Food Then and Now: Part 2

Welcome to part two of our series! If you didn’t catch our first post, read part one now!

This series is focusing on the lifestyle changes that have affected how we eat. Many people ask: has our culture and corresponding lifestyles changed that much over the past 40 years? The simple answer is yes.

We’re here to share with you a few of those lifestyle changes.

The first major change was that we now value inactivity.

Let’s take a look at another major change:

We don’t eat at home: We need to consider where we choose to eat today versus in the past. In the mid-1900s, families ate home-cooked meals around the dinner table. Going out to eat was a special treat! Today our culture is based on convenience and instant gratification, and this includes our food choices. More time is spent out of the home, at the office, sporting events, or other locations, which decreases the amount of time we have available to cook meals in the home. Cooking has become a burden for most individuals who arrive home exhausted from a long day facing the ravenous family that wants food “now”!  These types of too-common familial situations have led to the increase in fast food consumption and dining-out in restaurants. Eating out is easy, fast, and cheap (at least that’s what we are meant to believe). 

Unfortunately we’re not getting any less busy, but that doesn’t mean we need to resort to fast food and dining out. Here are a few tips to help you find your way back to the home dining table (and will save some money).

1. Meal plan. Take a weekend afternoon to plan out your dinners and grocery list and prep as much as you can on the weekend to save time during the week. Crockpot meals are great for making ahead and are ready when you get home!
2. Think Leftovers. Cook larger portions so that you can have leftovers for lunch or a later dinner during the week.
3. Take turns. Encourage your family members to get involved with meal planning AND cooking. This teaches them great lifestyle habits and gives you a couple days off from cooking.

Don’t forget to follow our blog for part three and to learn more healthy tips!