i give chef sandra lee a considerable amount of credit for showing people how they can cook more health-conscious home-made meals that aren’t made of completely home-made ingredients. i would actually consider my cooking style to be ‘nearly‘ home-made, based on what she considers ‘semi‘ home-made. i have a few of her cookbooks and regularly consult her website. i am excited that people are getting back in their kitchens and cooking for their family instead of grabbing a bag full of food from the closest drive-through.
the epidemic of childhood obesity deeply concerns me. working at a school and seeing what is served daily is scary. our cooks make nice meals, but there is absolutely zero color deviation from orange-ish yellow. anyone that knows anything about nutrition knows that a plate that looks like a rainbow is best. but i also recognize that carbohydrates and corn bi-products are more cost-effective for families and schools. it is so sad that eating healthy comes at such an expense, but the cost of not eating healthy is far greater. dare i say - food for thought the next time you (or i) pull out the good ol’ mac and cheese and hot dogs...
what difference does using whole foods make, you ask? i think a considerable amount of difference. i can create as delicious a marinade as any popular company out of the similar ingredients, but instead of adding preservatives and chemicals to maintain a shelf-life, mine have the same or better flavors because they are made fresh. i can create an excellent white sauce without the additional calories of popular jarred versions. i can add in hidden ingredients so my family gets vegetables without even knowing it. i know that i can safely add seasonings like salt, pepper, etc. because they haven’t been previously added to the foods. i know exactly where my meat is coming from because i know the people that raise it. these are the things i have the freedom to do when i know what is going into our food. 
i am not so crunchy that i only buy organic, mill my own flour, and milk the cow every morning and night. i, too, throw together quick meals where i can’t control all the elements. and that’s ok. remember - everything in moderation. what i am very conscience about is what i buy, where i buy it, and how i prepare it to preserve as many nutrients as possible. i love having a beautiful farmer’s market right in town and try to frequent this as much as possible. i also love the system that many grocery stores have adopted to help people determine healthy choices in their aisles. (click here to visit fellow bloggers kelsey and eric williams’ blog entry and a link to usa today's article on this very subject.)
d does not like whole wheat bread, pasta, chips, baked goods, etc. but thankfully, he eats them anyway. he’s not a big vegetable fan, but he puts at least one bite on his plate to show the kids that you can still eat something even if you don’t like it. i have found jessica seinfeld’s process of adding “hidden” vegetables to increase the nutritional value of your dishes highly effective - even d is none the wiser.... (until he reads this, of course.) i think you have to develop strategies to introduce whole grains, more vegetables/fruits, calcium-rich dairy products, and healthy fats in a way that works best for your family. i am not claiming to be an expert, by any means; i just know that i feel good about what i’m doing for myself and my family and want to encourage you to do the same if your mealtime choices are lacking in variety, color, and nutrients.
knowing about proper nutrition is also critical in making good food selections for your family. i know a considerable amount of information about nutrition, portion sizes, best preparation methods, and so on. i also know that everything in moderation is perfectly acceptable. a few marshmallows in a fruit salad will not harm anyone, especially if the fruit is fresh, there are no other added sweeteners, and dressed with yogurt in place of cool whip or cream cheese dip. real butter in mashed potatoes is perfectly acceptable, especially considering there is “hidden” acorn squash and a sweet potato in the mash and margarine is only one molecule away from plastic. i would rather use butter than a buttery spread because i know exactly what butter is made from. anything i can’t pronounce i don’t think i should be putting inside me. to me, that is what whole-foods cooking is all about.
does this work for everybody? most certainly not. is it always cost-efficient? absolutely not. does my family always eat their vegetables and like my cooking? no. but at the end of the day, i can sleep well knowing i did my part as resident chef to feed myself, my kids, and my husband the best meals i can. sometimes i have some real flops, but sometimes i have some real wins. i enjoy challenging myself to recreate restaurant-style dishes in a healthier way. i relish putting together a meal that is delicious and wholesome. i love that there is an abundance of bloggers cooking, baking, and embracing this ‘nearly’ home-made way of feeding our families.
i'm all about giving credit where credit is due! the pictures featured in the post were taken from the following websites:
http://celynnerasmus.com/milk-and-dairy-products-necessity-or-no-go/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rice_grains_(IRRI).jpg
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2007/11/29/best-buttermilk-biscuits/
http://buymyjuicer.com/your-body-and-antioxidant-foods/
http://atlantahotspot.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/fresh-fruit.jpg
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