Tips For Wiser Eating At Home
Nearly two-thirds of adult Americans are obese. People are considered overweight when their BMI goes over 25. To put it into perspective: if you are 5 feet 5” tall and weigh 150 pounds, you are overweight, and once you hit 180 pounds you are obese.
Obesity means higher rates of diabetes, some cancers, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from war, obesity is the greatest reason for children dying before their parents. If we want healthy bodies, we need to think about how we fuel them and the raw materials we need to do so: real, locally produced; chemical, hormone and antibiotic free.
Medical complications of Obesity
Image/CDC
The answer to that question is multi-faceted, but socio-economic factors have transpired to create a culture where Americans now spend more money on eating out at restaurants and bars, than eating in at home. We spent $54.857 billion eating out in 2015 in comparison with $52.503 billion spent on groceries: the first time in US history that the figures have been this way round.
One way to counteract this epidemic and reverse this worrying trend is to eat at home more, and only eat out for special occasions. Here are some tips to help you eat wiser at home:
Go through your cupboards
Look at the ingredients in your cupboard. Make sure you have the pantry staples such as pasta, rice, flour, etc. However, ensure they are healthy equivalents – for example, brown rice instead of white rice. Anything with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats or sugar needs to be put in the trash. Replace with fresh, locally produced items. When food shopping, always look at the labels.
Reinstate family dinner time
Set a mealtime and be firm that everybody in your family needs to attend. By turning mealtime into an occasion to reconnect, it will be the most important aspect of the meal – no TV, no devices – set the table properly, and set the scene for meals to be a ritual to engage, empathize and enjoy. Children learn so much from meal times: to listen, to talk, and to try new foods.
Cook together
Preparing and cooking food does not have to be the domain of one person. The whole family can help. You need to think of new and exciting ways to involve everyone, for example, consider an outdoor wood burning pizza ovens from Fontana Forni. Not only does this encourage you to be outside, but it provides a healthy way to cook.
The high heat of the oven ensures that foods are cooked quickly, and the vitamins and nutrients are not leached out over a prolonged cooking process. You are also able to grill foods which cause the fats to drip out rather than stay in the tray. You can also easily make pizza dough using your new healthier ingredients, while knowing exactly what is in them. Use the opportunity to show off your new oven as a reason for a party.
Invest in food
Yes, that’s right, invest in food: think quality over quantity. Your food should nourish you, rather than just fill you. If you are paying more dollars for your food, you are more than likely getting better quality produce. Think of it as a long term saving plan for your and your family’s future – you are not spending money in restaurants, and nor are you spending money in medical fees.
Author: Carol Trehearn
