Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:20 Thanks for listening to this mini episode to close out 2021 with just a bite. We know that while this time of year can often be joyful. It's also often complicated with mixed feelings, even in non pandemic years. So, you know, Sarah and I just want to start by saying as one of my favorite writers, Pulitzer prize, winning columnist and Ohioan, Connie Schultz has often said, we hope this holiday season lands gently for those that are struggling. We have all lost, loved ones this year, or know someone who has many of us are struggling with managing our mental and physical health far too many Ohioans remain close to a breaking point. As the pandemic continues to create uneven and unjust outcomes for marginalized people in communities, our healthcare workers are working through an enormous strain on their systems and on themselves and their families.
Speaker 2 00:01:23 You're right. We're all grieving in some way or another, to be honest, Jorie and I are grieving the delay or possible demise of the build back better act, which our listeners will recall includes historic measures to reduce childhood poverty and improve child nutrition and household stability. We will surely be working hard and watching closely as we begin a new year without the expanded advance child tax credit payments that most Ohio families have come to rely on to meet their needs. And we will not give up without a continued fight,
Speaker 1 00:02:04 No way not giving up. Definitely not losing hope, but certainly one of our coping mechanisms on our team of two is to seek out the joy when we can find it and where we can find it. So, you know, we thought rather than dwell any more on our last episode, this year on the decisions being made by the powerful few, we would spend the rest of our closing episode talking about our favorite holiday traditions to find some of that joy. Do you have a favorite one you want to share Sarah?
Speaker 2 00:02:35 Yeah, I mean, I have so many memories of the holiday season that I cherish all with the same thing in common spending time with family and friends every year, my mom gets my brother and I pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve. It's always fun to open them after dinner on Christmas Eve and wear them while we finish up some last minute wrapping or watch a movie together. Another one of my family's holiday traditions that I love so much is we all receive a new ornament to re represent our year. Every Christmas morning, we reflect on some of the high points of the year as we open our ornaments, which inevitably ends in everyone telling stories and joking around. When I reflect on these traditions, I know it's not the material items that represent them that matter, but all the laughs and memories that come with them.
Speaker 1 00:03:32 So, so we, I can picture you all in your pajamas and open your ornaments. I love that so much. You know, I have a three and a half year old at home and actually leading up to this year and this holiday season I've felt really anxious about putting traditions in place for him. Like what you're describing is so special and meaningful to you. And, you know, I've crowdsourced ideas from friends and colleagues and tried to stuff as much magic into the season as possible, for sure, but probably unsurprisingly to any caregivers, to small children who are listening. None of that's really necessary because he finds everything magical. And especially the simple things he loves hanging ornaments, just like you all singing carols and watching Christmas movies. But more than anything, he loves baking. He wakes up some mornings asking me to bake. So thanks to him this year. I discovered that gingerbread dough is actually really fun to work with and tastes pretty great with a cup of coffee too. But it's the memories that we are making that I think he loves. I slowed down with him when we're baking. I help him spend his whisker on the bowl, uh, count cups and tablespoons out as we make our treats. So I just feel incredibly blessed to get to see Christmas through his eyes.
Speaker 2 00:04:52 Yeah, it's been so fun hearing all the stories that you have of your son and kind of seeing what that, um, Christmas magic means to him. But we want to hear about your favorite holiday traditions tweet at us at Ohio food banks. And tell us what has given you joy this year, despite the chaos loss and uncertainty. You want to close out first with a couple of budget, friendly recipe ideas for you after putting together a special holiday meals, it can often be difficult to keep stretching your food budget and to come up with affordable meal ideas, visit the show notes for this episode to find the links to these recipes. First up, we recommend embracing green cabbage by throwing together a pan of cabbage and noodles. You can grab a bag of egg noodles for about a dollar 20 and a head of cabbage for a couple of bucks, prepare the noodles as normal. Meanwhile, then we slice the cabbage and saute it with your preferred cooking oil and seasonings. Add in a slice sweet onion for more flavor combine and voila. I eat mostly vegetarian, but if you're a meat eater, you can pan saute some slice sausage or bacon to add in protein and flavor. You can feed a crowd for a few bucks. A serving and cabbage is packed with vitamin C and plenty of other great nutrients.
Speaker 1 00:06:30 Ah, yes, cabbage, sauerkraut, all really lucky foods. That'll hopefully help send us into a happy 20, 22 as well. And I've also put a recipe shared with me by my grandmother for oven baked pancakes. When I first moved on, on my own, she gave me some really helpful budget friendly recipes. And this is one of my favorites. They're just a few ingredients in there, a lot less labor intensive than pancakes on the griddle. So I can kind of get them ready, get them in the oven and then go sit or play with my kid while they finish up. Plus I think they have a more savory flavor. So they're great for breakfast, for dinner, with whatever fruit is in season and most affordable. Sometimes I like pan fry, some bananas with a little bit of brown sugar and cinnamon, something like that to make them special. Do you have any favorite budget friendly recipe ideas to share? Let us know so we can share them with listeners and future episodes. Again, tweet us at Ohio food banks.
Speaker 2 00:07:30 In closing, we want to encourage those that are able to give their time and or money back to people struggling in their community. Many people are living in continued uncertainty, not sure what their next paycheck will look like. Not sure how they will continue to pay bills when their student loan payments kick back in. Not sure how they will afford childcare or their medications. Our food banks are very concerned about what the new year will bring.
Speaker 1 00:08:01 Yeah, we're not exactly approaching 22 feeling super optimistic, but we're going to keep working hard and we need your help to do that. So we're going to continue to advocate for public investments, whether that be allocating Ohio's flexible, American rescue plan act dollars to hunger relief and other critical health and human services or passing the bill back better act in the U S Senate, of course, but our network also counts on people like you chipping in as volunteers and donors. So consider ending your year or starting a new one with whatever contribution you can spare by visiting Ohio food banks.org
Speaker 2 00:08:40 Now, and with a quote from bell hooks, then delegable, author, feminists, and activists who he lost too soon. This month, quote, I pay tribute to the past as a resource that can serve as a foundation for us to revision and renew our commitment to the present, to making a world where all people can live fully and well where everyone can belong and quote, thank you for listening. And we'll talk to you in the new year.
