mealtime Archives - Impressions

We talk a lot about eating well and wanting to cook but so often this does not happen consistently, we are all busy. This week as I start to bring my New Year, New You series to a close I ask you to think why you cook or why you want to cook more and what food really means to you. I know it’s a getting a touch deep but really even if you are buying all the best food and fining the quickest easiest recipes only gets you part of the benefits. You have to share the meal, eating in community.

You see I write this because so many people come to me struggling to eat well wanting to find solutions to get quality meals on their tables but they often suffer from being over-scheduled and stressed trying to “fit it all in”. This creates anxiety in all areas of life, affects mental focus, physical health of our bodies and emotional health of our relationships. We want to feel better, and for our families to be happy and healthy and you can create that all though food. Sadly it seems, we are all generally too “busy”. Americans today see cooking as more of a chore something that we don’t have the luxury of time to do.

I am so deeply passionate about food bringing friends and family together around it because it is not only good to nourish our bodies. We also gain so many benefits from cooking and sharing a meal with others. If we take the time and make a commitment to honor food and cooking the way we honor other tasks we all might just be a little happier, healthier and better off long term. It is not just about eating food – it’s about creating and sharing a meal together. This is where you get the most benefits from cooking.

Here are just a few of the benefits you receive when cooking and eating together:

Developing cooking skills makes mealtime easier for everyone.
Kids are more likely to eat what they help prepare.
Save money: meals purchased away from home cost two to four times more than meals prepared at home.
Consume fewer calories.
Create a sense of belonging. In a Columbia University study 71% of teenagers said they consider talking, catching-up, and spending time with family members as the best part of family dinners.
Eat more vegetables and choose healthier options.
Eventually as kids are older they can help cook full parts of a meal getting it on the table faster.
Less likely to be overweight.
Consume less sweets and stay fuller longer.
Kids do better at school. Teens who eat dinner four or more times with parents have higher academic performance than those who eat dinner two or less times per week.
Boost self-esteem.
Create strong relationship bonds.
Boost communication skills.
Create a sense of self-worth and a necessary skill of being self- sufficient.
Develop social skills.
Expand knowledge of food, and the world around us.
Improved mental health.
Overall happier and less stressed

You see we all say we want change but the question is, are you willing to make the commitment to change? The opportunity is right in front of us. It can be achieved. Perhaps seeing eating together not as another appointment on a busy schedule, but rather as an opportunity to de-stress, a chance to catch up with those whom we love then, could help our children do better at school, be less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, get everyone in better shape, and be happier, less stressed individuals. I think we could all benefit from more home cooked meals.

If you need help with practical cooking solutions for busy days let me know. I am here for you. Stay in touch for next week for tips on how to get the entire family involved in creating family meals.

Did you miss an earlier post?

Here are the earlier New Year, New You Topics:

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail
Lose Weight by Eating More
Cut Your Grocery Bill Without Cutting Coupons
How Cooking Makes You Smarter
Pantry Makeover

Sources:

You can do this!

Don’t be afraid to buy a whole bird. Once you learn how easy it is to cut up a whole chicken on your own you will love saving extra money and creating delicious healthy meals. On average a whole chicken will cost about $1.45 per pound while boneless breasts cost about $3.45 per pound. That’s a $2 per pound savings! When you know simple ways to use all the parts of a chicken you can create a variety of tasty meals and have homemade chicken broth as an added FREE Bonus.

Here is a simple guide to How to Cut a Whole Chicken. Want to learn how to do this in person? Join me at one of the upcoming classes.

(my husband Joey and his first attempt at “cutting” a chicken)

Having a baby at home definitely changes how we do mealtime at our house. Even though it looks a little different, we are still committed to creating consistent family mealtime to experience all the benefits. We rely a lot on make-ahead meals. Also my husband Joey has been helping with a little bit of cooking, which has led to some interesting experiences like me realizing he has never cut up a whole chicken before. As I was holding the baby and guiding him he said, “I don’t need a knife” as he ripped the meat from the bones with his hands. Yes, his technique did work but there are other ways to approach a chicken then ripping it’s joints apart like a caveman.

I think learning how to cut up a chicken is one of the most essential skills as it can also save you a lot of money while producing a variety of flavorful meals, even putting the bones to use to make homemade chicken broth. Don’t be scared: cutting up a chicken is easier than you think! It takes a little practice but once you understand how to do it and find the joints it’s the same process every time. The key is not to force it. When you find the joint, the knife will easily cut through; if it is difficult – you are hitting bone and need to move the knife slightly to find the sweet spot. Check here for simple instruction on how to cut a chicken. For more help or to learn this skill hands-on join one of our classes.

How to Cut a Chicken

Remove the Wings:

Lay the bird on its back. Wiggle a wing to determine where the joint attaches to the breast. To separate the wing from the breast, use a sharp knife. Cut through the joint where it meets the breast. Repeat with the other wing.

Remove the Legs:

Pull a leg away from the body cutting through the skin to see where it attaches. To remove the whole leg, feel where the join is, you may want to pop it forward for easy access. Cut through the joint between the thigh and the breast. Repeat with the other leg.

Divide the Leg:

To get a drumstick and a thigh, place each led skin-side down. Flex and feel to see where the ball joint between the drumstick and the thigh is located. Look for the thin line of fat that is perpendicular to the body. Cut through the line of fat to separate the thigh and the drumstick, wiggling the joint as needed to determine where it is and repeat with the other leg.

Remove the Breasts:

Using your sharp knife starting at the top of the neck cut along the side of the breastbone. Carefully trim the meat away from the bone following the natural curve of the rib cage. For more stability use kitchen shears to cut through the rib cage first making a more flat surface to work with. Repeat with the other side. (The wishbone is located near the top of the neck at the thick part of the breast. Remove this piece to prevent the choking hazard. Save bones to make chicken stock.

mealtime

Food Feeds More Than The Stomach

Here are just a few of the benefits you receive when cooking and eating together:

Did you miss an earlier post?

How to Cut a Chicken

You can do this!

How to Cut a Chicken