Home cooking is an important and valuable skill that needs to be taught to both boys and girls in the family home. Nevertheless, recent ideas about the power and value of the family meal are changing as the dietary concerns in our country are growing. There are many studies that illustrate families that eat a meal together each day are much closer and much more involved in one another's lives. During 20th century, the family meal was monumental to the family unity.
However, in recent years, the speed of life has taken off as quickly as the speed of technology and we have lost the focus on the family unit. The idea of fitting more activity into a twenty-four hour period has consumed the American ideal of productivity and with that change in mindset; we have lost sight of our basic American values. We are a people that lives to the excess. Regrettably rather than learn to appreciate our good fortune, we abuse the luxuries that our society and economy give us and continue to abuse our bodies and our health.
The act of bringing the family together for a home cooked meal is not a fresh concept in American culture. But it is one that has suffered greatly in recent years. At one time, all member of the immediate family gathered around the dinner table to enjoy family conversation and a home cooked meal. It was considered a family heirloom to pass down recipes to every female member of the family, teaching them how to prepare a home cooked meal. Now, with ten hour work days, two income families, over committed athletic teams and other demands on family member time, we appear to be losing the image of a family joined together for the family meal.
Home cooking is a term that conquers up imagery of family closeness, healthy warm entrees and a complete and nutritious meal. Sadly, with the heavy schedule demands of the 21st century, many children consider fast food as a nutritious meal. There is a popular food chain that has in recent times made a commercial advertising the family as sharing a meal and the "home cooked" meal is a bucket full of chicken bought from the retailer. It is disturbing that the fast paced world of today is moving away from the family and into the idea that fast-food is the healthy answer to a home cooked meal.
It is not shocking with this attitude that diabetes, obesity and many other health issues are on the rise in our society. We are a nation of plenty that eats high fat commercially ready foods rather than sitting down together to enjoy a home cooked meal.
People tend to be busier these days then ever before. They leave the house early for work, go home after a long day, and still have to face cleaning, cooking, and laundry. It is little wonder that many people take cooking shortcuts, which can lead to issues with weight control and poor nutrition. Instead of feeling like spending time preparing home cooking sauces, dips, gravies and more, they are eating junk food and not realizing what they are doing to their bodies.
Home cooking is better than prepackaged food for a variety of reasons. It is more nutritious, you can control exactly what ingredients are used, and it tastes better. There are thousands of home cooking recipes available.
Processed foods, prepackaged and precooked foods have taken over when it comes to nutrition. When you go to any given grocery store, you will find thousands of heat and eat dinners that are not only unhealthy, they can lead to serious medical problems down the road. All one has to do is read the labels of ingredients in any prepackaged meal, and prepared frozen dinners are the worst offenders of all. The sodium content is so high that it can cause your arteries to harden just reading them.
The names of the ingredients can have the same effect. When you cannot pronounce an ingredient because it is fifteen letters long, should you trust eating it? That is exactly what many people do.
If you go back a few decades, at least one parent would be at home to ensure their children ate properly and were cared for.
Today, it is common for both parents to work in order to survive. This has taken a toll of the value of home cooking but there are ways to get around the time element for home cooking.
*Prepare ahead of time - choose a day on the weekend to cook for the week. It is ok to freeze it and then pop it in the microwave when you are ready to eat. You will have all the nutritional benefits without the time constraints. Make simple healthy snacks that your family will enjoy.
*Crock-pots - This incredible device is the working moms best friend. You can start your meal before you leave in the morning and it will be hot and ready to eat when you get home from work.
*Remember you do not have to make a gourmet meal every night. Simple meals are just as well balanced and will be appreciated. This saves you energy and time.
Cooking does not have to be a chore. You can turn it into quality time spent with your children if you let them help you. Of course, they will need to be supervised, however it can be a time where you can talk and enjoy each other's company. It will be a time that your children will remember forever, and possibly even pass down to their children.
The world might be fast-paced today but that does not mean you cannot enjoy home cooking. If you spend family time cooking a family dinner, you will know for sure that your family's nutrition is not suffering at all.
Both Cindy Heller & Kc Kudra are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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