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Coastside News

Keep calm and keep eating your cultural foods

Updated: Nov 12


Giusti Farmworkers were asked what their name is, their favorite foods and what healthy foods they want to learn how to make. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli


Through a collaboration with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and Ayudando Latinos a Soñar, farmworkers at Giusti Farms will receive four workshop classes delivered to their front steps through the Farmworker Equity Express bus on Wednesday evenings. The classes will be taught by a nutrition expert from Second Harvest and cover a range of topics including understanding diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and how to eat healthier to avoid health implications. Coastside Magazine’s Sebastian Miño-Bucheli caught up with Diana Garcia, a nutrition expert from Second Harvest, and Alejandra Navarro, Second Harvest director of community nutrition, to talk about collaboration between ALAS, Second Harvest, and Giusti Farm focusing on providing culturally respectful nutrition education for Coastside farmworkers, addressing challenges like misinformation, access to healthy food and preventive care.


Managing salt intake is one of the reason why Latinos in the community suffer from health issues like high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News.


Why is it important to spearhead this collaboration with farmworkers on the Coastside?

Navarro: This collaborative effort between ALAS, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and Giusti Farm reflects a shared commitment to prioritizing the health and wellbeing of farmworkers, our neighbors, many of whom face barriers to accessing nutrition education and nutrition resources.


We hope to offer nutrition workshops rooted in honoring culture and traditional foodways, while also creating a safe space to learn and be inspired by our farmworkers. This is one way we can show up to foster community connection and resilience, empowering farmworkers to thrive.


Giusti Farmworkers pose with leaders of the nonprofit ahead of the workshop they received about diabetes. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News


Is it a branding issue or misinformation when it comes to eating healthy as a Latino? Latinos are told it’s their cultural foods like beans or rice that aren’t considered healthy, the same way Mediterranean food is branded as being healthy.

Navarro: There is so much misinformation out there. I’d like to blame the diet-culture influencers, but it’s a bigger issue than that. The truth is our food (Latin food) is nutritious – it’s when you start to “Americanize” it that these foods become more and more removed from its traditional form. Beans, rice, corn tortillas, caldos (soups) , guacamole and fresh salsa are perfect examples of nutrient-dense foods that unfortunately have found their way to diet “cheat days” because they may not look like your standard health food. We need to start normalizing that your cultural foods and healthy eating patterns can and do coexist. More often than not, our food bank clients perceive their non-American foods as less superior and less nutritious – which is not the case.


What are simple choices we, Latinos, can make to keep our cultural foods and still eat healthy?

Navarro: First, I always think of the implications when asking someone to make their cultural dish healthier, or to change their original dish. We know that our cultural food is more than just about diet and nourishment – it’s linked to our cultural identity and family traditions and is an integral part of what connects us and brings us joy. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants, I can attest that your traditional dishes are one of the very few things you hold on to when leaving your native country.


Giving nutrition advice is not a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why we like to set up a good foundation and work towards building a healthy relationship with food – removing the idea that food is neither “good” nor “bad.” One component to this work is mindful eating, which allows you to eat foods you enjoy, but doing it in a way where you slow down, pay attention to your senses and your body cues. There is so much that can influence one's food choices, and we know that even prolonged stress can disrupt eating patterns and your relationship with food. These things are all important to note when facilitating conversations with our Latino communities around making better food choices. The shorter answer is to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet whenever possible.


Pictured Left to right: Second Harvest's director of community nutrition Alejandra ‘Alex’ Navarro, ALAS farmworker director Sandra Sencion and Second Harvest nutrition expert Diana Garcia, pose in front of the ALAS Equity Express Yellow bus at Giusti Farms. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News


What have you heard from farmworkers about eating healthy?

Garcia: On Oct. 9 we launched the first class at Giusti Farms. Fifteen farmworkers participated in an interactive session and a cooking demonstration. This was the first of five classes designed to meet the unique needs of our farmworker community. We approached this initiative with an open mind, eager to learn from the participants to best suit their learning styles and cultural preferences.


We are learning that farmworkers have limited knowledge of chronic disease prevention and management. They also shared that none have received preventive care from a doctor here. There are a lot of barriers to eating healthy as well, such as not having transportation to local grocery stores, time constraints and exhaustion from working a physically demanding job, and limited cooking skills. Being away from their families also adds a heavy burden.


Giusti Farmworkers were asked what their name is, their favorite foods and what healthy foods they want to learn how to make. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News


What’s next with this collaboration after it wraps up at Giusti Farms?

Garcia: We will continue outdoor cooking classes, incorporating health topics in a celebratory atmosphere. We plan to share additional easy-to-prepare, affordable, and nutritious recipes from our nutrition center and beyond. We hope to move this model to other farms on the coast as well.


Diana Garcia, a nutrition expert from Second Harvest, shares an easy salad from canned foods that anyone can obtain at nonprofit food pantry. Sebastian Miño-Bucheli/Coastside News


Any final thoughts?

Garcia: We need to have an intentional openness and willingness to learn about one’s cultural background to best provide nutritional guidance and engagement that will not only be well received but also adopted. I look forward to continuing to learn and be inspired by our farmworker community, and share a space to foster true connections and find joy in cooking together.


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