Tbh, I'm not satisfied with my diet as well, since there's always place for improvement, but the fact that we try, that counts.Everyone in my house cooks. While I am the primary "chef", my kids have massive appetites, and they make food around my cooking. Though, I am often surprised by a kid prepping meals for the entire family. I gave myself two major rules when I became a parent: By the time my child is 8, I expect him/her to know all of life's basics, from self-care, to matters of anatomy, to religious principles, to basic education. By the time my child is 16, I expect him/her to be able to survive AND thrive in adult society, and everything they learned in the first 8 years have been expounded upon. Naturally, this includes culinary skills. I make it a point to either prepare enough food or have enough ingredients available for the kids to prepare four meals and two snacks a day. We're talkin' about ravenous beasts that stand over six feet tall with US size 34 waist being on the fatter end (yes, they're beanpoles). I also set rules to cooking: Must have leafy greens with at least one meal and have it as a viable option for at least one snack every day. If someone's willing to make it, unless even the chef agrees that it was a mistake, you eat what's given or starve til your next meal (which isn't that far away anyway, so it's not like you're dying). The rule most followed: Cooking should be fun! The rule least followed: Clean as you go!
I admit that we do eat more ready-made foods than I'd like us to. And since we have a LOT of celebrations, especially in the fall and winter, we get pizza a lot around this time of year... Party foods are always bought.... Ah, our meals are also always had with water. Juices and sparkling beverages are for special occasions.
I follow a very different diet than my kids, and especially my husband, but because it's a LOT of effort cooking for them and myself, I usually just make their meals and throw them on a bed of greens. My diet follows two meals a day with two small snacks in between. I am not satisfied with my current diet.
I have to confess Neila...I live alone in a studio apartment, and on this front the air feels poisoned. My dumb-as-toast parents keep telling me that since I work in a supermarket I don't ever have to worry about specifically cooking anything in my life...so aside from making instant oatmeal and ramen it's almost squat for cooking for me.Who cooks in your house? Do you cook? How often? Do you enjoy it?
Are you capable of getting yourself seeds to add to your oatmeal, and frozen/canned mixed veggies to add to your ramen? If so, I would greatly recommend it.I have to confess Neila...I live alone in a studio apartment, and on this front the air feels poisoned. My dumb-as-toast parents keep telling me that since I work in a supermarket I don't ever have to worry about specifically cooking anything in my life...so aside from making instant oatmeal and ramen it's almost squat for cooking for me.
For me this is bad because I know my nutrition has gone south in recent months, but feeling like I am in it alone on that front (I don't want to repeat the story but the basics are in my check-in thread) hasn't been helping, and I am feeling the effects. Stamina is not where it needs to be these days.
Yes, I am. I’m also trying to get more fruit into the fridge. Thank you!Are you capable of getting yourself seeds to add to your oatmeal, and frozen/canned mixed veggies to add to your ramen? If so, I would greatly recommend it.
I think you understand correctly. The main difference isn't just a change in lifestyle in modern times, but also between urban and rural living. In cities, for example, it can be normal to have almost every meal prepared by someone else - a restaurant or canteen, various delivery services (incl for senior citizens), and convenience and street food. This has been the case since at least ancient Rome, where houses often didn't even have kitchens, and is widespread practice in large cities around the world.I have a general question about "going out to eat" or "having takeout":
To some, it is a special occasion. To others, it's an everyday thing. It really just depends on a person's lifestyle. For instance, people who work long hours are more prone to taking advantage of convenience foods. Some families just enjoy going out on Friday nights. People who work more strenuously, whether it's length of shift, type of shift, or the position itself, will likely pay Starbucks a visit at least once a day. And those sort of stressful working conditions also make it hard to want to prepare foods from home. Eating out is special, but in a growing world of "convenience" at the press of a button for just a little more gas and money, over time, eating in has become the novelty over eating out.I have a general question about "going out to eat" or "having takeout":
When I grew up, and in general in my life, going out to eat or having takeout always was something special, reserved for birthdays, vacations, or special occasions. Sometimes, though, I get the feeling it's more of an everyday thing for many people, maybe even an alternative to cooking at home, or maybe eating in a canteen at work. Do I understand something wrong or is it a language barrier? Going out to me means eating at a restaurant, having takeout means getting something from a restaurant to take home, or maybe ordering a pizza or such.
Do I misunderstand something here? I'm a bit confused, tbh.
"This has been the case since at least ancient Rome, where houses often didn't even have kitchens..." <<< Speaking of ancient Rome, not modern times... She was using an example of how things were in ancient times. However it is true that in some areas of the world, there are buildings where kitchens or toilets are shared and people only rent out rooms.@SkorpionUK okay, another question then, because I have another problem of understanding, apologies: Basically, you tell me people in large cities don't have kitchens? I lived in two large cities myself for some time, but I and my contacts had kitchens and rarely ate out, because it was expensive. Cooking cheap stuff was the norm, but not eating out. I rarely even had enough contact with other people in the flathouses I lived in to share meals.
I'm even more confused now
You just gave me an idea! I thank you my good Sir!@Nevetharine we use to make canned corned beef and scrambled eggs hash, a British favorite. I always have a can of baked beans in the cupboard, probably have that with sausage and eggs tomorrow.
Good question! People in large cities do have kitchens - at least, in the ones I lived (London, Berlin) and others I know about. But they are expensive because real estate is expensive, and there are always homes that do not have kitchens at all, which is unthinkable in the countryside and even the suburbs. Or they have a microwave and a tiny fridge and a kettle, i.e. not really enough for cooking, only reheating.@SkorpionUK okay, another question then, because I have another problem of understanding, apologies: Basically, you tell me people in large cities don't have kitchens? I lived in two large cities myself for some time, but I and my contacts had kitchens and rarely ate out, because it was expensive. Cooking cheap stuff was the norm, but not eating out. I rarely even had enough contact with other people in the flathouses I lived in to share meals.
I'm even more confused now
However it is true that in some areas of the world, there are buildings where kitchens or toilets are shared and people only rent out rooms.
I can literally buy half a week's groceries with the money I have to spend for a single takeout meal here. Especially if I buy plant-based protein sources too.@Andi64 I'm just wondering, really wondering, because eating at a restaurant is expensive, at the very least triple the amount of what I would pay for ingredients to cook myself with.
I like to wilt chiffonade-cut spinach into soups and stews, too... It is truly the most versatile leaf I've ever seen!We weekly buy a big bag of baby leaf spinach, you can add it anywhere, smoothies, salads, stir-fry, spaghetti and last night shredded on taco's.