Practically Speaking: Juggling 5 Areas of Eating Better

Approaching the table and eating well is a big undertaking.  The hours involved gathering supplies, the brain power invested in making solid plans, are challenging.  We all consider these challenges, no matter the number of mouths.

While I often find the process satisfying, it can also feel like the plan that never ends.  There's that nagging feeling knowing I could have done more, or done "better".  At best, I can only juggle three or four of these areas, but it has been a rare, single day--or hour!--when I could juggle them all.  

Give yourself space for this limitation, and take on only what you can do well.  Let me know short cuts that let you invest in these areas. On a normal day, how many areas can you juggle?  When do you reach your limit?  How do you find peace, and let enough be enough?

1. Buying local produce: regularly visiting farmer markets, supporting local business (East TN farmer market directory here); eat seasonally.
2. Buying organic: either some or all of your purchases are organic (economical tips here); remember the "Dirty Dozen".
3. Buying in bulk: grain co-ops, Bulk Herb Store, Vitacost, or splitting warehouse purchases with friends.
4. Grow your own: cheap, but requires sweat investment; takes creative alternative planning for small spaces (think vertical); minimal time investment.
5. Cook from scratch: varying extremes, from making your own ketchup to making your own bread to making your own yogurt; control preservatives, sugar, and food colorings that are in your food.

Living in the Now: Worthy Meal Shortcuts

"If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."  

G. K. Chesterton

 

Eating together as a family, even a single meal a day, has fallen to a rare normal.  A mere 27% of families eating together, only eat, drink, and converse at meal time (listen to Les and Leslie Parrot talk about this sobering pattern).  Eating purposefully, together, and regularly is indeed worth doing, but admittedly, sometimes needs a few shortcuts.  Create space to mealtimes.  Give these a try.  Be realistic.  Suggest a few of your own shortcuts in the comments below:

• Use paper plates.  Try fun colors or paper party plates.  Special touch for sabbath family meals.  Easier for you, you'll also win eager eaters.
• Try frozen entrees.  A reheated lasagna and fresh salad is a cinch to prepare, and is a step above frozen pizza.
• Prepare two, freeze one.  If you go to all the trouble of preparing a meal, save yourself some work by preparing double, and freezing half for a future meal.
• Rotate helpers.  Even middle schoolers can make a pot of mac and cheese and throw in some tuna and veggies for a one pot wonder.  To simplify, assign a specialty meal for each helper to prepare on their meal night.
• KISS.  Keep it Simple, Silly!  Have a regular finger food night that is simple to prepare and fun to eat.  Find a hummus recipe you like.  Dip veggies and bread.  Easy to make ahead and serve in a moment!
• Commit to 15 mealtime minutes.  Be realistic.  An average week night meal need not carry the pressure of a long drawn out ritual.  Focus on sweet and prompt times together.  You will be more likely to connect regularly if you set a reasonable goal.
• Think outside the norm.  Instead of family dinner time, try Saturday morning pancakes or Sunday pizza parties.  Spending a family meal together is most important.

Practically Speaking: Essential Chocolate Cake

Even though I generally have a cake mix in my cabinet (you never know....), I am utterly and completely relieved to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe (Martha Stewart, of course). It works every time, has perfect texture, and is mind-bogglingly delicious. Standard pantry ingredients only. The recipe makes a great layer cake, or is great to layer chunks in parfait glasses with ice cream and strawberries. Heavens.  Pair it with this chocolate frosting (makes a huge batch) and you may never low-carb again.

Practically Speaking: Special Menus

There are a few ideas that will not only save you money, but they will also enable you to give more easily of yourself. Adapting these for your own will create space for you to easily give of yourself--and enjoy doing it:

1. Master a simple repertoire of recipes: main dish, side, dessert.
2. Keep all basic ingredients on hand at all times.

Whether I have company drop in, a home bound friend, or a hankering to fellowship at my own table, it is much easier to be available when I already have a game plan. I'm a pretty simple cook, so I've used several recipes as my "company" recipes, often a hearty soup or easily transportable casserole. Make ahead for yourself to enjoy on those "off" days.

Keep your pantry well-stocked with necessary items. For me, this often means keeping a cake or brownie mix on hand, or making sure to keep my pantry items stocked. Nothing is more stressful than realizing I'm out of sugar--or eggs! A running grocery list on the fridge helps this. Don't be afraid to keep mixes or easy to prepare options on hand (frozen bread, soup mix, etc.), especially if you're comfortable adapting them into an even better recipe.