What's cooking this season

introduction to the
SAN ANTONIO
FOOD BANK
The San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) was founded in
1980 and its Nutrition, Health and Wellness (NHW) Program
was created in 2002. Since then the SAFB has been leading
communities served in Bexar and 15 surrounding counties to
focus on their health through affordable good nutrition and
physical activity.
The NHW Division combines the expertise of a diverse
group of nutrition, health and food professionals who translate
science-based information into practical messages and
advice to empower communities to take action and control
of their own health through the modification of lifestyles.
The SAFB team follows federal guidelines to educate and
focuses on the core messages and plan of action outlined by
USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
The aim of the What’s Cooking This Season cookbook is
to encourage individuals and families to establish a Culture
of Health, putting into practice the plan of action highlighted
by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Executive report, as follows:
THINK PREVENTION!
• Know your lifestyle-related health risk profile, make personal goals and
commitments, and take action to promote personal and family health.
•Work with health professionals to assess and monitor your health risks
and personalize your preventive lifestyle behavior plan.
ACT ON INFORMATION!
• Learn and understand how to modify your diet and daily physical
activity to reduce personal and family health risks.
• Be aware of the current individual and family dietary patterns,
including healthy choices that can be maintained as well as areas of
potential change.
To back the transition to a “Culture of Health,” the SAFB has instituted one of the largest
Urban Agriculture initiatives in the city of San Antonio, Texas with two components:
1. A community garden/farm which was started in 2007 where fruits, vegetables, and
herbs are grown all year long.
2. The SAFB farmers’ market initiative, which increases access to fruits and vegetables
in food desert areas, along with fun and interactive nutrition, health and wellness
education.
In the What’s Cooking This Season cookbook you will find some of the tools that will
help you and your family achieve the goal of making gradual and sustainable changes in
your diet to include more fruits and vegetables. You will also be able to identify produce that
is not only nutritious but provides cancer-fighting and immune boosting power.
The SAFB hopes you will enjoy all the information on the health value of fruits and
vegetables, how to care for your produce, and how to get your family started with fresh and
delicious recipes to establish lifelong habits for health.