Bread & Honey
Bread & Honey
A few years ago we "re-met" a middle-aged woman with several young children and in difficult circumstances. She was nearly in tears as she explained to us how poorly they ate, how she desired to prepare wholesome and tasty dishes, and how confused and overwhelmed and helpless she felt. She truly had no idea where to begin or what to do. She voiced her longing to have someone come over to her home and teach her how to cook and keep house.
Since then, my sister and I have a special burden for women in her situation. As the eldest daughters in a large household, we really don't have time to offer ourselves as mother's helpers, but we would still like to reach out to these people. I'd like to put together a kitchen primer that introduces, in a very elementary manner, wholesome cooking. It could be used as a guide for people interested in going into homes and teaching, or by the women themselves.
I would love some input from all of you! I tend to be a very idealistic person, and definitely feel the need for the temperament of reality. In your own transition from junky to healthier diets, what approach did you find best? Our family is one to throw everything out and start fresh. I am thankful that we can be strong-willed in that, but I realize that many people have a more difficult time.
What would you do first? What do you think are realistic first steps in pursuing a healthful diet?
How do you get children to eat and enjoy new foods (without pampering them unnecessarily)?
Also...
Since healthy cooking involves more time in the kitchen.... How can you make the kitchen a beautiful place you'll like to be?
How can you include younger children in the cooking/ serving process?
Thank you in advance for anything you may be able to share with me. If I use any direct quotes, I will be sure to give credit.
Painting: Soup. William Adolphe Bouguereau.
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MRS. ARMSTRONG said...
Wow! I remember feeling like that woman when I first got married, I wanted to cook healthy meals, but I didn’t know where to start. (Growing up, our mom cooked and did everything for us, but unfortunately I got the message that she didn’t really trust us to cook, etc. So when I married I felt so inadequate. I felt like the kitchen was unconquerable.) When I would start to prepare food, I would even hear the voices of my uncles in my head, telling me that my food was bad and burned, like they have said to me in the past. :-(
But enough about my former discouraging kitchen mindset. I realized that I have a new mind in Christ, so this is what I did:
1.Get a pretty apron to “dress up for the occasion.”
2.My husband cut out the sodas and fried foods and didn’t eat after 7 PM.
3.Watch step-by-step cooking videos on YouTube. I had a laptop computer, so I would place it right in front of me on the counter and click “pause” and “play” until I got it, and I did! I also did this with simple recipe books.
4. Hmmm, last but not least, I have one small baby girl so far, and she had a hard time eating her peas, so I just fed her peas until she liked them. :-D I must admit I did put a teeny-tiny dash of salt in her plate for seasoning, and it really helped.
Saturday, January 9, 2012 01:26 AM
HANDMAIDEN said...
Thank you, Mrs. Armstrong, for sharing your insights.
A pretty apron does make me feel so domestic!
Saturday, January 9, 2010 10:03 AM
Friday, August 22, 2008