Food Check-Out Week is a time to show consumers how to stretch their food dollars as well as celebrate the productivity of farmers and ranchers. Eating healthy while on a tight budget is within reach for most Americans, provided they’re willing to invest some time in strategic shopping. During Farm Bureau’s upcoming Food Check-Out Week, Feb. 17-23, farmer and rancher members will focus on spreading the word about how consumers can stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. They will use it as a time to reach out to consumers in person and through social media to answer questions about the food they grow or the livestock and poultry they raise.
Montana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee (WLC) has two celebrations; one during Food Check-Out Week where the committee will educate shoppers at selected grocery stores and make food donations to the Ronald McDonald House (RMH). County Farm Bureau WLC members will collect donations for their local food banks or the RMH. The RMH serves as a home away from home for families of hospitalized children. Through these charitable donations to local Ronald McDonald Houses (and other charities), Farm Bureau recognizes the need that everyone has to find solutions to feeding families healthy foods on a tight budget. The third week of February was selected for Food Check-Out Week as a way to celebrate American food and as a bridge to National Nutrition Month in March.
The Montana Farm Bureau WLC will also serve cinnamon rolls and talk to legislators about agriculture on March 27 in the Capitol Rotunda in Helena.
“Food Check-Out Week, along with our event at the Capitol, is a perfect way to speak with consumers and lawmakers,” said Gretchen Schubert, chair, MFB WLC. “It gives an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to tell their stories and how they produce abundant, healthy food.”
Schubert cites ideas for saving money while grocery shopping, such as having a shopping list; making healthy, inexpensive snacks instead of buying pricey ones; clipping coupons; not buying a product unless you are sure you’ll eat it; and not shopping when you’re hungry.
“Specialty, processed foods cost more, and often aren’t as nutritious as making a meal from scratch,” noted Schubert.
On the national level, the American Farm Bureau (AFB) Women’s Leadership Committee donated food and funds to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix, Feb. 11 as a kick-off to Farm Bureau’s annual Food Check-Out Week. Lillian Ostendorf, the former MFB WLC chair who now serves on the AFB WLC Committee Board, participated in the national event in Phoenix. The AFBF WLC set up an informational booth at the Wigwam Farmer’s Market and handed out recipe cards, spun a trivia wheel and had the opportunity to interact with consumers young and old.
“We had great rapport with a lot of people, and the kids were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of questions. We had one little boy ask us if we really had animals on our farm. Of course, we told him about our cattle, horses and sometimes even sheep,” said Ostendorf.
Following a morning at the farmers’ market, the WLC held a fundraiser luncheon which enabled the committee to write an $8,100 check to the Ronald McDonald House. In addition, they purchased $400 in groceries and delivered them to the Phoenix RMH.
“This was one of our most successful national Food Check-Out Week events,” noted Ostendorf. “We raised an amazing amount of money, presented great fresh food to the Ronald McDonald House, and interacted with many different consumers.”
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