Food Pantry Strives To Offer Produce, Healthier Options

Cynthia Carranza realizes that the highly-processed food clients get from the Niles Township Food Pantry is not the healthiest option for them.

That's why Carranza, the food pantry's director, is moving toward getting more frozen vegetables and trying to establish garden plots so people can grow fresh vegetables. The pantry's refugee and immigrant clients are accustomed to fresh produce, she said.

"We want to make it a healthier food pantry. We're making it more produce, and it will keep going in that direction," Carranza said.

At the moment, the food pantry's stock is running low, and Tony Araque, who works unloading and stocking food supplies, asked that people contribute food. 

Carranza is conscious of the nutrition factor. The canned and boxed food that food pantries typically distribute has a lot of sodium and fat, she acknowledged.

"When people can't afford to eat, they buy cheap food, and they're taking a hit nutritionally," she said. 

The food pantry is planning to use some land on Niles Township government's property for garden plots, and Carranza said space for gardening is also available in a nearby Skokie location. 

"We thought of giving people plots to garden," she said.

Many of the food pantry's clients are refugees or immigrants who were accustomed to fresh vegetables in their home countries.

"Their standard is way above the American diet. They have the Mediterranean diet of fresh meat and produce. If we hand them boxed goods, it's a step down for them," Carranza said. 

While many Americans don't know how to cook or prepare anything other than the most common vegetables, Carranza said immigrants know exactly what to do with more unusual vegetables and herbs, such as fennel and fresh dill. 

While fresh produce is seasonal, the food pantry is also planning to stock more frozen vegetables, since they don't have added sodium or other ingredients. 

"We have freezers here and we'll work towards getting in frozen vegetables," Carranza said.