The Inconvenient Truth About Convenience Foods
In a story by Tara Parker-Pope in the Wall Street Journal, she reported on a UCLA study that showed that meals with little to no convenience foods took 26 to 93 minutes to prepare and meals using a lot of convenience foods took 25 to 73 minutes to prepare.
A significant difference did show up. There was a ten minute time-savings in the hands on prep time. The food got to the table 10 minutes sooner if convenience foods were used.
One of the costs and impacts of all this convenience is a disconnect from our source – Mother Nature. I mean, if we're too busy we're longer willing to spend the time touch our food in it's freshest, most vital and nutritious state, is it any wonder diet related diseases are skyrocketing. We're losing our ability to understand how to nourish ourselves.
I think 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray is on the right track. Yeah, I know it's on Food Network and she has a staff to do all her prep so she can shine. But she also talks about keeping your pantry full of select staples. That way when you're ready to rock 'n roll in the kitchen, you really can have something delicious and nutritions in that 26 to 93 minute window. And you'll save time by shopping less often.
We spent $127 million on hospital costs associated with caring for overweight and obese children and adolescents.
We allow billions of dollars to be spent marketing convenience food messages to our children.
It's no wonder kids are into food shaming other children who can't afford to pay for the "luxury" of fries, chips and pizza. We're dumbing down our children's pallet to satisfy the cravings for convenience foods.
Parents who can't or are late paying the tab for school lunch programs, force their kids to be served fresh fruits and vegetables. These are the "uncool" kids who get "punished" and cut off from the junk food that we serve and charge a premium for.
We're so disconnected that we forgo a 10 minute meditation to "chop wood, carry water" in our meal prep. We give up a chance to reconnect with our gratitude, joy, wonder for the abundance of nature.
Most of us don't take 10 minutes to stop and smell the roses. Maybe 10 minutes spent touching, preparing and appreciating our food each day, might just get keep us from the Inconvenient Truth About Convenience Foods.
