Foodies celebrate Food Day Wednesday with three events

[Parenting NH Administrator]

Manchester Food Co-op announces participation in the second annual Food Day initiative, Mayor Gatsas proclaims a city-wide holiday.

Manchester “foodies” will come together Wednesday, Oct. 24, to celebrate Food Day at three events throughout the city.  The events are sponsored and organized by the Manchester Food Co-op volunteers and board of directors.

Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food culminating in a day of action on Oct. 24 every year. Food Day is a chance to celebrate what our food system does right, and take action to bring us closer to a food system with “real food” that is produced with care for the environment, animals, and the women and men who grow, harvest, and serve it. Food Day’s priorities are to:

• Promote safer, healthier diets
• Supporting sustainable and organic farms
• Reduce hunger
• Reform factory farms to protect the environment
• Support fair working conditions for food and farm workers

A morning time  event is planned at the Manchester Downtown YMCA.  Manchester Food Co-op volunteers and board members will be offering real food samples and talking to YMCA members about the importance of real food and how the Manchester Food Co-op will increase the quality of life in the downtown Manchester area.

At noon there will be a Brown Bag event lecture on the UNH downtown Manchester campus.  Steven Freeman and Heather Avella, Treasurer and Vice President of the Manchester Food Co-op and local foodies, will be discussing the values and health benefits of buying local foods and it's impact on our economy and agriculture.   This lecture is part of the popular UNH Brown Bag series. To learn more go to: manchesterfoodcoopunhbrownbagfoodday.eventbrite.com.

In the evening there will be an opportunity to support and sample the types of local businesses that will stock the shelves of the Manchester Food Co-op. FREE tastings of delicious local fare including: Great Harvest Bread Co. LaurelHill Jams and Jellies, Craquelins, Benedikt Farm, Tomina's, CQ Coffee Roasters, Cabot Creamery, Stonyfield, Herb an' Chicks Farm. 

There will also be a film screening of Nourish.  "Nourish" is an educational initiative designed to open a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability, particularly in schools and communities. With beautiful visuals and inspiring stories, the film traces our relationship to food from a global perspective to personal action steps. Nourish illustrates how food connects to such issues as biodiversity, climate change, public health, and social justice.  To learn more visit http://manchesterfoodcoopfooddayfilmscreening-eorg.eventbrite.com.

The Manchester Food Co-op is a member-owned cooperative working to build a full-service market serving the greater Manchester area. The aim is to sell local, natural food, featuring produce, meat and grocery items from NH farmers and local businesses while engaging the community in healthy food relationships. To learn more about the Manchester Food Co-op, become a member and/or volunteer, visit us at manchesterfoodcoop.coop.