Meals on Wheels — Bennington County, Vermont: Feeding Seniors Nutritious and Fresh with (Mostly) Donated Food

Using fresh, local ingredients to cook meals from scratch, MOW Bennington is nourishing thousands of area seniors, both the homebound and those able to access community meal sites near their homes. The innovative Bennington Café serves lunch daily, with a choice of entrees. It has become the popular spot for men and women of a certain age who want to remain active and independent as long as possible.

“There is an untapped wealth of usable, yet unsellable, food here in Southern Vermont,” notes Susan Fox, Executive Director of MOW Bennington, who is retiring in October. “Incorporating this donated and re- captured food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, has increased the nutritional content of our meals and reduced waste in the food system.”

Fox and her kitchen staff, including Marin Iwashko, a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, adjudicated adults learning cooking skills, and volunteers, take everything from heirloom tomatoes with small bruises to artisanal cheese end runs to make healthy – and delicious — meals. These meals crowd out unhealthy eating behavior by offering a 3+-course meal with up to six portions of fruits and vegetables.