Vision for Self Sufficiency

Dear Friends

Joyous Harvest International is a newly founded social enterprise whose mission is to serve the community. JHI is aligned with Singapore 30/30 vision to achieve sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty and self-sufficiency and to prepare every household for food resiliency in times of crisis, especially when there is a disruption of the food supply chain.

We serve the community enabling us to get food that lasts longer, as well as is cheaper and better. JHI will do bulk purchases of the essential food and seek to help members store quality goods at affordable prices.

We hope that you would join in and encourage your family and members to participate in JHI to prepare a storeroom in every home, and a storehouse in every community.

Thank you very much for your partnership in serving the community.

Blessings

Joyous Harvest International, Singapore

Email: tiongtanjhigmail.com

What to Store?

Besides water, don’t we need the 3 food categories to have health and survival? We are taught in school the basic food groups are: Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats. So, what's a wholesome diet? It's making sure that we eat a good balance of food from the important food groups: carbohydrates, meat and other proteins, and fruit and veggies.

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy, powering activities from breathing to thinking to running for the bus. There are many types of carbs. Some raise your blood glucose quickly while others do so slowly. Choose wholegrains over refined grains: brown rice over white rice, wholemeal bread over white bread. The health benefits of wholegrains are not just contributed by fibre or any single nutrient. Instead, the different components all work together to protect your health.

Protein, our body’s building blocks, is the next component. It comes from food like chicken, duck, pork, beef, fish, bean products (like tofu and tau kee), and dairy products. Avoid eating processed foods that contain high levels of salt, sugar and fat. While most meats contain protein, they are not created equal. Lean meats such as chicken and fish provide more protein per calorie than fatty meats like beef brisket and T-bone steak. Always opt for lean meats so you get your protein without clogging up your arteries. Choose fish as your protein. Tuna, mackerel, sardines, salmon, tenggiri batang and ikan tenggiri papan are oily fish—the good kind of oily—as they contain omega-3 fatty acids, a "good fat" that supports overall heart health.

Do not forget fruit and veggies, which are low in calories and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants. Dark, leafy greens pack a punch of nutrition and you should aim for at least two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day. Fruits and vegetables are also great as snacks. Avoid snacking on junk food that is high in sugar or sodium, and choose fruits instead.

Frozen fruit and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh produce. So, keep a few handy bags at home. You can use some when your fresh supplies run out midweek. To preserve the nutrients, take them straight out of the freezer and add it to your dish. Do not thaw or soak before you use them.

For canned fruit, choose products canned in juice rather than those canned in heavy syrup. If you do buy fruit canned in heavy syrup, drain away the canning liquid. Check the labels of canned vegetables and pick those that are canned in water. If the vegetables are canned in brine, make sure the canning liquid is drained.

Back to Basics: All About MyPlate Food Groups:

According to USDA the Five Food Groups are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. Each food group includes a variety of foods that are similar in nutritional makeup, and each group plays an important role in an overall healthy eating pattern. It is important to emphasize foods that are particularly good sources of certain vitamins and minerals and also subgroups within the Grains Group that provide more fibre, magnesium, and zinc.

Building a Storehouse

It's good to plan ahead as to where you wish to build your home store. The place should be accessible and dry, preferably away from direct sunlight. The storeroom is an obvious place but possibly space above cabinets and below beds or even higher parts of balcony or kitchen may work too. Ensure that it's also away from possible pests like cockroaches and spiders, not to say rodents and insects.

The principle in storage is always to have heavier items in the lower shelves and light boxes at the top. If you have a cabinet or shelves, you may arrange your items as shown in the model pictures.

The items you are more likely to use and replace should be located where it is most accessible. Also, first one in first one out principle of storage means that you will constantly renew your supplies. Always place the latest item, or the one with the farthest expiry date, at the back of the stock.

You may develop a home store inventory system on an excel file like the sample provided. This will provide you information on how much stock you have and which items that are already in your store.

If you sign up for membership at jhi.sg a template will be provided for you to use. Do update your inventory monthly if not weekly and check to replenishing your stock regularly. Hope that you will commit to maintaining a viable store at home.