Episode 16: The Gap between Food Security and Insecurity is Not Wide
About the Podcast
Dietitian, owner of Real Mom Nutrition, and media expert Sally Kuzemchak shares how comparison takes away joy, about the art of giving back, and the benefits of canned foods.
About Sally Kuzemchak
Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD, is a dietitian and author who blogs at Real Mom Nutrition, a no-judgements zone about feeding a family. She is the author of The 101 Healthiest Foods For Kids and Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide and has more than 20 years of experience writing about nutrition for magazines such as Prevention, Fitness, Health, and Family Circle. She’s currently a Contributing Editor for Parents magazine and a contributor for WebMD.
Discussion Takeaways
- The challenges of feeding a family are real. That’s why Sally started her dietitian practice at Real Mom Nutrition. She wants moms to feel confident, grocery shop without doubt, and rid of the food rules.
- There is a pressure, especially on moms, to get it right. “Right” could mean feeding your family homemade, organic, and clean food. If you try to adhere to all of these restrictions, it takes a lot of work and money. Not everyone has the means to do so, nor is everyone willing to eat this way. That’s okay!
- Canned foods have so many benefits. They’re affordable, shelf-stable, there when you need them, and can help you reduce food waste. They can last 2-3 years on the shelf. Sodium content is a common topic regarding canned foods. Draining vegetables can rid of close to 40% of the sodium. A serving of drained carrots only has 7% of your daily sodium needs. Canned vegetables are perfect for chilies, sauces and soups. Canned fruits can be used for smoothies. The fruit juice and water can be used to make ice pops.
- She wants to challenge her perceptions, misconceptions, and judgements. Because guess what? She judges. The fact is, we all judge. The question becomes, what do we do with that judgement? Do we carry it with us, or do we take a step back to learn about and explore it?
- Sally receives food samples from various companies because of her blog. With the help of her kids, she uses extra items to make care packages for the homeless. She adds items like socks, mints, a tooth brush, tooth paste, shelf-stable foods, and a first aid kit. When she sees someone who is homeless, she’ll stop and provide them with this package.
- The gap between food security and food insecurity is not wide.
- Food insecurity and poverty is not just found in the city. It’s not always generational. It’s found anywhere. Who knows? A child playing soccer against your child could be food insecure.
- Offer your strengths, your time, and whatever brings you joy to support those in-need. Be part of the solution.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
In order to tackle our misconceptions about food insecurity, we need to address our judgement and what we see as truth.
Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement's Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.
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