Throwing the Party of the Decade--The 50's

When Michael showed me the information from his post below, I nearly choked. We're eating how much more!?!?!

Do not get me wrong, we're not running a diet blog, but all these issues (obesity, health issues, environmental depletion) are related. The bottom line: we are eating too much of the wrong food.

So let's hit the reset button and return to a simpler time when our mothers and grandmothers didn't fret over what they ate nearly as much as we do. Why? Because the options were limited.

Cue: crazy time machine waves and sounds

1. Food doesn't come in boxes
   And you should be able to find all the ingredients in your meals out in the wild. Avoid factory-made food (which is different than canned tomatoes or frozen peas) and "food" that wasn't in the grocery store in 1950 (I'm talking to you Hot Pockets, cereal bars, pre-breaded chicken fingers and especially you, margarine--don't worry butter, you're fine...in moderation).
   
2. Meat is a luxury, not a requirement
   Do you know why pot roast, roasted turkey, coq au vin are all considered fancy, Sunday dinner meals? Because that's what they used to be. It was a luxury getting a nice, big cut of meat. Meals were largely vegetables and carbohydrates with a little meat for filler. We've moved from meat twice a week to meat 3 times a day. Try replacing 2 or 3 of your typical "meat and potato" meals with a vegetarian dish, fish dish, casserole dish or extra dessert (fine, that one might not be the best advice).
   
3. Your grandmother probably has no idea why you would want anything "lite," "low-fat" or "reduced fat"
   Since the invention of these products, men have gained an average of 17 more pounds and women an average of 19 more pounds. So clearly these products work. Eat the real thing, just eat less of it. Don't have a "binge on Snackwells" party.
   
4. Spend as much time cooking as you spend eating
   Translation: actually cook your own dinner THEN sit down and actually enjoy it. Slowly. And stop when you are about to get full. Maybe a little before then. I know you're busy. But do you want to spend your free time with your family at the dinner table or at the doctor's office? Push bedtime back by an hour to get a good meal into everyone.
   
5. Would your grandmother eat in her car?
   Then you probably shouldn't either. You know who else doesn't eat in cars? Those skinny European folks. Maybe they're on to something.
   
6. Watch your portions, Fatty McFatterson
   Are your grocery bills climbing? Does your food seem to go less and less far these days? Have you (as I do on frequent occasion) sprained your stomach while eating? It's no surprise. We all know eating out is a portion size nightmare, but eating at home is no better...over the last 70 years our friends from The Joy of Cooking have increased the calories of nearly every recipe by 40%. Want to know how many calories a day you should be eating? Check here...and then measure your food when cooking. It's a pain at first, but bathing suit season is around the corner.

Now I'm not saying I'm perfect at following these rules, but they are good guidelines to help us make better choices (but sometimes you need macaroni and cheese out of the box. You just do.).