Empowering Families for a Healthier Future

I grew up with parents who made family meals a priority. We ate together, whoever was home. We wanted to be home at meal times because my parents are both wonderful cooks. My dad has always had a passion for gardening and made sure we were a part of it, whether we wanted to be or not. My mom taught us how to plan a menu, shop, and cook on a budget…there were 9 of us! 

We ate well balanced meals, much of which were made from scratch. Cold cereal and store bought bread were a treat that we didn’t have often. (I was a little jealous of my friends with that soft Wonder Bread that could be squished into a ball and eaten like a marshmallow in one bite). Whole grains, beans, home canned fruits and garden vegetables were the majority of what we ate, with meat usually being served in smaller portions in casseroles or soups to make it go further.

I was responsible for making the bread in the summer and usually the salads during the school year while my mom taught piano. When we came home from school, mom would usually have a snack out for us. Often something home-made, which we would eat while we would talk about our day and watch her finish preparations for dinner. That is where I learned how to cook, by watching her do it and dad helping when he needed after he arrived home from work.

Dinner time was a time to discuss what we learned or experienced in the day and just be together. It brought a sense of stability we could count on. My dad always told us to “slow down” and remember how long it took to prepare. We were expected to have “Tanners manners”, although there was still some silliness and laughter at the table. Food was an important part of our gatherings and celebrations. It was made with love.

As a young adult starting college, making a balanced meal seemed like the natural thing to do. Spaghetti with red sauce, a little bit of turkey burger and a side of cabbage anyone? Don’t forget the burnt garlic toast…that’s how I won over my husband. When I was first married, I was excited to carry on that food culture, but I also recognized the importance of nutrition. I think that started as a teen when I was the one asking for carrots amongst all the junk food at birthday parties. Weird, I know! I noticed how good foods made me feel better. I loved baking, but tried to make cookies healthier by subbing applesauce for some of the butter.  

Time went on and I continued to use fruits and veggies in every meal, incorporated beans where possible, but with kids, the dairy began to take over. It was easy to please my toddlers with a quesadilla every day or a cheese stick for a snack. It seemed to be healthy, with baby carrots and apple slices to the side of course. Boxed mac and cheese, turkey sandwiches with lettuce on home-made bread. I thought we were doing it well, until I noticed some of our kids were complaining of stomach aches a lot. My husband wasn’t feeling great, and both of us struggled with migraines frequently. We felt there were changes we could make, but didn’t know where to start.

Our journey to better health and increased knowledge began with a book found at the library that made us realize we had known what to do all along, we just needed a reminder. A 30 day experiment, hesitantly agreed upon by our kids, to change a few of our eating habits, including ditching dairy as a family and we couldn’t argue with the results. I wasn’t going to cook separate meals for everyone. It had to be a family effort. We loved the way we were feeling, less headaches, stomach aches and a lightness after meals just after 3 weeks of small changes. Years later, we have witnessed friends and family falling into chronic disease, much of what can be prevented through diet and lifestyle changes. Through our trial and error in helping our family feel better, I am on a mission to help others with their goals to better health. It is exciting to see what health transformations can be made, starting in the kitchen, one plate at a time.