Thursday, October 1, 2026
Editor's note: In today’s issue, we’re introducing Chef Tissany Gilmore, a Lacey-based food educator and private chef, who loves talking about healthy ingredients, where to get them and how to prepare them. Let us know how you like her new weekly column.
When I look back on my five years in Germany, it is not just the food that comes to mind. I remember the picturesque landscapes, charming villages, bustling open-air markets, welcoming people, and the natural role food plays in everyday life.
Living in Bavarian communities, such as Vilseck and Rothenstadt, I experienced the joy of having fresh food just steps away.
A short walk through the village could lead to farm-fresh vegetables, neighborhood bakeries, and local butchers who took great pride in their craft. I was fascinated by how naturally people incorporated fresh food into their daily routines. I would see seniors walking through the markets with reusable shopping bags, selecting vegetables, talking with vendors, and chatting with neighbors.
It was not unusual to purchase just enough fresh food for that evening's meal rather than filling the refrigerator with days and days of groceries.
Reflecting on my own habits back home made me laugh. I used to pack my refrigerator to absolute capacity! My pantry, freezer, and refrigerator were overflowing, as if an empty shelf meant something was wrong. Much of what I purchased was packaged or processed.
Germany changed that perspective.
I began to understand that food could be fresh, seasonal, local, and connected to the community. Food was not simply something to store. It was something to experience.
When I returned to the United States, I wanted to change my relationship with food. I began searching for farmers markets and sources of fresh ingredients. I wanted more vegetables and whole foods in my meals and fewer processed foods.
Eventually, I made a personal decision to transition to a vegan, plant-based lifestyle. Everyone's nutritional journey is different, but for me, this change was significant. Over approximately three years, I lost 100 pounds.
It was not a quick fix or trendy diet. It was a lifestyle change — one meal, one shopping trip, and one choice at a time.
How does an older adult who no longer drives get to a farmers market?
How does someone with limited mobility choose their own fresh vegetables?
What about seniors who want to socialize, talk with farmers, and select ingredients for their meals but do not have reliable transportation?
These are questions worth asking.
A farmers market outing can offer much more than groceries. It can provide movement, social interaction, independence, personal choice, and community connection.
Transportation is an important part of food access. Senior Services for South Sound offers transportation for adults 60 and older who have no other means of transportation and are not served by another transit program. Rides may include grocery shopping, medical appointments, pharmacy visits, and other essential errands.
Donations are welcome, but seniors are not turned away because they cannot contribute. Senior Services for South Sound can be reached at 360-586-6181, ext. 128.
For seniors who can use public transportation, Intercity Transit provides zero-fare bus service throughout the Olympia area. Dial-A-Lift is also zero-fare for eligible riders.
For someone who has spent years preparing meals, shopping for fresh ingredients, and enjoying the social experience of food, transportation can be the difference between simply receiving food and actually participating in the food community.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program helps eligible low-income seniors access locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs. Seniors and caregivers can ask local senior-service agencies about program availability and eligibility.
For families participating in the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC), the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) provides coupons in addition to regular WIC benefits. These coupons can be used to purchase eligible foods from approved farmers, farmer markets, and roadside stands that accept FMNP benefits.
Olympia Food Co-op also offers cooking classes, where I teach participants how to use unfamiliar ingredients and discover new recipes with others in the community.
Tissany Gilmore, of Lacey, is a professional private chef and food educator throughout the Puget Sound.
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Tanker1982
Thank you Chef. We were also extremely fortunate to have been stationed in Germany and Belgium for 12 years. German and French food. Markets , incredible! Your local solutions make sense !
2 days ago Report this
AJefferson
I love this new column, thank you Chef. I was also stationed in Vilseck.
2 days ago Report this
Olyrkrgrrl
Welcome, Chef Tissany Gilmore! I'm looking forward to reading your column featuring healthy foods! So few people write about them...I find it interesting and informative to read about other people's experience with health and food, for inspiration and ideas of what to eat and how to prepare it. So glad you've come to share your food wisdom with us!
2 days ago Report this
Snevets
Thank you for sharing. I look forward to reading more.
2 days ago Report this
KellyOReilly
Hi Chef Gilmore, thank you for this new column! I am grateful for the beautiful farmer's market here in Olympia and also grateful for the Oly Food Co-op. I look forward to your future articles.
Yesterday at 8:33 PM Report this