Family dinners were sometimes outside. via Shutterstock |
This was the way life was. Sometimes it was a pain. I HAD to be home at a certain time. I HAD to eat with my family. I HAD to eat what my mom made.
At the time, I did not recognize the value of this daily routine. I didn't recognize the value of the dollars saved or the value of the non-material gains.
Dollars saved:
- The food was fresh, not processed. Local and in-season fruits and veggies will always be cheaper to buy than processed food.
- Processed food has more additives and less nutrients. Because our food was more nutritious, we needed less of it to get energy.
- We were healthier. We hardly ever got sick and when we did get sick, the first step to health was a bowl of homemade chicken soup made with bones broth.
- Because we were healthier, we didn't spend money on doctor's visits and medicines to get well.
- Eating at home every evening meant that we didn't waste food. Menus were planned and leftovers were made into the next days meals.
- We saw each other and talked with each other. We might not always agree on subjects, but at least there was a time that we could talk about our day and upcoming events.
- I learned to cook because of these meals. Most days I helped to prepare these meals. Even if I wasn't the person actually making the food, I was watching how it was prepared. I am a very good cook because of this and my daughter AND my son are also learning to cook and bake. This skill will save them an enormous amount of money in the course of their lives.
- Because we saw each other every day, we could coordinate schedules and save money and time on errands.
- We had a sense of family and community that I took for granted at the time, but now I realize was very unique and of immeasurable value. To this day, my friends talk about what fun it was to come over to my house and what a warm hostess my mother was. It doesn't cost a lot to share, but it adds tremendously to the value of your life.
Do you have family dinners?