Our culture is set up for obesity.
Replies
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It is amazing how many people think that preferring an option to purchase a normal single meal when going out for dinner or lunch = wanting to police restaurants.
That an option of being required to purchase 2-3 dinners at that one seating (one fresh and 2 stale ones to take home) is a far more reasonable alternative to so many posters there than a normal portion size And that if this is not my preferred choice, than there is something wrong with me.
This! I completely agree with you 100% I can't believe how many people are taking this so personally. Also I can't believe how people can't acknowledge that culture does play a factor in the way we go about our lives! Yes in the end you are ultimately responsible for you but the way you were raised and the society you were raised in plays a big role in what decisions you end up making down the line.
I don't see many people taking this personally... but what I do see is a bunch of people making excuses as if what they do isn't at the very least partially their fault and they have no control over what happens to them.
Agreed with the bold part
Because the culture argument goes away when you have people immigrating into North America coming from cultures without this "large size" food issue and still getting obese....that is why I say it doesn't play a part...it's all about personal choices...0 -
You're just now figuring this out? LOL. But, seriously, I completely agree. However, no one is holding a gun to your head to make you clean your plate in a restaurant. I don't eat out a lot so I don't feel too bad treating myself; however, I make sure I run an extra day (or two) that week. And I often order from the "small plates" section or get an appetizer and a salad or a cup of soup. At places known for huge portions, like the Cheesecake Factory, I get an appetizer and that's it. You have to eat with a conscience. But in America, I agree, we are conditioned to think a portion of mac and cheese the size of your head is normal.
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Just so I am clear....because American culture likes to large size everything, cars, boats, buildings, and for this topic food....it absovles people of bad personal choices to eat everything in those large sizes and prevents them from doing exercise???????
K still sounds like a cop out to me...but whatever
Just so you're clear -- you're the one only saying "it absovles people of bad personal choices to eat everything in those large sizes".
It sounds like a cop out, because that attitude is a cop out -- unfortunately, it's also a straw man, because you're the only one saying it.
I am the only one saying that our culture is not setting us up for obesity that it is our own personal choices do that? Interesting...I thought for sure that there were others saying the same thing...my bad.0 -
We came over to the States for our honeymoon in 2001 and I have to say, the portion sizes were unbelievable! We were served up with enough food for a family meal on one plate in some places! I remember breakfast in a restaurant one day, okay lots of fruit on the plate - but to me, the plate it was all served on was a serving dish, not a dinner plate, and it was FULL! We just couldn't eat it.
But the UK follows in US footsteps down so many paths, and sadly, we're seeing increasing levels of obesity here.0 -
It is amazing how many people think that preferring an option to purchase a normal single meal when going out for dinner or lunch = wanting to police restaurants.
That an option of being required to purchase 2-3 dinners at that one seating (one fresh and 2 stale ones to take home) is a far more reasonable alternative to so many posters there than a normal portion size And that if this is not my preferred choice, than there is something wrong with me.
This! I completely agree with you 100% I can't believe how many people are taking this so personally. Also I can't believe how people can't acknowledge that culture does play a factor in the way we go about our lives! Yes in the end you are ultimately responsible for you but the way you were raised and the society you were raised in plays a big role in what decisions you end up making down the line.
I don't see many people taking this personally... but what I do see is a bunch of people making excuses as if what they do isn't at the very least partially their fault and they have no control over what happens to them.
Agreed with the bold part
Because the culture argument goes away when you have people immigrating into North America coming from cultures without this "large size" food issue and still getting obese....that is why I say it doesn't play a part...it's all about personal choices...
That's a pretty great argument against your hypothesis, actually. People from other cultures come to America and get obese. A couple of things could be happening here:
1. There's something about American food itself that is inherently fattening (i.e. they are eating the same as they always have, and getting fat) -- I think we can rule that out.
2. They started to adopt American culture, and that was a factor in them gaining weight, or
3. A person who previously had ironclad willpower and no issues with overeating or lack of exercise, switched into an indolent, slothful fatty absent any external pressures or changes.
The third is pretty hard to believe.0 -
I agree somewhat on both sides...first it it totally my responsibility, and my choices. Society, Culture and lifestyle make it harder to make and stick to good choices (but it is still my responsibility)
example, in the past couple of weeks I have had about 4-5 events/meetings where the meals are included or at restaurant where there really aren't good choices available. I have two more this week. Add this to a busy few weeks with work/family schedule where we are "eating on the go" often which means it's harder to get healthy options. Add to this, my extended family loves "unhealthy" high calorie food, so family gatherings, unless I bring it there is nothing healthy.0 -
I completely agree! I don't think it helps either when your parents tell you 'eat all that's on your plate- don't be rude!'
We do tell our daughter this - at home, and only if she is asking for some dessert and is claiming she's still hungry yet hasn't finished her meal, knowing that she likes the food on her plate. We don't supersize our plates at home, and I put a lot of healthy foods into our meal plan.
Perhaps the better plan would be to cut the dessert size rather than force her to finish the plate. Or switch desserts to fruit.
Here is an interesting article from cnn. I found plenty similar. I see none advocating telling a child to finish their plate.
Pushing kids to eat may cause obesity later – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs
While growing up, many children may have heard "clean your plate" or been denied candy. But how do parental attitudes toward food affect a child's weight?
Denying certain foods to children or pressuring them to eat every bit of a meal are common practices among many parents. But researchers at the University of Minnesota found parents who restricted foods were more likely to have overweight or obese children. And while those who pressured children to eat all of their meals mostly had children of normal weight, it adversely affected the way those children ate as they grew older, according to the study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Investigators combined data from two separate research studies. The first, EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens), studied around 2,800 middle and high school students from public schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Participants in the project responded to survey questionnaires designed to examine dietary intake and weight status.
Researchers combined that data with information from the Project F-EAT (Families and Eating and Activity Among Teens), a study designed to examine factors within the family environment on weight in adolescents.
From the combined information, researchers were able to gain a better understanding of how parents' approach to food and feeding is related to adolescents' weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States - triple the rate from just a generation ago.
“We found that between 50 and 60% of parents from our sample reported requiring that their child eat all of the food on their plate at a meal," said researcher Katie Loth, the study's lead author. "Further, we found that between 30-40% of parents from within our sample reported encouraging their child to continue eating even after their child stated that they were full.
"While these pressure-to-eat behaviors were more frequent among parents of non-overweight adolescents, they were still endorsed quite frequently by parents of overweight and obese adolescents, indicating that many parents endorse these behaviors regardless of their child's current weight status," she said.
Researchers also found dads were more likely than moms to pressure their sons and daughters to eat, and adolescent boys were pressured more than adolescent girls.
“Parental pressure to eat can be detrimental to children because it takes away from a child's ability to respond naturally to their own hunger," said Loth. “Instead, (it) encourages them to respond to cues in their environment which can lead to unhealthy weight gain over time.”
The data also showed that restricting food from kids was a common practice of either parent, in both boys and girls.
“Research has shown that when a parent places a restriction on a particular food item (i.e. no treats) that a child becomes more interested in consuming that food item and will often overeat that food when given the opportunity,” Loth continued. “Instead, parents should be encouraged to allow their children to eat all foods in moderation.”
Investigators believe that parents should keep an eye on their child's weight and make an effort to better understand good eating practices, instead of worrying about whether their kids clean their plates or have a cookie now and then.
Study authors recommended such practices as eating regular family meals, having nutritious snacks at home, choosing healthy foods and encouraging young people to make better food choices as a way to fight weight problems, Loth said.
And most importantly, “parents should also work hard to model healthy eating and a healthy relationship with food to their child" by eating a well-balanced diet, Loth said.0 -
You are missing the bigger picture but you are not alone since it seems many other people are as well. Funny about all of you preaching personal responsibility but there is something called cultural or social responsibility and so many people want to cop out on that, either out of laziness, selfishness or sheer ignorance.Just so I am clear....because American culture likes to large size everything, cars, boats, buildings, and for this topic food....it absovles people of bad personal choices to eat everything in those large sizes and prevents them from doing exercise???????
K still sounds like a cop out to me...but whatever
How is accepting responsibility for my own choices ignoring cultural or social responsibilities???? How is that selfish? or ignorant?
Trust me I see the bigger picutre which is the epidemic of obesity in North America and all over the world due to lack of exercise, good eating practices and lack of education and all the quick fixes and fad diets out there...and trust me I don't ignore my own responsibility to society when it comes to this, I have raised my son to eat to live..not live to eat and have by lead by example by exercising, eating healthy, choosing wisely not just with him but my entire family and network of friends which has in turn changed the way a lot of them live their life and in turn their friends see it as well..0 -
Something interesting to me. My DD is obese. But when she goes out to eat, she eats only till she is satisfied and stops....she NEVER finishes all her food. I end up taking it home and making another meal of it. I was always told that thin people eat till they are satisfied and stop. If that is so, my DD should be thin....but she isn't.0
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Size matters for some reason in America. Bigger cars, bigger houses, and of course bigger portions. But it does come down to the consumer. They'll opt for bigger portions rather than better quality. Not that I'm against fast food, but they don't cater to people for health. They cater to them for profit.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
All I know... and this may be my post 3pm slump talking too... but all this talk about resturants and huge *kitten* portion sizes is making me want a freaking huge chicken fried steak (of which I will only eat about 1/3) smothered in white gravy with a side of fries....
Thankfully, I don't have any money at the moment to eat out...0 -
I am the only one saying that our culture is not setting us up for obesity that it is our own personal choices do that? Interesting...I thought for sure that there were others saying the same thing...my bad.
I have to assume that you can't read. That's seriously the only way you could have gotten that out of my post.
Welcome to the lowest common denomenator...personal attacks...calling someone illiterate is right up there with saying the argument doesn't matter because they are in their 20's. It just makes you look petty.
And with that I will bid you adieu, au revior and salut because I have a workout to do and food to log and an evening to enjoy without dealing with the likes of you.
PS I still say "Why it's not your fault you are fat" would be a best seller...0 -
All I know... and this may be my post 3pm slump talking too... but all this talk about resturants and huge *kitten* portion sizes is making me want a freaking huge chicken fried steak (of which I will only eat about 1/3) smothered in white gravy with a side of fries....
Thankfully, I don't have any money at the moment to eat out...
I'm wanting a giant pasta platter myself, with tiny chunks of crawdad and garlic bread on the side. I'm even willing to divide the serving in half and bring a delicious, jealousy inducing portion to work for lunch tomorrow.
Sadly
no such dish is currently available in my town, and I don't care to go crawdad fishing after work. Kinda glad the Southern-style restaurant went out of business, they were the one place with food on the menu I can't make yet. 0 -
I don't know how to drive..and I walk everywhere including the burbs.
My mother went from 250 to 125 lbs, working a nightshift fulltime, keeping an immaculate house and making our clothes. How: She cut out sugar, fat, marched around our basement swinging free weights increasing the number of times she went around each week..... and she cooked in bulk on Sunday mornings, freezing the meals for the week.
She wanted it badly enough to find a way to make it work. I think that has been the key for me...it may be the culture's "fault" that I've struggled, but it my responsibliity to find my way if I want it bad enough.
This is fantastic that sheer will worked for you and your mom.
You are both amazing persons! Could I shower any more praise than this?
My argument is simple: most people aren't as amazing :-)
And, I would disagree:
. Most people are amazing.
I'm going to bet that every single person here has done something which someone else would find astonishing.
"If you think you can or you think, you can't-- you will." Henry Ford.
Oh, BTW, I believe that showering praise on me would count as a cardiovascular exercise.....
:happy: 0 -
Even original portions are big! One slice of my homemade pizza is between 270-350 calories.0 -
Welcome to the lowest common denomenator...personal attacks...calling someone illiterate is right up there with saying the argument doesn't matter because they are in their 20's. It just makes you look petty.
It's not a personal attack. Plenty of lovely people have poor reading comprehension skills.
What I wrote was quite clear. You should go back and reread it.0 -
Even original portions are big! One slice of my homemade pizza is between 270-350 calories.
Err -- I think the picture has two slices at 500 calories.
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Not going to read:
Assumed cliffs:
>People who don't know how to cook complaining they're getting fat
-because culture is forcing you eat everything? lul
>People who do know how to cook, calling them out
More like:
1. Post that states America has a cultural problem that contributes to our propensity towards obesity.
2. A bunch of people post straw man comments about "restaurants didn't make you fat, your lack of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY did"
3. Repeat number 2 enough, the straw man is accepted as the original argument.
4. Continue talking past one another, such that what could have been an interesting discussion ends up devolving into an entire basketload of stupid.
Pretty much. Also a side argument with massive re-quoting about how long it takes to cook food under random parameters. And one person who is very confused about cultures. But definitely the most common input to this thread is attacking the straw man.0 -
This article is fairly long, but a good read. Im interested in what people think of it. It sounds a little condescending, but I can also see where she's coming from (a frustrated and discouraged surgeon's point of view).
http://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2013/march/1361848247/karen-hitchcock/fat-city
An excerpt:
The doctors I work with have an excellent grasp of the bio-psycho-social factors that contribute to our patients’ states, but we are only doctors. All we have are the tools of our trade: our ears, our voices, our hands, our pills and our scalpels. The waiting rooms are full, the waiting lists are long, the demand is swelling. Obesity is in many ways the logical endpoint of the way we live. Prevention beats palliation, but we’d need psychologists, motivational speakers, social workers, dieticians and physiotherapists to work with us in order to have any hope of tackling the problem. We’d need policy makers and activists. All we have are doctors like me.
Ostensibly cheap food heavily taxes both the individual and the community in terms of disease and redirected health resources. If longevity and the avoidance of disease remain among humanity’s aims, we should try to prevent ourselves from getting very fat. Forget obesity as a disease; it’s a ruse. For whatever reason, the majority of the population can no longer say I have had enough. For whatever reason, the majority of human beings respond to advertisements inviting them to enter a pleasure state by eating a day’s worth of calories in one sitting, again and again. In the face of this, we are stuffed. We could say, “You are free agents, totally free, so pay for your own consequences.” We could make people pay at the point of choice, via a food tax, or we could limit choice. The other option, always unspoken, is: let us have our cake. Let’s just eat and eat, get fatter and fatter, and work out how best to live with it. This is where we are heading now: fatness, outside of morality, as an accepted consequence of the world as we have made it.0 -
I know from many people who visit the states they are always surprised by the size of our meals.
It's a shame it has to be an all or nothing thing with humans we can go back to subsistence farming and suffer high mortality and starvation or we can offer cheap food and feed the poor but have an obesity epidemic.
Food such a necessary evil.0 -
This article is fairly long, but a good read. Im interested in what people think of it. It sounds a little condescending, but I can also see where she's coming from (a frustrated and discouraged surgeon's point of view).
http://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2013/march/1361848247/karen-hitchcock/fat-city
An excerpt:
The doctors I work with have an excellent grasp of the bio-psycho-social factors that contribute to our patients’ states, but we are only doctors. All we have are the tools of our trade: our ears, our voices, our hands, our pills and our scalpels. The waiting rooms are full, the waiting lists are long, the demand is swelling. Obesity is in many ways the logical endpoint of the way we live. Prevention beats palliation, but we’d need psychologists, motivational speakers, social workers, dieticians and physiotherapists to work with us in order to have any hope of tackling the problem. We’d need policy makers and activists. All we have are doctors like me.
Ostensibly cheap food heavily taxes both the individual and the community in terms of disease and redirected health resources. If longevity and the avoidance of disease remain among humanity’s aims, we should try to prevent ourselves from getting very fat. Forget obesity as a disease; it’s a ruse. For whatever reason, the majority of the population can no longer say I have had enough. For whatever reason, the majority of human beings respond to advertisements inviting them to enter a pleasure state by eating a day’s worth of calories in one sitting, again and again. In the face of this, we are stuffed. We could say, “You are free agents, totally free, so pay for your own consequences.” We could make people pay at the point of choice, via a food tax, or we could limit choice. The other option, always unspoken, is: let us have our cake. Let’s just eat and eat, get fatter and fatter, and work out how best to live with it. This is where we are heading now: fatness, outside of morality, as an accepted consequence of the world as we have made it.
This is pretty heavyhanded...but I think that what she's saying is:
Whatever the reason, whatever the cause, the solution has to come from you.
Whatever I hope healthcare will do in future is to say: "We are here to help you find those solutions because we realize how much work this takes."0 -
Yes indeed portion control in US is excessive. I found if i "portion" out what I want to eat right away before I start, I find it easier to control what I eat. Sometimes I only eat a third or fourth of what is served. The only real "problem" is that i usually don't want to pack up what I did not eat. Sometimes the "servers" seem to get terribly offended when I don't want to pack up the leftovers. For restaurants that server massive portions, the food really isn't that inspiring to want to eat again. Also when travelling it is just inconvenient and i am forced to go back to hotel to store it. The same at home i guess... It is difficult to go on with your evening when you have to carry the leftovers with you.
The good news is I see things are changing. A number of local "non-chain" restaurants are starting to serve "right size" meals. Also recently I have gone to a few restaurants in the NW ( Portland , Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area ) that have most delicious "small plates" options.
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I'm still making my way through the comments, but here's my two cents.
Are portion sizes out of control at a lot of restaurants? Yup.
Are a lot of meals at restaurants insanely unhealthy? Yup.
Do people have control over how much they eat? Yup.
Do people have the choice to not eat out? Yup.
My point is, I think both culture and individual choices both play a role. Almost all of the comments I've read so far are trying to make this a black and white issue, and you simply can't do that with this topic.
I think North America has leaned towards quick/cheap, and mostly unhealthy, meal choices for a while. The second post on this thread even highlighted how much larger portion sizes have become. Every day we are inundated by ads that depict huge burgers, "value" meals, etc. People see that stuff and it sticks in their mind- so when they're in a bind, is their first thought always "Hmm, maybe I should go pick up a quick salad from the store?" Usually, no. What comes to mind for many people is the most recent fast food/restaurant advertisement they saw.
Thankfully, I believe our country is starting to move away from that mindset. I've noticed that our country, as a whole, is becoming more aware of the importance of eating right/exercising. There seems to be a trend of "Fit is the new skinny", there are more restaurants making healthy-ish items available, etc.
As for everyone preaching the "Just don't eat out!", "Take 1/2 a day to prep your weekly meals!", etc arguments that's not always realistic (please note that I recognize there are many reasonable options being mentioned as well). We don't know what happens in the life of every other poster here. For some people it's totally possible to make all the right choices, eat left overs instead of eating everything at once, spend time doing weekly prep, etc but for some it may NOT be possible. Who are we to judge and argue 'til we're blue in the face "Yes you CAN do it simply because *I* can!". It's pointless. With that being said, I do 100% believe individuals need to take responsibility. The reality is we know what to expect at restaurants and fast food chains. It's very likely that as adults, we're going to slip up now and again and overeat, etc. If it happens, move on, and try to make changes in your life so it doesn't happen as often.
I think it would be great if at some point in the future businesses began to recognize the needs/desires of those who would like smaller, healthier portions. Do I think it's going to happen overnight? Surely not. But people who do desire that change are customers too- why shouldn't their needs be catered to in some capacity, just like they cater to the "big portions" crowd?
I hope all of that made sense. :flowerforyou:0 -
SIGH. how can I explain to a man with abs like this that leaving food in a vacation/food mecca like N.O. would be next to impossible for someone who grew up like me? It's easier on a 'resort' type vacation if you have a kitchenette..and can reheat for lunch.... but OH THE GLORY OF THAT FOOD THERE...you couldn't just LEAVE it! it would be sinful.. then again.. on vacation... just go for it!!! and walk a little more... or something.... indulging that infrequently won't hurtOn my recent trip to New Orleans, when I asked for people's recommendations for restaurants, I would get same comment from more than one person -- people rave about restaurants, because the portions are "MASSIVE". I felt that it would be a waste of time to explain to them that "massive" is not necessarily what I am looking for in a meal.
You don't have to eat all of it.0 -
SIGH. how can I explain to a man with abs like this that leaving food in a vacation/food mecca like N.O. would be next to impossible for someone who grew up like me? It's easier on a 'resort' type vacation if you have a kitchenette..and can reheat for lunch.... but OH THE GLORY OF THAT FOOD THERE...you couldn't just LEAVE it! it would be sinful.. then again.. on vacation... just go for it!!! and walk a little more... or something.... indulging that infrequently won't hurtOn my recent trip to New Orleans, when I asked for people's recommendations for restaurants, I would get same comment from more than one person -- people rave about restaurants, because the portions are "MASSIVE". I felt that it would be a waste of time to explain to them that "massive" is not necessarily what I am looking for in a meal.
You don't have to eat all of it.
Puhleaze...if I've said it once, I've said it 100 times. Calories do not count in New Orleans people. You get a huge pass to eat carte blanche...and do whatever else. 0 -
A problem -- I avoid saying "the" problem since it's clearly multifaceted-- is that food has become entertainment. We see pudgy people on television trying to describe to the camera just how good that fat-laden, grilled-into-absurdity dish they're stuffing into their mouth is. They get looks on their face that, in a different context, would make you send the kids out of the room. They reach for words, and yet fail to find them, in an effort to convince you that words just don't exist to describe how good it is. They create the desire to get some of that yourself-- or, if the same thing isn't possible, the nearest substitute you can find.
It happens in the family kitchen as well. Kids that pout and whine because they didn't get just the right vegetable with their dinner are told they only have to eat a tiny, token amount of what they did get. Even if they do get the right one they would only eat a small amount more. After all, vegetables are just the price you pay for the real food, right? Favorite foods are prepared far too often. Treats, therefore, become the norm and lose their value as treats. They are the new baseline, and things that are merely nourishing become completely unacceptable. The family starts to rotate among a small number of ill-nourishing meals just to avoid conflict.
Food should be nourishing above all. Treats should be just that-- a treat, a reward, and should be infrequent. Vegetables and similarly nutrient-dense food should comprise the majority of a meal. And, above all, we need to stop using food as entertainment. Everyone-- we, the children we raise, and those that ask us how we lost all that weight-- need better ways to relax than food. It's pretty horrific that a kid's food expectation baseline is such that if they don't have a calorie-dense treat as every meal they become completely unhinged. Maybe they need a very bland (to them) but nutrient-rich diet for a while to reset their baselines. Maybe we are just going to have to accept some freakouts as we discipline them away from the bad habits we've taught them.
I know I shouldn't be so inclusive in my language. I'm certain that many parents here have taught their children good habits. I mean only to address the ills of society in general, and I'm very happy to see string exceptions to the pattern.0 -
In regards to making kids eat everything on their plat make them fat.....not in our case,
We required my 5 kids to eat what we put on their plate....but it was small, seriously two bites of each item, then they were allowed to have more of whatever they wanted. We did not want "picky" kids, complaining kids, they are all adults now, not a single one is obese, or fat.
conversely, I know someone who was not forced to finish her food, she ate only what she wanted....she is now very, very overweight.
It's about portion size and what your eating. It's not healthy to eat the child eat only the corn served and nothing else, or not eat then go for a snack....0 -
Just this weekend i was told how "rude" I was that I didn't eat with everyone else. I had already eaten and was joining them JUST to see them... I felt bad and started to eat some of the pizza, about 1/2 down with a slice, I ACTUALLY had to go throw up... my stomach hurt so bad from the high fat, high calories, and the fact that people make you feel bad for actually watching your weight... it is amazing. I told my boyfriend, next time I just wont' join him and his friends because they are all HUGE and although I am thinner, I want to stay that way.
And I think them saying that to you is rude. I've often gone out just to join people and only had a drink or dessert. People shouldn't selfishly force their habits on others.0 -
In regards to making kids eat everything on their plat make them fat.....not in our case,
We required my 5 kids to eat what we put on their plate....but it was small, seriously two bites of each item, then they were allowed to have more of whatever they wanted. We did not want "picky" kids, complaining kids, they are all adults now, not a single one is obese, or fat.
conversely, I know someone who was not forced to finish her food, she ate only what she wanted....she is now very, very overweight.
It's about portion size and what your eating. It's not healthy to eat the child eat only the corn served and nothing else, or not eat then go for a snack....
I do this with my kids also. You can have 2nds if you finish the veggies or what have you. You don't get to eat 3 pieces of garlic bread and leave the salmon and the salad lol. A friend of mine lets her kid eat cookies and crackers and granola bars all day "snacking" and then come dinner she leaves the more nutritious stuff. OF COURSE kids are going to choose what tastes good. Before you know if, you have a kid who will ONLY eat chips and sweets. A kid isn't going to starve if they miss a couple of meals but their growing bodies need nutrition not just full bellies. Let them miss a meal and I guarantee you they'll take down those eggs and berries the next morning :P0 -
anything BUT cooking appealing, nutritious and economic meals for the entire family (which by the way, takes A LOT of time usually).
If that takes "A LOT of time," it's being done wrong.
BS.
Even the simplest meals can take a significant amount of time...between taking out containers, peeling or preparing the fresh food, and cleaning up, putting dishes away, etc. Do remember I also assume you cook economically. For example I never buy chicken breasts because I want them organic and organic chicken breasts are expensive as H.
So I buy whole organic chickens that come out less expensive, and I butcher them myself.
I can assure you that takes a significant chunk of time - just to get the meat ready for cooking.
Jumping in before I read the entire thread but...
Umm....it takes about 3 minutes for me to break down a chicken and I'm no chef. I get my food from a farm share, so I'm working almost exclusively from whole foods, and I have plenty of time to cook. Cooking from ingredients really isn't as hard as you frequently like to say.0
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