This is Marc and Tim. They are my two boys. While they definitely can test my resolve to be a patient mom, most often they are an absolute delight, both individually and when they are together. And when I say ‘together’ I am referring to how they spend most of their free time...it is together, by choice.
Because they do work and play well together, I thought that maybe they could try to complete a high school course elective together to eliminate some of my work load. We decided on ‘Discovering Nutrition’ which I thought the boys had mentioned was ‘sort of a culinary class.’ This sounded perfect for them because they like to eat and they like to make what they eat.
It wasn’t more than two weeks into the textbook that I realized that this was probably going to be one of the most boring educational endeavors that they were ever going to experience. There were some valid learning pieces in the class, but for the most part, the textbook content was uninspiring. We would have to either drop the class or enhance the material.
Which is how I got the idea to blend their need for excitement in their class with a simmering passion of my own.
Over the past year I have been noticing with increasing interest the ongoing discussion about how to get kids to make healthier food choices, and in particular, how to encourage them to consume more fruits and vegetables.. Many people working in related produce industry fields are making significant contributions in a variety of ways to help kids choose healthy and fresh foods.
My family of six does not struggle in this area. Not only do we eat a lot of fruits and vegetables in a variety of ways, we all seem to enjoy the preparation and presentation of these healthy dishes.
So as I have been reading articles and listening to discussions about getting kids to eat produce, I have been sort of waiting for the conversation to turn to some of the benefits that are beyond the nutritional aspects of consuming produce. In other words, it seems like there are some missing parts of this discussion.
Families struggle with many kinds of issues. Not only are parents (or any other person responsible for or participating in raising children) concerned about the physical health of their kids, but they see, and ultimately feel, the effects of weak social and emotional connections. But while we can go to a store and purchase food that will improve physical health, it is much more challenging to do something that will strengthen and build mental and emotional health.
I am not an expert in food nutrition, child rearing, or social/behavioral sciences. And for sure, I will not be a finalist in Throwdown with Bobby Flay. But I have children, I taught school for a number of years, and I have friends that have kids, so while I may not be an ‘expert,’ I have observed, experienced and experimented with different ways to try make a kid healthy in all aspects of his or her life. And I love spending time with my family planning, making and eating food.
And this brings me, finally, to my point. Giving our kids opportunities to create edible things in the kitchen is one significant way of making them strong and healthy in many ways while at the same time teaching them how to make healthy choices throughout their entire life.
Working together in the kitchen, all sorts of questions and decisions are topics of discussion. How long should we saute to get ‘caramelized’ onions, or is this marinara sauce ‘thickened’ enough to go to the next step, or should we use kale or spinach in our minestrone this week.
But wedged between those questions are opportunities to learn and talk about things that are on their minds, good and bad. And there around the island, over the stove, at the sink, we are building things into our relationships without even thinking about it. Trust, accountability, honesty, all virtues and values that I want my kids to see in me and that I want to develop in them.
In the kitchen, we are there, together. Stuff just gets talked out, worked out, planned out, whatever needs to happen. And I am part of it! I truly believe that there are other families that would love to have these experiences together too.. It is not always easy, or simple. Many healthy choices are not, especially when they involve change. But it is definitely doable and so worth it!
So now, off my soapbox. I have no idea where this little project will take us, but I am looking forward to it. My hope is that what we learn, say and do here in this little educational endeavor will not only mean something to my kids, but maybe, just maybe, other families can explore and experience that value of cooking healthy food together.
The goals are to spend time thinking about nutrition, to try new foods or new ways to make ‘old’ food favorites, and to write about it so that we can document our ‘discoveries.’ I told the boys that I wanted them to try some new fruits and vegetables in the recipes that they chose, and to try to use recipes from produce company websites. Of course I also mentioned the other normal stuff like no sword fights with skewers and knives, don’t burn the kitchen down, and clean up your mess as best as you can.
So the boys ‘Roast The Prize’ blog has officially begun. Another time we will talk about how we came up with the name, but I will give you a hint...it has something to do with diligence.
Bon Appetite!
I asked them to choose some 6 packs
for a few pots….always a discussion...and
not a quick process…
...and I love being with them…
Recipes and other interesting things to know about food and cooking and nutrition….
And don’t forget to search for brands and labels or your favorite fruits and vegetables. Many of them post recipes for ideas on how to cook and eat their fresh products. Enjoy!
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