Meal Cooking Day

If time permits most people would eat nutritious meals but realistically that is not possible in most households. People are scurrying about trying to make deadlines and shuffle family members from place to place. Somewhere in all the activity a meal is eaten and in most cases it is a fast food meal. Parents in particular don't necessarily wish to feed fast food to their children but it takes the pressure off and the eatery is on the way to their next destination.

The other side of this coin is people who are no longer in the fast paced life of today. They are the people that have lived a full life and no longer have others for whom they are responsible. They are the majority of people age 55 and older. Most of them have retired and live alone. They don't have the desire to cook food at home that will go to waste anyway. Why cook for one or two people? A restaurant or fast food eatery will do just fine.

Both groups of people are responding to conveniences their life styles demand. They don't have the motivation to prepare a traditional meal. The consequences of their life style choices have created an epidemic. The epidemic is obesity and in some cases it is morbid obesity.

Obesity occurs when the amount of food eaten is not balanced by the amount of energy required to burn off a sufficient amount of calories. Another factor of obesity is the method by which food is prepared. When people eat out often, they are subject to food preparations they have no control over. They receive beautifully prepared meals at the table or in the bag. But how was it prepared?

In most cases the food eaten in restaurants are prepared in the fastest and most convenient manner the eatery can prepare the meal. That means an abundant amount of salt, sugar, oil/fat and preservatives that enhance the appearance and taste of the food. Add to the preparation method, over sized servings and you have the makings of an over weight person. By the time the individual realizes the weight problem exists, the person is mentally trapped in a lifestyle of convenience and cravings for the unhealthy foods they came to enjoy and rely on.

Even with demanding schedules ,and for some the loss of motivation to prepare meals, there is a way to return to healthy eating.

It is not easy to break habits that don't work for us. Nor is it easy to develop new habits that benefit us. The key is a desire to make changes that will help improve the quality of life. In this case the goal is to develop healthy eating habits. Just as it took a while to develop unhealthy eating habits, it will take a while to return to eating the foods that help us be the best we can be.

To begin the transformation, look at food preparation as one of the responsibilities that can not be pushed aside. Imagine the consequences of continuing the lifestyle of eating out for most of your meals. Ask yourself, which is more painful, dealing with chronic diseases that could have been avoided. Or enjoying life and doing things with your family that a healthy diet permits.

Eating healthy will take a conscious effort at first but with determination, it will happen. Okay, look at your schedule for the next month. Now find a day in each week that is not obligated to any activities outside the home. Mark that day as "meal cooking day." That day is your appointment date to cook a week's worth of food. Decide you will not allow anything to cause you to cancel that day. Think of it as an appointment you can not break.

The next step is to survey your kitchen.

Before meal cooking day, survey your kitchen. Make sure you have basic seasonings in the cabinets. Discard all processed foods. That includes sweets and chips prepared in high fat oils and processed foods. These things are deadly. They are filled with chemicals and calories your body does not need. It is alright to keep healthy snacks in your cabinets but eat them in moderation.

In the process of cleaning out the cabinets, make a list of the fresh fruits and vegetables your family likes. Also include a few items they may not be familiar with. Add to your list meats they like and meats that are considered healthy. That would include fish, chicken and lean beef. A little pork or lamb will not hurt.

Select a day of the week you will shop for groceries. If possible leave the children and your spouse home. You will be able to shop faster and concentrate on what you are doing. Learn the lay out of the grocery store. The healthy foods are located on the outer perimeters of the store. You can go right or left and pick up the fresh food items needed for meal cooking day. These foods are the ones that will help you avoid or reduce obesity in the family.

Once you've shopped the outer perimeters of the store, go into the inner isles for spices, dry food products, and frozen foods. Avoid the inner aisles as much as possible.. They have beautifully packaged items that make life easier but not healthier. Only select those foods low in sodium, sugars and carbohydrates.

Recipes

While you're in the store, look near the deli meat area for fast and easy recipes. Select the ones you're familiar with as well as the ones you may like to try. There are usually quick and  easy recipes throughout the store you may take home for free. If you have a cook book at home, select a few recipes out of it for meal cooking day.

Organize your recipes and set them aside for meal cooking day.

On meal cooking day, turn on your favorite music. Let the children have a great time in the house or in the backyard. But make the kitchen an off limits area for that day. Pull out the pots and pans and start your cooking day.

The objective of meal cooking day is to cook enough food for the family to last one week. If you wish, you could also cook enough to last for a month. The meals could be all dinner meals or a combination of breakfast, lunch and and dinner.

Have fun. Relax and make memories with your children. They will remember the meal cooking days and how you allowed them to help with some of the preparations. At the same time you will be teaching them good habits and good time management skills.

For single people and people that live alone. These suggestions also apply to you. Set aside a meal cooking day and prepare your kitchen for a day of cooking.

Now is where all your dedication and work come into play.

Okay! There are pots full of good and healthy food cooked from scratch. Casserole containers are filled with delicious one course dish meals. Baked bread is waiting to be consumed and possibly soup is sitting on the stoves. There could be a pie or cake filling the air with mouth watering aromas.

Now what?

Let's say you prepared enough meals for one week. Take from your cabinets serving dishes that are microwave/oven safe. Decide which dish or dish combination will be served on each day of the week. Place enough food in your serving dishes to feed one person or the number of people in your family. Allow the containers of food to cool. After they cool, place them in the freezer. Stack them in the order you will be eating them next week.

After you have separated the dishes and decided the order in which they will be served to your family, pat yourself on the shoulder. What you have done is started something good in your family. You've shown yourself, you can prepare good nutritional meals for your family and for yourself.You've dramatically reduced your weekly stress of what will I feed the family tonight dilemma.

Okay,its the first day of the work week. You've gone back to the fast pace you life requires. And for older people you are home and you're thinking of getting something to eat. Both groups of people whether the family or the older individual may simply walk over to the refrigerator and pull out a container of food you cooked for that day of the week. Place it in the microwave. Turn on the music or television. Go back to the microwave and pull out the heated dish.

You did not have to think about the meal the family will eat tonight. You did not have to feel guilty about eating processed foods. And most importantly, you are not stressing about what to prepare for the family. You did not have to pay hard earned money for food that will take away from your family's quality of life. You've set your family and yourself on the right path to eating healthy and staying healthy.

Peace of mind is yours because you decided to take matters in your own hands. As a result you will realize how much money you're saving. Your family will come to expect the family time together at the dinner table. Pat yourself on the back again.

The purpose of this Hub was to show you, there are more hours available to take care of your family than you once thought. It gives you a plan of action. You learned you may take control of your life and keep everyone healthy.

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