Hunger Research Project

How should we compost? Are we doing it correctly at OQS?

You need three basic ingredients: grass, vegetables or fruit, which are greens, brown things like dead leaves, branches, twigs and water. Don’t compost dairy products, meats, pet wastes, coal or charcoal ash. Buy only what you need and eat what you buy.

Are we doing it correctly at OQS? Drop off-composting can collect bones, meat and dairy. Temperatures stay at 145 degrees Fahrenheit and break down materials.

Students drafted a persuasive business letter to invite local chefs to come speak to us about hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity. They also learned and practiced how to perform a professional interview! These chefs and local businesses agreed to not only speak to the students, but also co-design a menu item for their restaurant with the kids that is healthy, based on their favorite foods!

Chef Patrick puts his heart and soul into his food! He thinks being a chef is all about craft and love!

Chef Patrick from the Get-Away at the Hartford Area Career &amp; Technology Center has the tricky job of having a healthy, sustainable menu and attracting high school kids to his restaurant. He always has a salad bar with colorful veggies and encourages kids to have as much color on their plate as possible for the most nutrients.

Chef Patrick cares about helping the planet. He tries to have zero waste and composts. He also teaches his students about wasting water. He tries to buy his produce locally, and gives their leftovers to The Haven.

He has a football field-size garden at home with over 100 different foods. He donates all he doesn't eat himself to the food bank! He is hoping to have a garden at HACTC.

Chef Pam's favorite part of her job is getting to know the students here at OQS. She always shares your feedback with her boss and always has your back!

Which foods are healthy? How do you know?

Fruit and vegetables: eat 1 piece of fruit, half a cup of fruit juice, half a cup of canned or frozen fruit or vegetables, 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables or salad Grains: Half a bagel, 1 slice of bread, half a tortilla, half a pitta, half a cup of cooked couscous, rice or pasta, one ounce of cold cereal, three-quarters of a cup of hot cereal Milk and alternatives: 1 cup milk, 1 cup of soy drink, three-quarters of a cup of yogurt, 1 and a half ounces of cheese. People should consume 2 cups per day for good vitamin D and calcium intake. Limit your intake of milk with added sugars and other sweeteners. Low-fat milk may be recommended if you are limiting your total fat or saturated fat intake for heart health reasons Meat and alternatives: 2 and a half ounces of cooked fish, lean meat, poultry or lean meat, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

A balanced diet is healthy meals that contains healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber, nuts, and seeds. All forms of malnutrition have a common denominator - food systems that fail to provide all people with healthy, safe, affordable, and sustainable diets. Another problem caused causing malnutrition and unbalanced diets is global access to ultra-processed foods, and people exercising less.

For a balanced diet you need fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and lean proteins What is not healthy is&nbsp;bacon, sausages, cakes, cheese, cookies, doughnuts, energy drinks, fruit drinks, ice cream, pizza, sports drinks and sodas.

Healthy foods are important because if you do not eat healthy you could have heart disease, cancer, stroke or diabetes.

Now that our learning is complete, students are sharing an artfully illustrated version of a recipe—an actual recipe or a more imaginative, conceptual one-—that reflects culture, community, and connection as part of the Students Rebuild Hunger Challenge.&nbsp;For every recipe we send them, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $6 (up to $700,000) to support programs providing immediate hunger relief and prevention, nutrition education, and the development of long-term, community-based agricultural solutions.

What does malnutrition mean? How does it harm you?

Malnutrition is lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough&nbsp;to eat, not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use the food that one does eat. Malnutrition can lead to getting sick more often and more easily, impaired physical and mental health. It is caused by not having enough food at all. Also it can make you very sick. Malnutrition in young children can cause more sickness. Another fact is it can lead to stunted growth and developmental delays.

People need 1600-2400 calories per day. They should eat a variety of vegetables, whole fruits, grains with whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, variety of protein, oils. They shouldn't eat too much fats, sugars, and sodium.

Chef Nick has a passion for food and loves to cook for others. He learned to cook from his grandmother in Greece. They would eat and live off the land and had very little waste.

He creates the menu and recipes at Pizza Chef himself and encourages a colorful, balanced diet for his family and his customers.

Chef Nick donates his leftovers and waste to local farms for pigs and chickens!

He wishes people would drink less soda. He feels it's the most unhealthy item on his menu.

Why should we care about hunger across the world?

Chef Armando came from a big Italian family and learned to cook from his grandmother.

He has a garden at home and loves to create meals for his family from it and pick fresh herbs.

Simon Pearce donates leftovers to The Haven and tries to buy local and serve healthy foods. They also compost.

Chef Armando encourages us all to eat many different types of food!

Vegetables, fruits, dairy, grains, and protein are healthy. Focus on variety, amount, and nutrition in your diet. For snacks, choose raw vegetables and fresh food, rather than foods that are high in sugar, fats or salt. Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Start with small changes to build healthier eating styles. Support healthy eating for everyone.

A third of the poorest countries in the world are dealing with high levels of obesity as well as under nourishment which leaves people too thin. Obesity is caused by a world wide explosion in the availability of unhealthy food, a shift toward office jobs and growth of transport and television.

How can we help our neighbors in our community? What are local organizations doing to help?

We can donate money to local food organizations, like Why Hunger and No Kid Hungry. "Why Hunger produces publications and stories that share the wisdom of our partners' experiences as they work towards changing the broken food system. Why Hunger works to address the root causes of hunger, such as poverty, racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression and structural inequities that create disproportionate barriers to food and land access for communities." “The No Kid Hungry child hunger research center works closely and directly with local schools and community programs across the country, helping them with the resources, support and know-how they need to feed kids.”

More than half of the fresh fruit and almost one third of the vegetables Americans buy come from other countries. In 2016, 12.7% of our food was imported. In 2016, 4.7% of the food and beverages produced in the United States had ingredients from other countries, up from 3.7% in 1993. 35% of fresh produce is imported, 20% of the US food supply is imported and 70% of our seafood is imported.

What are some systemic barriers that keep people from solving this problem for themselves?

Some barriers are chronic disease, having no time and money for health strains the household budget, leaving little to no money for nutritious food and medical care. In 2017, almost 40 million people in the United States earned less money than the poverty line. In addition, almost 40 million people, almost 1 in 8, live in households with limited access to adequate food during the year due to little money they have and other resources. Among the 40 million, more than 12 million are children.

BBC News Hunger And Health Feeding America Phone Interview With Casella Waste Management <a href="https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/printablematerials/2013-WhatsMyPlateAllAboutInfographic.pdf">https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/printablematerials/2013-WhatsMyPlateAllAboutInfographic.pdf</a> www.cswd.net <a href="https://dec.vermont.gov/waste-management/solid/materials-mgmt/organic-materials">https://dec.vermont.gov/waste-management/solid/materials-mgmt/organic-materials</a> <a href="http://www.epa.gov">www.epa.gov</a> <a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/vermont">https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/vermont</a> <a href="https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/DGA_Healthy-Eating-Pattern.pdf">https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/DGA_Healthy-Eating-Pattern.pdf</a> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/nutrition-resources/index.html">https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/nutrition-resources/index.html</a> <a href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/473452-kroger-slashes-food-waste-to-feed-the-hungry?fbclid=IwAR2YruW3mgHo5lOI35S607uZqL5ew2f0HlEdmpML6a5n0Ecl1yW_Y6qM9b8">https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/473452-kroger-slashes-food-waste-to-feed-the-hungry?fbclid=IwAR2YruW3mgHo5lOI35S607uZqL5ew2f0HlEdmpML6a5n0Ecl1yW_Y6qM9b8</a> <a href="https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Food-Insecurity-Poverty-Brief_2018.pdf">https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Food-Insecurity-Poverty-Brief_2018.pdf</a> <a href="https://www.hungerfreevt.org/strategies-inspiration">https://www.hungerfreevt.org/strategies-inspiration</a> <a href="https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/child">https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/child</a> <a href="https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/overall/vermont/county/windsor">https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/overall/vermont/county/windsor</a> <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com">www.medicalnewstoday.com</a> <a href="https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2019/06/10/drought-africa-2019-45-million-in-need">https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2019/06/10/drought-africa-2019-45-million-in-need</a> <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity">https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity</a> https://www.nutrition.gov/ <a href="https://padlet.com/whitneyr2/u4j155kauysm">https://padlet.com/whitneyr2/u4j155kauysm</a> <a href="https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/global-issues-food-security/">https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/global-issues-food-security</a> <a href="https://time.com/5722982/food-loss-waste-reduction/">https://time.com/5722982/food-loss-waste-reduction/</a> https://www.who.int/health-topics/nutrition <a href="https://whyhunger.org/how-we-work/">https://whyhunger.org/how-we-work/</a> <a href="https://www.wlj.net/top_headlines/americans-consume-mostly-u-s--made-food-produce/article_a76f95f0-5857-11e8-8922-47f84163101f.html">https://www.wlj.net/top_headlines/americans-consume-mostly-u-s--made-food-produce/article_a76f95f0-5857-11e8-8922-47f84163101f.html</a>

Experts say you should eat one green vegetable and one orange vegetable every day. You should consume two cups of milk a day for good&nbsp;calcium intake and vitamin D. You should not eat as much alcohol, refined grains, solid fats, saturated fats, trans fat, salt, and sugars.

Ottauquechee School's Hunger Research Project

Chef Dennis learned to cook from lots of different people and from traveling. He learned from everyone in his life!

He hopes his customers at Trailbreak enjoy his menu because he put a lot of thought into it and loves to serve people good food they enjoy. Customers can eat healthy by eating vegan or vegetarian items, lean meat. He wants kids to know that not all fats are bad but you have to be smart about it.

He gets his produce locally from the Upper Valley as much as possible. Local is becoming more expensive but he tries his best. They compost and overall have very little food waste. They only prepare what they will need that night.

Being a chef requires many 21st century skills like communication and listening.

What can we do about food waste? How can we measure it?

If we want to stop food waste we need to stop throwing away foods that are perfectly fine to eat. We need to get the right amount of food for ourselves when eating to reduce waste.

How can we help solve this problem? Advocate for a strong and stable safety net for all who need it. Expand universal meal programs for children in all settings. Ensure adults, especially seniors have the nutrition resources they need to stay healthy.

Thank you to all the OQS students for their hard work, meaningful learning, and deep reflection! Thank you to the Hartford community and all the chefs for helping our students learn how to be empowered members of our community and our world!

1.9 billion adults are overweight.&nbsp;Malnutrition is a world crisis. Overnutrition comes from eating too many calories. Malnutrition is the deficiencies, excesses or imbalance in a person's intake of nutrients.&nbsp;

Why does hunger affect so many people? What are some solutions?

People with improper nutrition are more prone to obesity and diseases. Hunger is a national health risk.

Trailbreak helps hunger in the community by donating to The Haven and donating 1% of their income to charity!

Chef Pam from Ottauquechee School has loved working with food since she was a child. Her mother taught her to how to cook and to love cooking.

She has two types of gardens at home: hydroponic, where plants grow in water with added nutrients, and traditional where plants grow in dirt. She grows peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, and more!

She thinks the OQS menu is healthy. She always makes sure students take a vegetable or fruit as well as milk. She offers very little sugar and uses whole wheat grains.

She wishes there were some more healthy options but more importantly, she wishes students would choose to eat healthier food! They prefer sugary options like pancakes.

How can we,&nbsp;as UN Global Goalkeepers, challenge local chefs to commit to action to create a healthy, not hungry, world?

What did you learn about how we can help people in our community who are fighting hunger and malnutrition?

If you have more than you need, you can give some to others who don't have enough...I learned that you can donate to food banks or join a food drive...Donate money to local shelters...One thing I learned is that you can reduce food waste by saving your leftovers...What I learned is that we can all help our community, even if you just compost.

What have you learned or changed about how you eat at home?

Eat ugly fruit so we don't waste...I have changed how I eat by not asking for too much so that there is no wasted food....I don't eat too many sweets or waste a lot of food...I snack on healthy snacks...I learned to take only what I can eat at time....Do not waste, we can always save for later.

Mr. and Mrs. Oktay have over 20 years of restaurant experience. The menu at Tuckerbox is a blend of the most delicious Turkish cuisine from many regions. Turkish cuisine is a melting pot, and the food is mostly healthy with lots of vegetable dishes. 

They buy local as much as possible year-round and try to reduce food waste as well as composting. They bring vegetables from their huge garden at home to share at the restaurant.

What does obesity have to do with hunger?

&nbsp;Many people are surprised to find that hunger and obesity can co-exist in the same individual, family, or community. Poverty can make people more vulnerable to hunger as well as obesity. The budget constraints that low-income households face (due to low wages, involuntary part-time or part-year work, job loss, unemployment, illness, or inadequate public income supports) often lead to hunger. Both hunger and obesity can be consequences of low income and the resulting lack of access to enough food. High levels of stress, poor access to health care, and ways that households are forced to manage their limited resources compound these income and access gaps – and contribute to obesity. Nearly 2.3 billion children and adults on the planet are overweight.&nbsp;30% of children under four are not growing properly, and 20% of women are classified as too thin.

To prepare for this year's Students Rebuild Challenge...

Students researched the impacts of hunger and malnutrition by having meaningful discussions, reading articles, watching videos, reading books, and performing interviews with experts. The whole school brainstormed what we already know about hunger, nutrition, and malnutrition, and then determined what we still needed to know. Those Need To Know Questions became the backbone of 4th and 5th grade's research.

What one thing would you tell people about hunger and malnutrition after our research?

You should really be appreciative of the food that you eat because there are people in our own community who don't even have food to appreciate and eat. If you don't have the right food to eat you can get sick or not have enough energy to finish your day. Be grateful for your food. Go find out what you can do to help in your community. There are people in the world who eat too much, and people who don't have enough. There are people that are hungry in our community. Eat healthy because it helps your brain.

Where does our school food come from? Is it locally sourced?

Most of the school food comes from a truck from South Carolina. Sometimes the apples come from Washington. The snack bags are pre-made and yogurt comes in big bags and most of the food comes from General Mills. Oranges come from California and green peppers do too. The peanut butter comes from North Dakota. Some of the apples are from Maine.

"Hunger persists in our world because people cannot afford to buy food or because they are denied access to the land, water and other resources they need to produce their own food."

If people just start composting more, they might think they’ve done enough and may not necessarily put effort into prevention in the first place,” she says. “Waste bans or changing the cost of discarding will motivate people through the supply chain to think of ways to reduce the 

Nutrition is a critical part of health. Better nutrition is related to improved child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases and longevity.

1. We need to stop throwing away fruits/vegetables that look weirdly shaped.&nbsp; 2. Portion sizes should be much smaller to reduce waste. 3. We can start giving pigs the wasted food.&nbsp; 4. We can eat more of the ugly fruits because they taste the same just they look different. 5. Rich countries have almost as much food waste as (222 million tons). 6. 1% reduction in post-harvest could try to reduce some crops and farmers can try to make enough food to sell and to donate to local economies.

How many people are impacted by hunger and malnutrition? What are the local, regional, national, global statistics? 

1 in 7 people or in the world suffer from food insecurity. That’s about 1 billion people. The country of Ethiopia suffers the most out of all the African countries with a total of 8,300,000 people in need because of the drought they lack food. 17% of children in the United States are food insecure. 74,520 people in Vermont are struggling with hunger, 18,760 of which are children. In Windsor county, 6,010 people are hungry. 1 in 8 people in VT struggles with hunger. 1 in 6 children in VT struggles with hunger.

Jackson &amp; Miles, Leah &amp; Mackenzie

What foods can we grow here in Vermont? How about in the winter?

We can grow crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can be planted into your garden around April 27, but it’s better to start them indoors on March 30 and then transplant them into the garden around May 19. Do the same with lettuce and spinach. Plant onion starts and potatoes around April 9.&nbsp;Sow the seeds of peas&nbsp; (sugar snap and English) at the same time.&nbsp;If the ground is still frozen, then plant these as soon as the ground thaws. Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors around March 30.&nbsp;Then, around June 4 you should start watching the weather forecast and, as soon as no frost is forecast, go ahead and transplant&nbsp;those in the ground.&nbsp; You can also make a winter garden, with vegetables that can grow indoors in winter.

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