This month at TABLE we are celebrating one of the world’s leading food crops, rice! It is a main non-perishable item we like to include in our bags for our families and that is why we are hoping to collect 850 1 lb. bags of rice by July 31st during our Summer Rice Drive!
Why are we celebrating rice?
Because this cooking staple not only provides some great health benefits but can also be used in recipes for every meal, and even snacks too! Before we dive into all the benefits and yummy recipes, here are some fun facts about rice that you probably didn’t know…
- There is documentation of people eating rice as early as 2,500 B.C. That’s roughly 4,500 years ago!
- The Great Wall of China is held together with sticky rice that was used to make porridge and combined with calcium carbonate, combined into a mortar.
- Uncooked white rice can stay fresh for anywhere between 10 and 30 years (depending on how it is stored)!
- Rice is grown on every continent except Antarctica.
- Just one seed of rice will result in over 3,000 grains.
- The Turkey Culinary Federation in Bolu, Turkey holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest bowl of fried rice made weighing in at 6,944 pounds!
Rice is a fundamental food in many cuisines around the world and is an important cereal crop that feeds more than half of the world’s population. In fact, more than 3.5 billion people depend on rice for more than 20 percent of their daily calories. Because it’s eaten nearly universally, it’s a food that many of our participating families (who come from a unique and wide variety of countries around the world) are familiar with, enjoy, and are eager to receive in their weekly bags.
What are the health benefits?
Rice provides us with all sorts of great vitamins including B1, B6, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and manganese. These important nutrients can help control hypertension, prevent the early onset of high blood pressure, help prevent skin aging by providing antioxidant and skin-hydrating potential, and eliminate toxins from our bodies. As an added benefit, rice contains fiber which increases bowel movement and reduces the chances of cardiovascular disease.
Did you know? All rice (in its natural form) is gluten-free including brown rice, white rice, and even Asian (or sticky) rice despite its name. Therefore it is a safe food for nearly all of our participating kids to enjoy.
Here are some yummy rice recipes we wanted to share with you. These recipes that span breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks illustrate just how versatile this ingredient is and proves why everyone should have rice as a permanent pantry item!
Breakfast
Morning Rice Pudding
Breakfast Rice from Japan
Chinese Congee
Lunch
Cuban Black Beans & Rice
Spanish Rice & Beans
Afghani Pulao
Dinner
Double Vegetable Fried Rice
Red Beans & Rice
Pabellion Criollo
Snacks
Onigirazu Rice “Sandwich”
“Make Your Own” Rice Crackers
We hope you will be able to join us for our Summer Rice Drive and donate today! You can purchase rice online and have it shipped directly to TABLE or purchase it on your next shopping trip and drop it off at TABLE’s office. Or, if you have extra rice in your pantry that you are willing to donate, we will put it to good use.
Let us know if you try out these recipes and enjoy them!