Warriors Discover Fresh Flavors at Farm-to-Table Experience

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wounded warriors and their families recently learned about healthy choices and tasted different types of fresh produce grown at a farm at a Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) event. WWP helps injured veterans and their families learn to make healthier transitions from the structure of military life to a new civilian life where unhealthy choices abound.

"It was great to have my son and daughter exposed to a farm experience," said Lupita Rice, mother of two, and wife of an Army veteran. "I was surprised that they loved kale. I even took a picture of my son eating kale because I couldn't believe it.

"Everything was organized nicely so that we worked a little, picked specific vegetables, and then watched them cook for us. It was all so fresh, and it made a great meal."

Everyone enjoyed a vegetarian lunch of garden salad, sautéed mung beans, quinoa, kale, and acorn squash. They learned about cooking with mindfulness and using minimal seasonings to bring out the natural flavors of fresh ingredients. Before lunch, warriors and families helped by cleaning the goat and chicken pens, and moving hay into fertilized beds for fruit trees.

"I liked that we actually did some work," said Navy veteran Thomas Payne. "Then they asked us to pull specific vegetables — we picked mung beans, which were really good and tender."

The farm inspired appreciation for the soil and climate. "Living down here in south San Diego, it's crazy how much biodiversity we have," Thomas said. "The majority of people don't take advantage of the rich soil and the plentiful land that we have available. I love gardening, and that's what propelled me to attend the farm-to-table event."

Learn about WWP's other free veteran health and wellness programs, in-person and online classes, coaching, and health clinics for warriors and caregivers at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project