SWAP

Supporting Wellness at Pantries

SWAP

Supporting Wellness at Pantries

What is SWAP?

  • Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) is a Stoplight Nutrition Ranking System designed to help promote healthy food choices at food banks and food pantries.

What is the goal of SWAP?

  • To create an easy to implement, easy to understand nutrition ranking system to categorize the food offered in a food pantry.

What is this important?

  • More than half of the families who visit food pantries have a household member with high blood pressure and one-third have a member with Type II diabetes.
  • These chronic diseases can often be prevented, managed, and reversed through the foods we eat.
  • This system will help patrons make healthy choices and influence the types of food donated to the pantry.

How does SWAP work?

  • To rank foods, SWAP uses this information from the nutrition facts label:
    • Saturated fat
    • Sodium
    • Sugars

Why only these nutrients?

  • These nutrient are the most dangerous ones for chronic diseases.
  • These are listed as “nutrients to limit” in the United States Dietary Guidelines for 2015.

GREEN

Choose often; low in saturated fat, sodium and sugars; supports health

YELLOW

Choose sometimes; medium levels of fat, sodium or sugars; can contribute to good health

RED

Choose rarely; high levels of fat, sodium or surgars; think of as treats; limited health benefits

As you shop, you will see Green, Yellow, and Red labels attached to the shelves.  This will indicate how often those foods should be consumed.   You are free to select whatever foods you wish without judgement.  If you have questions as to why the rating of a particular food is a particular color, ask your volunteer to explain.   

Donate

Every household pantry runs low at some time.  The Plymouth Community Food Pantry is no different.  You can help us by donating some of the items listed below.  These items hardly ever change because we seldom receive them from our partner, Connecticut Foodshare.  We usually purchase them.  Your thoughtfulness is appreciated

Donate Today or Get Involved

Help Reduce Hunger By Donating Today!

Make a Donation

Drop Off Points

  • Food Pantry: Monday/Wednesday 1 hr before open
  • Plymouth Vol. Ambulance Corp, Rear Lobby                               191 Main St., Terryville
  • Adams Hometown Market, basket by register                              331 Main St., Terryville

 

 Condiments

Ketchup, Mayo, Mustard, Dressing, etc.(Priority)

Whole Tomato Crushed Tomato    Tomato Paste       Diced Tomato (Priority)

Canned Pasta & Ravioli

(Priority)

Tomato Sauce   (Priority)

Canned Beef Stew

Baked Beans

Jelly

Pancake Mix

Syrup

 Drinks

Juices: Apple, Grape, Fruit, etc. Beverages: iced tea, coffee, tea, etc. 

NO SODA PLEASE

Baked Goods

Cake Mix Brownie Mix Muffin Mix Flour, Sugar, etc.

   

Boxed Mashed Potatoes 

 Personal Care

Shampoo, Deodorant, Bar Soap, Tooth Paste

Nutritional Drinks

Ensure/Boost or  Glucose Control

   

Pet Food

Dog & Cat Wet. canned