Tips from Mom

So today in Media and Family class, we talked about advertising and obesity. This class makes me think a lot about how I was raised and how I do or do not contribute to statistics like the ones about child hood obesity. Something that really stuck out to me was the comment someone made about food stamps and how most of them are spent on TV dinners and junk food. We briefly discussed how so many people don't have alternatives because they don't have the education on how to make healthy meals. It seems so basic and simple to me how to make food but that is because I have a wonderful mother who has taught me so much more than I realize. My mom major in home economics from BYU years ago. And she went on to teach home ec. at Lehi High School. Now she is just a home maker but she does a great job at it. My mom is great at providing my family with food that is not only nutritious and natural, but it is affordable. I wouldn't really say my family is poor, we are blessed more than many, but I know there has been a distinct financial pressure on my family for the past decade. I'm probably more aware of it than any of my siblings, because, as the oldest daughter, I pay attention to the mechanics of running a household. I am just overwhelmed with gratitude for the way I was raised and all the blessings I have because of my mom's desire to educate and nourish my family. Among other luxuries, I didn't have TV as a kid. We watched movies all the time, but the only time I really saw commercials and ads was when I went to my grandma's or a friends. I honestly do believe that this was one of the best things my parents could have done for my family. No TV was probably just part of a financial factor. If my parents had plenty of money, I think they maybe would have spent it on cable. But i'm so glad they didn't. Honestly, half the time, I thought that all little boys and girls lived like I did. I thought they all ate oatmeal for breakfast and had rice and fresh beans and granola and wheat bread. If I had watched more T.V. and seen more commercials for food and sugary cereal, I probably wouldn't have been so willing to eat the healthy things my mom fed to me. I do remember always wanting to try TV dinners and hot pockets and pop tarts, because (lets face it) I did get exposure to ads for those products. But now that I am an adult, and I can go and buy what ever I want and eat anything I want, I am so grateful that healthy habits were taught to me and I was educated about how to cook for myself and what a balanced meal is. I honestly can't go and buy sugary cereal. I have the power and maybe a little bit of the desire, but I just won't do it. Its almost like I feel guilty, like I know better and want to be smarter than that. And honestly, to me, it doesn't taste that good. So thank you mom. For shaping my life as an educated consumer and for helping me prepare for taking care of my own family.

Some basic things I learned from mom and I use in my own kitchen:

• You don't need a recipe book as long as you have kitchen basics. You can throw anything together if you have some milk, chicken or beef in the freezer, a fresh onion or cloves of garlic, and potatoes or rice handy.
• Spinach can be used so many different ways and is good with lots of things especially pasta and stir fry. 
• if dinner is behind schedule, but you want to make it seem like you are working on it and its going to be great, throw some fresh garlic and butter in a skillet before your hubby walks in the door. Works for dinner guests too
• Teriyakki sauce is as simple as garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger
• left over orange peels? down the disposal. chop half an orange and put in a pan of water and a cinnamon stick. Will make a room smell heavenly. 
• frozen peas, a boiled cut carrot and an onion tossed with your ramen makes it a great soup. Add some chicken and then its chicken noodle soup. 
• Beef stroganoff is just browned ground beef and an onion/seasonings, with a can of cream of mushroom soup over pasta rice or potatoes. 
• fresh zuchinni and garlic sauteed with butter makes the simplest side dish to any meal. 
• Bell peppers are great both cooked and cold
• If you have all the different colors of the rainbow, you will have a broader variety of nutrients and vitamins.