Austin is Blooming- It’s Springtime in Central Texas

Oh How Time Flies When Volunteers Abound

Last month Brighter Bites completed spring semester programming in Austin at our eight schools in the Austin Independent School District. Over the course of eight weeks, we provided 336,459 pounds of fresh produce to approximately 1,495 families. Those fruits and vegetables were supplied by the staff members of the Central Texas Food Bank, who have consistently supported Brighter Bites with reclaimed produce, and the specialists at FreshPoint San Antonio, who have worked with farmers around the U.S. to provide Brighter Bites with fruit and vegetable donations.

Additional support for Brighter Bites always comes from the volunteers at our school sites – they are the backbone of the healthy communities we are creating. To show our gratitude for the 3,484 volunteer hours they logged over the spring semester in Austin, the Brighter Bites Austin programming staff hosted a volunteer appreciation party especially for them. Look out for a special edition of the Byte next month showcasing that wonderful event, including the donors who supplied the ingredients for our delicious recipes and photos of our awesome volunteers enjoying the fun.

C is (still) for Cookie – Even at Brighter Bites!
Oatmeal, Banana, Chocolate Chip Cookies

When someone thinks of Brighter Bites, they are sure to picture brown paper bags adorned with red apples and blossoming with fresh fruits and vegetables. But access to fresh produce is just one part of the Brighter Bites program. At every distribution, families have the opportunity to engage in a fun food experience and try a snack specially prepared by the Brighter Bites staff. Recipes often involve ingredients found in that week’s bag and are a way to show families that cooking with such a plethora of produce can be easy, and more importantly, taste good.

The Austin staff decided that the last week of spring programming warranted a special treat. Using a recipe adapted from the lifestyle blog Nourish Move Love, the team whipped up oatmeal, banana, chocolate chip cookies. Not only is this an easy recipe, but the raw cookie dough is edible and delicious! These naturally sweetened treats were met with faces of surprise and delight. Most couldn’t believe so much flavor could be packed into so few ingredients! Although some pickier palates might have preferred sugary sandwich cookies, the team hopes that being exposed to sweet alternatives will inspire kids and parents to begin experimenting with the simple ingredients they may find in their pantry the next time a sweet craving hits home.