Recently, we heard a lecturer who spoke about the de-skilling of the Western population. Apparently, we no longer perform tasks that for generations before us were basic to daily life. We cannot build, fix, construct, process, and create as our ancestors did. This is definitely true when it comes to how people eat. These days, there are folks who can barely do more than open a package to heat something up, preferring to order in, carry-out or let someone else do it. Bad idea.
Fact is, you cannot truly wake up to a better way of eating if you insist on limiting your food activities to stuffing your face or, at best, pushing some buttons on the microwave. That goes double for the kids. If we can’t do it, they won’t learn how either. That’s a recipe for dependency… or worse. Like it or not, it’s time to re-learn those skills. Now, before the collective whining reaches a fever pitch, let us just add that this is an essential component of taking responsibility.
We aren’t saying you need to start making homemade bread or cooking all your foods from scratch (though it can’t be beat), but puh-leese, you do need to know how to prepare at least some food items starting from the raw ingredients! We’re happy to take you through the cooking basics elsewhere, and we do so with our recommended “5 Tools to Food” and “Figure it Out” cooking guide, but it doesn’t even have to start with heat.
Start with something easy, even fresh raw veggies.Instead of buying bagged carrots, select a bunch and clean them, cut the tops off and bag ’em yourself. Make a fruit salad. Assemble a dinner platter. Take care to make it look good too. The point? Prepare it yourself. Not only is it easy on the budget, it’s the first needed step on the path to (re)-acquiring the food skills that serve our lives.