally spotted in most community pantries.

A friendly reminder mga ka-nutrisyon, practice preparing healthy and well-balanced meals daily amidst pandemic!

(NKSLoyola)

Sources:

Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology. (2015). 2015 FNRI Menu Guide Calendar: Nutritious Meals during Extended Emergency Period. Accessed from http://122.53.86.125/Menu%20Calendar/cal2015.pdf

Produce for Better Health Foundation. (n.d.) About The Buzz: Canned Foods Are Too High in Sodium and Should Be Avoided? Accessed from https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/atb-for-012512/