Vegetable Recalls May Be the Best Reason of All to Get Your Parents Gardening
Gardening helps your parents get outside in the sun and fresh air. It’s a good form of exercise for someone with lower mobility or stamina. It’s also a good way to change eating habits.
There is an even bigger reason to get your parents gardening. More and more food recalls or alerts are coming out each month. Your parents’ could avoid food poisoning by growing their own produce.
How Frequently Are Produce Recalls Happening?
Home Care Buffalo Grove IL Seniors and Gardening
Produce recalls occur regularly. Some of the more recent recalls include:
• March 2019 – Avocados, both organic and non-organic, were recalled due to possible listeria.
• February 2019 – Green beans and butternut squash were recalled due to possible listeria.
• January 2019 – Peaches, plums, and nectarines were recalled due to possible listeria.
• January 2019 – Mesclun and baby spinach were recalled due to potential salmonella.
• December 2018 – Cauliflower and several varieties of lettuce were recalled due to potential E. coli.
• November 2018 – Asparagus was recalled due to possible listeria.
How does the containment get there? It could be a wild animal that wanders through a farm and leaves behind droppings. It can be that the bacteria that’s contaminated the produce comes from the farm’s irrigation system. It could also be the source of water used when washing the produce prior to distribution.
How Does Growing Your Own Produce Help?
When you grow your own produce, you are able to control several things. You know where the water you’re using comes from. You can clean the hose or sprinkler out prior to watering your fruits and vegetables. You control the fertilizers you use. You also have the option of putting up fences to keep wild animals out.
Your parents also have control over what happens to the vegetables after it’s harvested. The different items aren’t sitting in boxes for days or weeks while they’re shipped across the country. They can pick them as they’re needed for meals and snacks.
With all their fresh produce, your parents will be able to eat fresh vegetables with each meal. They’ll have access to a lot of fresh fruit for snacks. If they can’t cook, they can avoid buying frozen meals and takeout. Caregivers can use their crops and cook meals for them.
Food preparation is part of the benefit of caregivers, but it’s not the only one. Caregivers can also take your parents shopping, clean their home, and join them for a meal. Call a home care agency to arrange their services.
If you or an aging loved one are considering a Caregiver in Buffalo Grove, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
Sources:
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/
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