A special thank you to anyone who has volunteered to join our Milton box packing team this upcoming week. We are in still in need of a few more hands and would love to see some new faces at Bob Rumball on Tuesday morning.

Volunteer Info:

Milton–

We are in need of helpers over the age of 18 to assist in weighing, packing and loading our food boxes. We are also in need of a driver helper to assist in dropping off at various pickup locations with our driver.

First Tuesday of every month

7801 5 Side Rd,

Milton, ON

L9T 2X7

Produce help- 830 AM-12:00 PM

Driver assistant- 12:00 PM- 3:00 PM

Email manager@haltonfreshfoodbox.com for more information and inquiries.

In Your Milton Box for February 2nd

In your $10 bag we have included: Ontario Apples, Oranges, Ontario Potatoes, Green Beans, Avocado, Ontario Red Beets, Ontario Yellow Onions, Ontario Sweet Potato, Kiwi, Ontario English Cucumber, Bananas, Ontario Carrots and Broccoli

In your $15 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity  with additional items: Ontario Apples, Oranges, Ontario Potatoes, Avocado, Ontario Red Beets, Ontario Yellow Onions, Ontario Sweet Potato, Ontario English Cucumber, Ontario Carrots, Kiwi, Broccoli, Bananas as well as Ontario Green Cabbage

In your $20 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity with additional items: Ontario Apples, Oranges, Ontario Potatoes, Avocado, Ontario Red Beets, Ontario Yellow Onions, Ontario Sweet Potato, Ontario English Cucumber, Ontario Carrots, Kiwi, Broccoli, Ontario Green Cabbage, Bananas as well as Green Leaf Lettuce and Cauliflower

Cabbage and Sweet Potato Hash

4 Servings

1. 2 tsp Olive oil
2. 2 onion
3. 2 baked sweet potatoes
4. 10-12 cabbage leaves
5. Dash of tamari or soy sauce
6. 4 eggs

1. Chop the onion into thick wedges.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large size frying pan over a medium high heat, then add the onions and fry until golden and softened.
3. Roughly shred the cabbage and add to the pan, continuing to cook until wilted and crispy.
4. Chop the sweet potato with skins into pieces and add to the pan.
5. Once everything in the pan is crispy, add a dash of tamari or soy sauce and then transfer to a plate.
6. Replace the pan on the heat and add more olive oil if needed. Crack the eggs into the pan, cook until the underside is solid then flip and cook for just another minute. Flip out on top of the hash and split the yolk with a knife.

Halton Fresh Food Box is seeking individuals living/working in Halton to serve on our Board of Directors!

Over 27,000 people in Halton region are living below the low income cut off point and as a result struggle to put good healthy food on their tables. We do not limit who participates but rather we strategically work to position the program in neighbourhoods where our priority groups more often live, work and play.

Each month the Halton Fresh Food Box program provides a way for over 1000 families and individuals to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which are locally grown in season. We do this in a way that is respectful of all people, while fostering community development and promoting healthy eating.

The current Board of Directors has set the following goals for the program. They are:

• To achieve sustainable funding within 1 year.
• To provide a minimum of 50% locally grown produce annually
• To maintain and/or grow partnerships with the community to help support the goals of the Halton Fresh Food Box, including fund-raising
• To increase awareness of hunger and poverty throughout Halton region
• To partner with charitable groups to increase the number of boxes available for low income residents of Halton region.

The Board has identified the following skills as being of particular importance: financial management; fundraising; communications/marketing, legal expertise and Board development.

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Halton Fresh Food Box one can expect to take an active part in the ongoing development of this worthy and vital healthy eating program through participation at monthly meetings, strategic planning initiatives and committees associated with the work of the Board. Directors are expected to use their personal skills and networks to support and advance the program.

For more information on applying to be a member of our board of directors please contact the Program Manager Evan Hall at manager@haltonfreshfoodbox.com or 647-887-4435.

Your Halton Hills Box for January 26th:

In your $10 bag we have included: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Green Beans, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, Kiwi, English Cucumber, Mushrooms, Carrots and Broccoli

In your $15 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity  with additional items: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, English Cucumber, Carrots, Kiwi, Broccoli as well as Green Cabbage and Spinach

In your $20 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity with additional items: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, English Cucumber, Carrots, Kiwi, Broccoli, Green Cabbage, Spinach as well as Pepper Squash and Cauliflower

Black Rice Bowl with Pepper Squash

• For the rice:
• 2 Cups water
• 1 Cup Uncooked, Black rice
• Pinch of salt.
• For the squash:
• 1 Small Pepper Squash, chopped into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 tsp Olive oil
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic, minced
• Salt
• 1 Diced Avocado
• Additional:
• 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
• 2 Oz Goat cheese, crumbled
• Salt, to taste

With the way produce prices have been going I didn’t expect to see broccoli or cauliflower back in our boxes until they returned to Ontario, oh what a difference a week can make. While many items are still sky high, (I’m looking at you $4.00 celery) broccoli and cauliflower prices have come down to earth and will both be making an appearance in Burlington’s Fresh Food Box.

Volunteer Opportunities!

The new year has brought some new opportunities at the Fresh Food Box. While we always need and welcome extra volunteers at all of our locations we are especially looking for some extra hands at our Milton (First Tuesday of the month) and Oakville (Second Tuesday of the month packing days.

Milton–

We are in need of helpers over the age of 18 to assist in weighing, packing and loading our food boxes. We are also in need of a driver helper to assist in dropping off at various pickup locations with our driver.

First Tuesday of every month

7801 5 Side Rd,

Milton, ON

L9T 2X7

Produce help- 830 AM-12:00 PM

Driver assistant- 12:00 PM- 3:00 PM

Oakville-

We are in need of adults or students to assist in weighing, packing and loading our food boxes. We are also looking for a consistent driver helper for both our morning and afternoon produce deliveries.

Kerr Street Ministries-

485 Kerr St,

Oakville, ON

L6K 3C5

Produce help- 8:30 AM- 12:30 PM

First Truck assistant- 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM

Second Truck assistant- 12:30 PM-3:30 PM

Email manager@haltonfreshfoodbox.com or call us at 905-634-8645 for further information and inquiries.

In Your Burlington Box This Week:

In your $10 bag we have included: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Green Beans, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, English Cucumber, Mushrooms, Carrots and Broccoli

In your $15 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity  with additional items: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, English Cucumber, Carrots, Broccoli as well as Green Cabbage and Spinach

In your $20 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity with additional items: Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Avocado, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Sweet Potato, English Cucumber, Carrots, Broccoli, Green Cabbage, Spinach as well as Spaghetti Squash and Cauliflower

Due to weather issues in the USA 1 or 2 items may need to be substituted.

It has been an amazing year for the Halton Fresh Food Box and I could not prouder to a part of it. I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone involved in this amazing program. A thank you to all of our customers who make this program one of the largest in North America, growing to nearly 1,000 boxes a month on average. To our volunteers who do an incredible job week in and week out.  I am always blown away by the commitment, dedication and expertise that they all bring to the program, if you haven’t had a chance to see the production of the boxes it is truly a think to behold, a shining example of what a community can accomplish. To Brenda Moher, the recently retired architect of everything this program has become, Jeanne Bullock our volunteer coordinator who helps to make everything run so well every single week. To our Board Of Directors who volunteer their time to steer this program in positive directions, working behind the scenes, fundraising, marketing, finances, they do it all. A special thanks as well to the Trillium Foundation and the Region of Halton who help to fund this project and its improvements, it would not be possible without this assistance and dedication to providing healthy affordable produce to the residents of Halton Region.

Happy Holidays to all of you and thank you so very much for all that you do. We will see you in the New Year!

We have a double packing this week for Burlington on Tuesday and Halton Hills on Wednesday. The weather just keeps extending this years Ontario growing season and Ontario Broccoli will be making an appearance in both Burlington and Halton Hills boxes this week. Extremely high price for imports this year have also allowed Ontario farmers to get a little creative and to keep produce costs down we have seen some very interesting things come out of our greenhouses. This week we will have Ontario grown greenhouse romaine that looks twice as beautiful, three times as fresh and with half the cost of the current romaine imports. Take a look:

Your Burlington Box for Tuesday December 15th

In your $10 bag we have included: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli and Vine Tomatoes

In your $15 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity  with additional items: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli and Vine Tomatoes  as well as Pineapple

In your $20 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity with additional items: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli, Vine Tomatoes, Pineapple as well as Butternut Squash and Red Cabbage

Your Ontario grown produce this month includes all of your vegetables as well as the apples in your box.

Your Georgetown Box for Wednesday December 16th

In your $10 bag we have included: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli and Vine Tomatoes

In your $15 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity  with additional items: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli and Vine Tomatoes  as well as Pineapple

In your $20 Box we have many of the same items in greater quantity with additional items: Tigchelaar Apples, Oranges, English Cucumber,  Green Peppers, Kiwi, Yellow Cooking Onions, Russet Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Grapefruit, Romaine, Broccoli, Vine Tomatoes, Pineapple as well as Rutabaga and Red Cabbage

Your Ontario grown produce this month includes all of your vegetables as well as the apples in your box.