LETTER: Healthy on-the-go food options needed locally

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I enjoy shopping in downtown Midland and downtown Penetanguishene. I like shopping “for content” quite frankly in many of Simcoe County’s downtowns.

In the spring/summer/fall seasons I volunteer for many of the festivals in Simcoe County. Generous businesses often provide a “meal ticket” for volunteers at these festivals and I have been so grateful for those.

My challenge, however, is that at 56 years of age, I’m well aware of my aging body, its changes, and its dietary challenges. The traditional street fare doesn’t always include a vegetable (though I do like fries and blooming onions on occasion) combined with a protein option, especially one that I can eat on the go while doing my volunteer shift. I’d like to keep my hands clean, eat in a way that respects my digestive tract, get in some good nutrition and fibre, and still be mobile.

I wonder if the local restaurants in Midland have ever considered inventing a vegetable/protein smoothie. Of course, a V8 will do the trick in a pinch, but as I wrote earlier, I’m aging and there’s too much sodium and sometimes even preservatives in those canned drinks that might not be my best choice. I also know that I struggle with too many tomato-based soups and stews and have been experimenting myself this winter with using alternatives in my crockpot bases.

I’m challenging our local restaurateurs to come up with vegetable/protein smoothies that can be served warm or cool. I’m inviting them to bring me in as a taste tester and I’d be happy to video tape that process and put it up on YouTube. Please put the finished products on your menus and call them something like soup-on-the-go that you can enjoy safely while you browse the beautiful shops in our downtowns.

Know that I will be grateful and I’m sure there are many others in our region who will be delighted to network and brag about them, too.

We’re an aging population — I acknowledge this about myself, certainly — and we are an active population who are eager to stay connected to our local businesses while we age well. Feed us well, with plant-based protein options, and we’ll spread the word wherever we can.

Ute Schmid-Jones
Midland