Providing Balanced Meals During Quarantine

During troubling times full of confusion and uncertainty, it can leave families with a lot of questions. How can I support my family during this pandemic? How will I be able to afford basic necessities? Where will our next meal come from? When will this finally be over? Although many do not have the answers to these questions, they continue to persevere each day and make the best choice for their children and family members. In an effort to alleviate some of these questions, the Boys and Girls Club of Brookings is proudly assisting a handful of our members and their families by providing nutritious dinner meals.

Throughout the school year, we provide an evening meal for members to enjoy during our after-school programming. Though we are still closed to the general public, we wanted to find a way to provide this evening meal. Practicing healthy and safe social distancing regulations, we have been able to serve warm meals to those who usually take part in and sign up for our Club evening meal service. 

Healthy Lifestyles is one of our main priorities at the Club, so we make sure everything served provides health benefits. Each meal provided consists of a main dish, serving of fruit, serving of vegetables, a Babybel cheese, and  dessert. These meals follow the MyPlate model by filling half of the plate with fruits and vegetables with the other half providing the grains, protein, and dairy. It is important for children to consume plenty of nutrient-dense foods to help them grow into strong, healthy individuals.

The staff at the Boys and Girls Club have been working hard to ensure our members continue to receive the academic help, leadership skills, and meals they need.No matter what hardships our community must bear, the Boys and Girls Club is happy to provide where we can, in order to prepare youth for the future.