Farmers' Market Demonstrations
2024 Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market Workshops
In partnership with the Urban Farmers’ Market project, Food Bank of Central New York is excited to continue hosting Just Say Yes to Fruits & Vegetables (JSY) workshops and recipe demonstrations at the Syracuse Downtown Farmers’ Market in Clinton Square. This initiative cultivates nourished communities through promoting the benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets to inspire healthy habits using fresh seasonal produce.
Every Tuesday, our JSY Community Nutrition Educators will prepare delicious recipes using local farmer fresh produce from the market. Workshop sessions start hourly, 9:30 am through 12:30 pm, and run about 40 minutes in length.
Workshop topics include a variety of topics such as: Becoming a Mealtime Wiz, The Food You Don’t Digest, Fruits & Veggies Full of Flavor, Stretch Your Dough.
Each attendee will receive a recipe sample, colorful recipes and handouts, a useful kitchen item, and $4.00 in farmers' market Health Bucks coupons to be used to purchase locally-grown produce at the market. Each workshop provides practical nutrition information using USDA-approved lesson plans.
Date |
Lesson |
Description |
|
July 9 |
Your Hydration Station |
Join us at the first Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables farmers’ market workshop of the season! We will be talking about why it is so important to stay hydrated, how hydration benefits our bodies, and creative options for staying hydrated. Featured Ingredient: Blueberries Recipe: Fruit Infused Water: Mixed Berry - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| July 16 | Joyful Movement |
Why is physical activity so good for us, and what makes us happy to move? Join us as we share the many ways physical activity makes us feel better, both mentally and physically. Come share what keeps you motivated to move more! Featured Ingredient: Bell Peppers Recipes: Strawberry Pepper Salsa - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| July 23 | Becoming a Mealtime Wiz |
Planning meals can sometimes be difficult with a busy schedule and overwhelming with different budgets/food access. Please join us as we share the benefits of meal planning and how having staple foods on hands can help create easy and inexpensive meals! Featured Ingredient: Squash Recipes: Rainbow Veggie Salad | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu) |
| July 30 | A Balanced Plate |
A balanced diet means so much more than just our food choices, but the factors and preferences guiding those choices! Sometimes life gets busy and our “balance” may be thrown off. Let’s share about what may throw off our eating and how to balance it back out with a variety of food groups. Featured Ingredient: Radish |
| August 6 | Beans Around the World |
What’s so special about beans? Beans are a great source of protein and have many other nutritional benefits. They also can be very inexpensive and help stretch meals. Join us to discuss different varieties of beans, their nutrients, and how to incorporate them into your everyday meals! Featured Ingredient: Carrots Recipes: Lentil Vegetable Salad | MyPlate |
| August 13 | Cut the Salt, Not the Flavor |
Salt in small amounts is an essential mineral needed for bodily functions. Salt also affects everyone differently in varying amounts. Let’s share common sources of sodium and brainstorm ideas on how to flavor everyday dishes with spices/herbs that may already be in your pantry! Featured Ingredient: Tomatoes Recipes: Nectarine Corn and Tomato Relish – SNAP-Ed New York (snapedny.org) |
| August 20 | Fruits & Veggies Full of Flavor |
Fruits and vegetables are not only just great for our health, but can be a fun way to add flavor and color to meals. Let’s share what fruits and veggies we may add to our meals while we talk about their taste, cost, nutrients, and cultural fit! Featured Ingredient: Corn Recipes: Succotash Salad - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| August 27 | The Food You Don't Digest |
Fiber is often part of the foods that we eat everyday and very important for different bodily functions. Join us to talk about how to add more fiber into our food choices and how fiber benefits our whole body! Featured Ingredient: Apple Recipes: Leafy Greens Salad with Apple Dressing - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| September 10 | Don't Be Fooled Be Labels |
Food labels at first glance can be very confusing. How do they list the ingredients? How does one determine serving size? What do all the nutritional facts mean for me? Let’s talk together about how to read food labels and creating strategies to be able to make the best choices for yourself and others in your household. Featured Ingredient: Beets Recipes: Gingered Beet and Carrot Slaw - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| September 17 | Mindful Meal Makeover |
Mindful eating is more than just the food we put into our bodies. Join us to think about how our everyday routines, eating environments, and other habits play a large role in how we make food choices. In bringing more focus into our choices, even the smallest changes can make big impacts! Featured Ingredient: Watermelon Recipes: Spicy Watermelon Relish - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
| September 24 | Stretch Your Dough |
Finding affordable and delicious food in one’s community can sometimes be challenging. Let’s talk about how we can stretch our food dollars, alleviate stress, and how to change common recipes to make them more affordable. Featured Ingredient: Potatoes Recipes: Fiesta Bean and Potato Salad - Just Say Yes (jsyfruitveggies.org) |
For more information, please contact Debra Mimaroglu, Community Nutrition Manager, at (315) 437-1899 ext. 275.
