Culturally Inclusive Foods Lead to Healthier Choices
Aptly nicknamed “America in Miniature,” Maryland’s unique landscapes and geography attract a diverse population. Offering consistent access to a variety of nutritious food is a responsibility we take seriously and strive to fulfill it through a regional model that allows us to focus on the different needs of communities statewide.
“People make healthier choices when they have a wide variety of options that include foods that they are familiar with,” said Kate Long, the Maryland Food Bank’s Senior Director of Nutrition. “So, we work hard to bring in culturally inclusive foods and make them available through our community partners,” she continued.
Since we want every Marylander to have the opportunity to eat a balanced diet, these foods include culturally inclusive crops like callaloo, variations of eggplant and squash, and leafy greens, as well as proteins like goat and fish.
Recently, at a school pantry in Frederick County, Marilyn V. excitedly shared her plans for transforming the foods she chose at Waverley Elementary School’s distribution event into a traditional dish from her family’s home country.
Peruvian Squash Stew Recipe
Servings: 3-5
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-35 minutes
Closing the First (HIDDEN)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups kabocha or butternut squash, peeled & cubed
- 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & cubed
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup low-moisture shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 2 large eggs
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot.
- Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the squash and potatoes to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add water to just cover the vegetables (around 4-5 cups).
- Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Use a spoon, large fork, or potato masher to mash some of the vegetables against the side of the pot. Leave some whole pieces for texture.
- Add the milk, corn, and peas.
- Stir and simmer for 5-7 minutes until heated through.
- Stir in the mozzarella until melted and incorporated into the stew.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- In a separate pot, boil eggs for 10 minutes, or use a skillet to cook them over easy.
- Cool, peel, and cut eggs in quarters if boiled. Season and set aside if cooked in a skillet.
- Serve hot over cooked white rice. Top with boiled egg/over easy egg and extra toppings. Enjoy!
“People make healthier choices when they have a wide variety of options that include foods that they are familiar with, so we work hard to bring in culturally inclusive foods and make them available through our community partners.”
“My family is Peruvian, and we are used to having a lot of fresh food, so this is very surprising – I will make Locro de Zapallo with this squash and blue catfish, which is one of my son’s favorites!”
Marilyn’s family lives close to the school in the Golden Mile area of Frederick that seeks to offer locals a place that is “walkable, connected, vibrant, safe, complete, attractive, and sustainable.”
And from some of the experiences she shared from visiting Waverley’s school pantry, Marilyn finds that slogan to be true.
“It is very convenient that this food is available at my son’s school – I don’t have to make another trip, and the people here are so nice that that it’s like being around family,” said Marilyn.
Marilyn feels a strong sense of community in Frederick and gives back by volunteering.
“I was very surprised when I came here – it’s not what I expected,” she said. “This is not something we do in my home country, so I feel good and helpful when I am here,” Marilyn continued.
Even in a state with more than 2 million households, where about a third of them face hunger on any given day, we are still very intentional about the foods we source and distribute. That means when families visit one of our 780 community partners, they can choose healthy and familiar foods. 
About The Author
Ben Gross
For more than 30 years, Ben has been helping organizations raise awareness and inspire action by creating compelling narratives. And since 2018, Ben has been the Maryland Food Bank's Staff Writer, elevating the voices of food-insecure neighbors to further the Maryland Food Bank's mission of feeding people, strengthening communities, and ending hunger for more Marylanders.
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