Throughout the past year, this paper has presented several editorials encouraging readers to make slight changes in their diet and lifestyle. This week we’re advocating families on the go opt for more meals at home. Don’t think we’ve gone off the deep end. We’re not proposing anything radical like eating only wild greens harvested from your backyard. We know you’re busy, but eating at home can be done, saving you time and money over eating out.
Widely varying studies show Americans eat between 20-50 percent of their meals outside the home. From our perspective, we’d bet 50 percent is more likely.
It’s understandable why so many families rely on restaurants so often. We’ve all been there: one child in transport from school to softball practice; another headed to band rehearsal; a third to retrieve before the sitter throws him out. None of these kids have eaten, and it’s getting late.
So you have a choice: hit the drive-thru or go home and try to rustle something up. But your busy schedule didn’t allow for a trip to the grocery store, and two of the three kids raise a ruckus when presented with anything but chicken fingers anyway.
Hold on just a second though, because that trip to the drive-thru (while occasionally convenient and pretty tasty) isn’t all it’s cracked up to be––even if you discount the fat and calories involved.
First, fast food is generally not as healthy as what you find at home. Even if your home menu centers around a microwave, you’ll probably still come out better than with what you find in a restaurant. Nutritionists generally confirm people eat healthier at home, because they manage their portions better. And there is opportunity to substitute an apple for a milkshake occasionally.
Second, eating out is more expensive. Of course, there are exceptions, depending on what you buy at the store versus what you order. For example, a family of four will spend at least $17 at Jasper’s McDonald's (even without those shakes that are so hard to resist). For the same money, you could feed your family for a full day with the basics.
Third, drive-thrus are not automatically quicker than dishing up something simple at home. Don’t compare the time it takes to cook Thanksgiving dinner to time in a drive-thru. Instead, think peanut butter and jellies (actually a healthy food). Add fruit, a few chips and water to drink. You could make several sandwiches in the 6-8 minutes you’d spend in a drive-thru line. Add on the time spent driving to the restaurant, and home looks a lot quicker.
The time scales tip more heavily in favor of home cooking when you figure what your kids can accomplish (chores, homework, outdoor exercise) in the same time you prepare a meal. That’s just lost time if kids spend it waiting at a restaurant. And clean up is easy with simple fare like sandwiches, raw fruits and veggies.
Even if you serve junk food at home, valid benefits from simply bringing the family together make eating-in worthwhile.
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein writes, “No one is asking for rocket science, only shared mac-and-cheese and a bunch of chairs pulled up around the table.”
A Utah State University Extension Service study found kids fed more than three family dinners per week at home are much less likely to develop teenage drug or alcohol problems. They are less likely to have eating disorders. They make better grades and have higher self-esteem.
The study showed eating together may not directly eliminate social problems, but it makes them harder to hide or ignore.
It’s fun to eat out occasionally. The key is to keep it balanced. Instead of falling for the siren song of “fast food” every night, next time, cruise on home and be healthier, wealthier and spend some time together–– time with your family. |
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