Emergency Food List

Did you know that we are not born with a love for salt.  It is a taste we acquire and learn to like over time.  The amount of salt it takes to satisfy our taste buds grows over time, causing many of us to consume much more sodium than is healthy.  Experts recommend limiting the amount of salt or sodium in your diet.  If you put salt on your food or eat a lot of convenience food, you are probably eating an excess amount.  Too much sodium can lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure in certain individuals.

• Hide the salt shaker from your table.
• Replace the salt shaker with a salt-free substitute like “Mrs. Dash”, Kroger Zesty Blends or your own salt-free blend of spices.
• Use fresh lemon, parsley, garlic, onion, chives, oregano, basil, balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper to flavor your foods instead of salt.
• Check with your physician before using a salt substitute like “Lite” salt or No Salt.
• Read labels and choose entrees with less than 700 mg sodium per serving.  Look for the words “Low Sodium”, “Very Low Sodium” and “Sodium Free” on the label to help you choose products that fit into a lower salt meal plan.
• Adjust your recipes – you can eliminate the salt in many recipes without affecting the quality of the finished product.  Cook pasta, rice, potatoes, stew, hot cereal, cookies, pancakes and muffins without adding salt.  Use fresh, frozen or low sodium canned vegetables in your recipes instead of regular canned ones.  Use low sodium soups instead of regular soup.  Olive oil or canola oil can be substituted for salted butter or margarine in recipes.  This helps to reduce the sodium and gives you a healthier source of fat.
• It may take your taste buds a little time to adjust to the taste of foods with less salt and the flavors of fresh seasonings.  Make only one or two changes in your eating habits at a time.  Soon you will feel the benefits.

Lunch Out

MVNP and the Greater Lawrence Technical School will again offer our congregate restaurant program entitled “Lunch Out”. The program allows Council’s on Aging and the congregate meal sites an opportunity to dine in a restaurant, enjoy table cloths and wait staff service at the Greater Lawrence Technical School restaurant named “Four Winds”, for a suggested $2.00 donation. The program is operated one day per month and is offered to all Council on Aging Departments. Space is limited to 75 clients so MVNP requests the Council’s on Aging to reserve their month as early as possible.

Therapeutic Meals

MVNP would like again to offer three special diets for our Meals on Wheels clients. Pauline Provencher, our registered dietician would work in conjunction with out kitchen staff to plan, prepare and package these meals at the Greater Lawrence Technical School. Three diets MVNP would like to offer Elder Services would be:

• Heart Healthy
• Renal
• Mechanical Modified (chopped or pureed)

You can expect your meal to be delivered between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. It may be earlier or later depending on the weather or other conditions. PLEASE BE PATIENT WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE YOUR DELIVERY TIME. Delivery days are Monday through Friday.