food industries

I watched a new video this weekend. It was called "Food Inc". It was a very informative DVD. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know how food gets to our table. I couldn't believe that only 4 major companies make all of our food in the stores. It tells how McDonald's is the largest company in the world to buy up all of the beef, chicken, Pork, lettuce, apples, and other products. I also learned that it is actually safer to process your own food outside in the fresh air then buy a package of food in the store. YIKES! I learned so much more but I think you should watch the movie. I am so glad I decided not to eat processed meats. We have really watched eating out in restaurants. We have noticed that we have more headaches. We feel more tired whenever we go somewhere to eat. We were out this weekend and my son and daughter both were sick. My husband whom never gets a headache had one for two days. I was wore down and very tired. I have come to the conclusion that I cook better meals. They are healthier even if I don't have vegetables with every meal.
My son has many allergies. I have noticed that simple meals are all our family needs. What happened to the old fashioned cooking. We want everything simple. Boxed foods have over taken our pantries. We have forgotten how to just make the basic Meat, Potato, and veggie meals. It doesn't take that much longer to make it from scratch. Putting a piece of meat on a indoor grill or in a pan with a lid takes about a half hour ( less on the grill.) It only takes about 10 minutes to heat up a potato in the microwave. Peas only take 3 minutes in the microwave . So in less than a half an hour you can have a whole meal that is better for you than hamburger helper. It takes about the same time but less salt and preservatives. A couple of veggies on the grill will add variety and you have your onions and peppers for the day. Some people think you have to have several burners going to create a good meal.
Sherry's Snippet for the day.- Kiss (Keep It Simple Silly)

What are you eating?

One of my friends stayed with me recently. She was surprised to see all the food that I made for my family. She said that we ate so much healthier and it didn't take as much time to make as it did her. Tonight, I was thinking. How much many of us do not know about nutrition. We are into eating to much meat and potatoes and not enough veggies. Yes, it is hard to get those little ones to eat their veggies. I have tried a few things to improve our veggie intake that might help you. I now put Pumpkin in our pancakes. My children call them pumpkin pie pancakes. I started by adding 1/4 cup of pumpkin now we are up to 1/2 cup or more! Then I add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice (optional) in to pancake mix. I make my own mix though. I do not add much sweetener. I may add agava nectar and soy milk instead of cow's milk. I found that baking with soy milk makes the food fluffier and tastes even better. My husband whom hates soy milk now makes pancakes with soy milk. We do not need alot of sweetener. That is what real maple syrup is for. We don't eat that corn syrup maple flavored pretend stuff. My son that has problems with sugar usually uses agave nectar. They now even have different flavors. He loves them on his pancakes and agave nectar does not have a glycemic index. If you are diabetic this sweetener is the ticket! My friends daughter is a little on the hyper side. After staying with us she was less hyper that week. My friend said It is amazing what sugar and dyes do to children. We decided not to give children Ice cream near bedtime. It is a complete nightmare. I am talking for us not the children. We try to make it a habit to eat pancakes on Saturday morning. That way the kids can help and I know they will have their pumpkin. I have went so far as making a food calandar. Mondays are Mexican night . That way I can make homemade tortillas if I desire. Tuesdays are Italian night. I can get creative or if I am lazy it is Speghetti. Wed. are usually Pizza Night. We are in a hurry to get to church so we try a quick meal. Now that I found out that my son has a mold allergy It is a Pizza/ chicken nuggets night. Thursday is Soup and Sandwich night. I usually make potatoe soup or broccoli soup. I even love to make french onion soup and found mine is even better than the resturants. Sometimes we have a Chili (loaded with veggies!) or Tomato soup. Friday is our movie night. My husband likes to make popcorn the old fashioned way. We try to have left overs or whatever sounds good. Sometimes it is junk food. (in moderation of course) We go for Lays all natural potatoe chips and sour cream dip (homemade) sour cream and dry ranch dressing or a package of onion soup mix added to a small sour cream makes a great french onion dip. We have Jo jo potatoes up here. Thick cut potatoes. sometimes we will even get chicken wing diddies or fish sticks. If the boys are really good I treat them to Icies.Luigie's has real lemon and rasberry Icies in a cup and they are all natural. It does beat ice cream and they aren't as crazy and hyper. Saturday I try to put on a roast, turkey, chicken, or ugh (a ham.) We eat that for dinner and sandwiches for leftovers after church. Who wants to cook when they get home from church??? We even have a fish fry about once a month. Most other meals are chicken breast on our indoor grill ( george foreman type) with a side of rice and peas (my sons favorite veggie). I try to make oatmeal for breakfasts. Any leftover Brown rice usually gets ate up in the morning by my daughter. She likes hers with cinnamon a little agave nectar and milk. My other son usually eats Cheerios. We do not eat any processed cold cereals other than that. However, I have come across a good cereal by Kashi. It has the flax in it. It is all natural so we are going to eat more of that one. We must eat so why not make it quick and easy and with a plan.

Todays snippet- Are you eatting to live instead of living to eat?