October Kitchen - March 2018

October Kitchen - March 2018

This is our way of saying that you are important to us and we truly value your business. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and neighbors. ENJOY!

THE NOURISH LETTER

Meet the Men Behind Your Meals MARCH 2018

www.OctoberKitchen.com | 860-533-0588 | 309 Green Rd, Manchester, CT 06042

THE GIFT OF GRACE — to forget that gratitude is a spontaneous response of joy to receiving something ... When we forget this, what happens is that gratitude starts to be misused and distorted as an impulse to pay for the very thing that came to us “gratis” [free]. This terrible moment is the birthplace of the ‘debtor’s ethic.’ “The debtor’s ethic says, ‘Because you have done something good for me, I feel indebted to do something good for you.’ This impulse is not what gratitude was designed to produce. God meant gratitude to be a spontaneous expression of pleasure in the gifts and the goodwill of another.” There’s an unwritten rule that the graces we send out must be universal, able to provide spiritual nourishment to anyone. To this day, we constantly get feedback about our graces from clients and there’s never been a single complaint. People have told me about how they cut out a certain grace and put it on their fridge or taped it to the bathroom mirror because it spoke to them so deeply. This is the kind of spiritual nourishment I want October Kitchen to provide alongside every delivery we make. We can’t sit around everyone’s table and share grace like I did with my family at Grandma’s house, but including these small words of grace allows me to share that spiritual well-being with every person I cook for. It’s been a company tradition since day one, and we won’t ever stop.

Spiritual Nourishment With Every Meal

“We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love each other, we must know each other in the breaking of bread and we are not alone anymore. “Heaven is a banquet and life is a banquet, too, even with a crust, where there is companionship.

“Love comes with community.”

–Dorothy Day

This is the grace I included with the first meal I made for October Kitchen’s first client, Mrs. Taylor, in 2000. For 17 years now, every meal I’ve prepared for a client has come with a prayer. My inspiration for this tradition came from my own childhood, a tradition born at Grandma’s house. Every meal we shared there as a family started with grace. Our business motto is “Nourishing people.” Yes, this is something we do by providing healthy meals, but I believe nourishing the spirit is equally important. I still remember how I felt saying grace with my family and taking a moment to feel thankful for the meal we were about to share. We all have days where everything goes sideways, but I believe having gratitude and grace gives us the strength we need to carry on. There’s a strange notion some people have about grace and gratitude — they treat it as a transactional relationship. John Piper, author of “Future Grace,” explains this very well. “There is an impulse in the fallen human — all our hearts

“Our business motto is ‘Nourishing people.’

Yes, this is something

we do by providing healthy meals, but I believe nourishing the spirit is equally important.”

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The Importance of Spring Cleaning Your Utility Room Don’t Forget to Clean the Heart of Your Home

• Family homes (three or more occupants) with no pets or allergies: 3 to 6 months. • Family homes with at least one pet or minor allergies: 2 to 3 months. • Family homes with multiple pets or allergies: 1 to 2 months. In addition to changing the air filter, it’s important to schedule a routine inspection of your home’s HVAC system. This includes an inspection of the appliances themselves and any connecting ducts. Dust, dander and mold can accumulate in the ducts and spread throughout the home, which can lead to health issues including respiratory problems. A routine inspection will identify potential problems in your HVAC system. On top of that, you can get these systems professionally cleaned and maintained. These are simple steps that will keep your home’s air systems running smoothly for years to come. Plus, you’ll be ready for the summer months ahead!

The start of spring brings everyone’s favorite seasonal chore — spring cleaning! As you dust, vacuum, organize and declutter, don’t forget about the one room that often gets neglected. This year, give special attention to the utility closet. The utility closet houses your furnace, boiler, water heater, A/C junction and other similar large appliances. Homeowners often forget about these appliances because they are out of sight and out of mind and this can cost a lot in the long run. Like all the other rooms in your home, this space needs to be kept clean. Dust, for instance, can be hard on HVAC systems. Over time, it accumulates in the HVAC intake and clogs the air filter, reducing its effectiveness and efficiency. This results in a short lifespan for your system, higher power bills and a poorly heated or cooled home. How Often Should You Replace Your Air Filter? • Homes with minimal foot traffic (single or double occupancy) and no pets or allergies: 6 to 12 months.

Tips for Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits LOST YOUR APPETITE?

Share a Meal — Social interaction is just as important as proper nutrition, and who doesn’t enjoy breaking bread with a friend or family member?

Food plays a vital role in our overall health. Our bodies need valuable nutrients, but eating right can be a challenge

when our appetites start to work against us. Changes in our bodies as we age, a new lifestyle or social situation, chronic disease and certain medications can lead to a loss in appetite. But just because you don’t feel hungry, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to be eating. In fact, research from the National Institutes of Health suggests that “because older adults’ abilities to

Add Some Variety — We don’t just mean different foods. You can experiment with textures, colors and temperatures to create an interesting dining experience. Talk to Your Doctor — Is there a physical issue affecting your appetite? Would changing your medication help? Have your teeth become sensitive or are you having problems chewing? Work with your doctor to determine how you can make eating enjoyable again.

absorb and utilize many nutrients become less efficient, their nutrient requirements […] actually increase.” Here are a few ways to keep up healthy eating habits even as your appetite changes.

Enhance Food Flavors — Don’t just rely on salt and sugar. Try reaching for lemon juice, olive oil or exotic herbs and spices to liven up your palate. How about some ginger and turmeric, anyone?

Maintaining healthy eating habits is important throughout our lives. Make sure any loss of appetite doesn’t negatively impact your health and well-being.

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7-Year-Old’s Lucky Break Feeds a Community A LITTLE GIRL WITH A BIG HEART

TESTIMONIALS At October Kitchen, our mission is to provide delicious, nourishing meals. In doing so, we hope to help our clients lead healthy and independent lives. Nothing fills our hearts more than to know we’ve succeeded in our goal when we hear such kind words from our clients. “I am so thankful for October Kitchen, making my busy life easier when it comes to cooking. I have been a returning customer for five years. The food is delicious and my mind is at ease knowing I am eating healthy, nutritious meals. I am lucky not to have food allergies, but the chef caters to your every need; all you need to do is ask. Will return soon.” –Carole L. “Service is great, food is even better. Used their deliveries for months at a time and really took the guess work out of eating and super helpful from time and portion control stand point.” –James M. “I have been beyond pleased with October Kitchen. The food is excellent, the options are always abundant, the prices are very reasonable, the customer service is on point. Being able to come home from a long day in the office to a healthy dinner that just needs to be heated up (not to mention that I’m a vegetarian and my husband is not, so two separate meals) is the perfect solution to our busy lives. We actually look forward to dinner time now (and the best chocolate chip cookies ever! :)” –Aradia F decided to use her lucky break for something better: food for those in need. After hearing about her school’s canned food drive, Phoebe looked up at her mother and said, “Mom, Mom, can we do that?” ABC News reported that the family made a trip to the grocery store, where Phoebe picked out a variety of canned foods. Her father also matched in additional donations what she spent on items. By the end of the canned food drive, Phoebe’s class collected 541 items, making them the winner of their school’s contest — thanks to Phoebe’s generosity. The nonprofit organization Feeding America reports that 1 in 7 Americans rely on local food banks to provide their next meal. This includes 620,000 military families and 7 million seniors. It’s thanks to donations from generous people like Phoebe and her family that food banks continue their good work and support of communities across America.

We could all use a little extra luck. Even the most skeptical individuals can’t say no when offered a four-leaf clover. But while being lucky is nice, the world could use a little extra kindness overall. Fortunately, Phoebe Brown has both of these in abundance.

The 7-year-old from Independence,

Missouri, certainly enjoyed a stroke of

luck when she found a winning $100 scratch- off ticket on the ground. It’s the kind of jackpot that would delight

any scratch-off player, and it certainly could have afforded

young Phoebe a nice trip to the toy store. While she admits the idea of buying new toys did come to mind, Phoebe

_____________________________ Write your name here and fax the completed puzzle to 860-533-0585, send it via empty delivery box or bring it to the shop and receive 10 percent off your next order . Limit one per customer. Expires March 31, 2018. WORD SEARCH October Kitchen

H T U U T O A G B G L R V U L A P P E T I T E N U I E Y Y A I H N G E E S I F T D W P S I G P I R C G R I G J K O D X N L F Z D X P T N P R N L V Z O T S O M S U X O Z M A F G O M X C F N A D O U M J E C C Y I S X L E N R V R N Y P T E Q T L H B E N D Q I C Z O W K Y S X E T U A R L S E B F Y Z J E C A C R P N U H E M A R C H T L R M G A J I R N E H C T I K F T Y A C E F N M A Q M Q Y X R X P P Z M X A G Y A X A Y E I R O R Z K K I X H B U J P M

MOST NOURISH OCTOBER SPRING TESTIMONIAL

GIFT GRACE HEART KITCHEN MARCH

APPETITE BEAUTIFUL CLEANING EARTH FLOWER

PETITE

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309 Green Rd. Manchester, CT 06042 INSIDE

page 1

Shall We Say Grace?

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Spring Clean Your Utility Room

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Should You Eat When You’re Not Hungry?

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How to Use Luck for Good

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Word Search

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The 3 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers

Earth’s Most Beautiful Flower Displays

S pring is here, which means flora will soon be in full bloom. Flowers can be an easy pick-me-up or a great way to add color to your home, but some people take their flower obsession to the next level by planning botanical-themed vacations. Here are some of the most impressive gardens and flower displays in the world. Netherlands Holland, most famous for its tulips, always draws visitors at the first sign of spring. One of its most famous destinations, Keukenhof, located in Lisse, is among the world’s largest flower gardens. The park is 79 acres and boasts approximately 7 million flowers each year. This colorful garden is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but mid-April is the ideal time to see the tulips. Washington, D.C. Besides the monuments and historic buildings, one of the biggest attractions

in Washington, D.C. is the cherry tree blossoms. Travelers who visit the Tidal Basin during the spring can witness 3,000 trees, which were a gift from Tokyo in 1912, flaunt their beautiful pink blossoms. The best time to see the spectacle is from the end of March through the end of April. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Desert lavender, flowering cacti, pygmy poppies and rock daisies are just a few of the many wildflowers decorating Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The various native species are often seen weaved together to form a colorful carpet over any barren patch in the park, which is located just two hours from San Diego. In addition to flowers, visitors often spot bighorn sheep. Wildflower blossoms vary in intensity each year, but they typically begin to bloom in late February or early March. Next time you’re planning a spring trip, consider visiting one of the world’s most beautiful flower displays. No green thumb required.

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