The Continuing Journey of a Nutrition Students Journey To Make An Impact

As I reflect on the last three months of nutrition Blogs, it pleases me to see all of the good
Food Finders does.

In 2022, Food Findersrescued 13,709,033 pounds of food, resulting in Food Finders providing
11,424,195 meals to people living with food insecurity.

What a beautiful example of how rescuing food that would typically go to waste and
repurposing it helps to feed so many people. Food that usually ends up in the trash and
eventually landfills contributes to climate change.
Whether food waste and repurposing, healthy eating on a budget, or stretching resource
dollars to nutrition education. The tools provided help those in need help themselves as
much as possible when struggling with food insecurity.

Food Waste Is A Huge Problem

Food Waste is a problem that isn’t going away, so we must stay vigilant by not losing sight of
the bigger picture. What is the bigger picture, you say? In addition to the many hungry
people who could eat that wasted food caused by poor planning and expiration date
confusion, the long-term effects on the environment are tragic.

Repurposing, Resources, and Education are the Answer!

If you have followed my blog posts, you might get tired of this topic, but I do not care.
I will do whatever it takes to increase awareness of this problem that has a solution.
Food Finders work hard to plan and implement food repurposing through their Partner
Agency Coordinator.
Additionally, Food Finders provides nutrition education and resources to educate the
recipients of this beautiful rescued food on healthy eating, proper storage, and clearing up
expiration date confusion.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

When considering healthy eating on a budget, you’re thinking dollar signs $$$. As a
full-time student and an intern at Food Finders, eating healthy is significant. I shop the sale
ads and plan meals based on what I already have in my pantry and refrigerator, saving time
and money.

However, there is a crucial part of eating healthy on a budget that saves you long-term
that many people do not consider. Many need to consider the long-term health implications
of poor eating habits. Our intricately designed bodies serve us well when we treat them
well. Eating well today can save you thousands, if not more, in medical bills later on. If you
do not treat your body well, you are setting the stage for obesity, type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, and heart disease.

Plan. Eat Well. Live Well.

Stretching Resource Dollars

What are resource dollars?

Your resource dollars can be the cold, hard cash you work so hard for, or it can also be
CalFresh, known federally as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). This
July Edition is all about making both work harder for your household.

What is important is how to utilize your resources to get maximum benefit. It’s not that hard if you
employ what I have shared in the last few months. It all ties together. You can stretch your
resource dollars if you use the information you have learned from food waste, repurposing, and
healthy eating on a budget.

Working with the City of Long Beach to get nutrition education to Long Beach City College is
one way we do our part to reduce waste by repurposing food. It isn’t enough that we are getting
food into the hands of those in need but also to educate them on the many nutrient-dense meals
that reduce waste.

#StopFoodWasteDay #NutritionTalks #TipForZeroWaste #FoodFindersInc #LBrecovers #HealthyActiveLongBeach

Kelly Alarcon, a Student at California State University, Long Beach, with a concentration in Nutrition and
Nutritional Science, is passionate about showing others the path to wellness through nutrition while
reducing hunger and food waste. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-alarcon-194313220