Saturday, August 29, 2009

Saving Money on Food Costs Starts with Kids

Yes, believe it or not, it does start with the kids, at home. We live in a microwave, fast food, instant gratification society. Everybody wants it fast, now, quick, in a hurry. Whether it's food, information, material items or money, that is the society we live in. But your pocket and health don't have to suffer for it.

As you know, I teach cooking classes (mostly online and some live in person). The economy dictates that we can no longer afford to eat out all the time. I know as a Mom, the convenience is a tempting lure. You've put in long hours at the office and the last thing you want to do is stand in a kitchen slaving over a stove. But our mothers and grandmothers (in some cases) did it. What makes us exempt and worse, what are we teaching our children. The healthcare issue is on fire right now. People want the right to healthcare and to be as thin or fat as they want to be. Americans are the largest population of overweight people in the world. I attribute some of it to eating out so much.

But no worries. We can reverse this. We have to, as mothers, become a little more patient and try to fall back to the old days a bit. I'm not saying completely give up going out or cooking every day of the week. If you cook strategically, you can have home cooked, healthy nutritious meals for your family. Get the kids in on the act too. Most kids love going in the kitchen and helping out. I used to love going in the kitchen to watch my dad and grandfather cook. My son used to love watching me. If you get them involved early, they'll adopt healthy habits. For me, it was the curiosity of experimentation in the kitchen. I used to (and still love to) create things. I love breaking down a dish I've tasted to try and create my own version of it. Think of how much fun it'll be for your kids to express themselves with food. And if you play your cards right, they can eventually pick up some of the cooking duties for you!

Today I'll be demonstrating some cooking and baking recipes for my niece and young cousins. A kitchen full of preteen girls...not sure how I feel about that yet. But they asked me to teach them a few things and I'm honored to do so. I'll be back to report what we ended up making. Right now, I'm just excited that they are taking matters into their own hands and learning how to cook.

Til next time. Sphere: Related Content

No comments:

Post a Comment