My idea of fun lifelong learning is to try new ingredients, new foods and new recipes! One of the favorite food classes that I teach is Food, Culture, and Society. Typically, each student takes a different cuisine from around the world and researches the history, customs, meal patterns, ingredients, and so forth. The greatest part is that part of the research is cooking and eating the food. This is much more fun than chemistry lab!
We may eat with our hands while sitting on the floor if that is the custom of that particular country we are learning about that day. (Now, I could try that at home. In fact, that is a great idea for the next time we keep the grandchildren!) Cooking new recipes from a variety of cultures with new tastes and smells brings fun and learning into the kitchen. Some great ideas can be found in Stirring Up a World of Fun by Nanette Goings.
Eating together
How often have we heard, “The family that prays together stays together.” I would be willing to bet that these are the families that eat together. Maybe family meals don’t have to happen every night, but they are important. Research has shown that family meals can lead to better physical and mental health for both the adults and the children. Studies show that when meals are eaten at home as a family that more fruits and vegetables are eaten!
Eating meals together as a family most or all days is associated with eating healthier, in general, and decreased risk for obesity. Of course, this is not surprising. Other benefits of the family meal are that children who frequently eat meals with their family tend to do better in school, and are less likely to be at risk for substance abuse and depression. Family meals are a time for parents and children to talk and share feelings.
‘Stronger, healthier, happier’
Miriam Weinstein, the author of The Surprising Power of Family Meals: How Eating Together Makes Us Smarter, Stronger, Healthier, and Happier, says that the combination of eating and talking is powerful. Research shows that even eating one meal a week together can make a difference, but that the more frequent, the better. This meal does not even have to be at home, since the important issue is to eat facing each other and not the TV.
One of the joys of being in Latin America, Italy, Spain, France is to observe large families eating together. Relationships and family seem to be so much more important in some cultures than they are here in America. Of course, Americans lived that way a century ago. Our fast-paced society doesn’t leave much time for our families or each other. This is where the concept of slow food comes in again. When we take time to enjoy food and fellowship together, something magical happens.
Time to listen and share
A great way for a family to have fun, learn, and love each other is to cook and eat together when possible. Meals do not have to be elaborate, but they can be when time allows — on the weekends or during school breaks. Cooking together as a family, setting the table, practicing table manners, and even lighting a few candles as my grandchildren love to do — these activities make special memories that last a lifetime. It doesn’t even have to be a meal.
When our children were small, we participated in a nightly ritual of a cup of raspberry or other fruit tea (without caffeine) to drink with cookies, fruit and cheese, peanut butter or whatever we could find. My best memories are during the winter when this little party could be held by the fireplace. We would always use a cup and sauce (not mugs), real milk or cream, and sugar cubes (the children loved those, for some reason). Occasionally, we still have a tea party when we are all together at home. These are the times we learn to listen and share ideas as a family — we get to know each other.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
