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| Yesterday was the first day back for the after school kids since before Xmas. I spent a lot of time over the holidays thinking about what I have started here. I am cooking for almost 40 kids a day now which means I am making lots of casseroles and soups. It's the only way to do this economically. |
As it is, I am constantly pouring through the newspaper looking for the best sales.
When I am not cooking, I am shopping.
Nothing is wasted. I figure out a way to use everything.
I bake a lot of bread and rolls because they are the cheapest things to make. If any of you have suggestions for inexpensive meals, I'd love to hear them.
For the first day back, on a frigid day, I made them a smoked sausage, potato, cabbage and corn chowder with 8 loaves of french bread. I used 3 pounds of smoked sausage I bought on sale
The leeks were saved from my CSA.
Potatoes were on sale for buy one 10 pound bag and get one free.
I found cabbage for 1.00 a head and corn was on sale for 49 cents a can.
I made the stock from chickens that I roasted and I had some cream so I added it at the end. Twenty quarts of chowder and there was actually a little left so some of the kids took it home in containers. For most of the kids, this was the first hot meal they've eaten since I last cooked for them. I don't know, I look around at the craziness in this country right now and I shake my head wondering how kids like this can be ignored. These kids are not the only ones in this country that are suffering. How can we live in a country where our children can't get food. There is no program to feed these children. They live in a small rust belt town that has been forgotten. It's so poor that there isn't even a pizza parlor or a fast food restaurant. I don't have the answers. All I can do is cook.
Oh well...on the flip side...here is a frozen puppy. We are getting freezing rain this morning and Teddy is covered in a coat of ice.
And last night we had a pipe burst in the wall in the garden room. It flooded the entire room with 4 inches of water. So, we have no water and I can't cook. I am sitting here trying to figure out how to feed the kids today. And I have to figure out how to get the plumber in here without the frozen pup eating him. What fun! At least the floor is clean now!
Comments
You are a good and dear soul to feed those children, you are being the solution right now for those 40 kids. However, what is your community doing? What about a food bank? What about food stamps? Are the children here illegally and unable to get food stamps? Then that is another issue that should be taken up by churches and community organizations.
Mentioning churches, what are the local ones doing to help in this situation? What are local elected officials doing? It's got to start at the local level. Communities must take care of their people. You are certainly doing your part. Now others must also.
There are a multitude of programs available to make sure kids are eating. It sounds to me like part of the problem is parents who can't be bothered to cook a hot meal.
I wish there was a way you could teach them a little about cooking, which would give them a skill-set, as well as a meal. (Teach a man to fish, etc) Perhaps you could speak with the after-school care coordinator.
Thankfully all children here in Sweden get cooked food in school, school lunches are free here. If it hadn't been we too would have had kids that wouldn't get a cooked meal at all. Some schools are now also giving the children breakfast, not much but a couple of rolls with cheese or something similar. Times are hard for those with no jobs everywhere it seems.
Christer.
Broke my heart reading some had not had a hot meal since you last cooked.
Here In New Zealand we are a nation turning into the haves and have nots... too. something I did not grow up with. Housing prices are through the roof as the govt has allowed overseas investors to buy our land...
Hope Teddy is nice to the repair man.
arborists (fallen trees) are working overtime. Very high winds
today, but warming up.
I think the cookbook ala Joyce outlining your school cooking program
would sell very well. I agree that something seems to be amiss in that
you are doing so much without help from sources that should already be
taking care of this issue. I for one have wanted to send you a
monthly check to help defray your costs and I believe there are other
followers of your blog who might also like to help. If we lived around the corner you would have a kitchen brigade at your disposal and some time to pick up your feet and "direct".....I have some great
stomach filler recipes that can be "altered" to minimize overall costs.. Can they be sent to you directly in confidence? Up to you,
Joyce dear....Bless you.
I know you don't do this for attention to yourself, but as a fellow human being on this planet...THANK YOU for doing what you do for these kids. They will never forget it.