What is the Motivation Behind Food Is Fuel Friday?

Too many parents identify as having an unhealthy relationship with food. We are facing a time in which a disconnect from the food we eat is the “norm”. We’ve learned to identify hunger, but most of us have a hard time differentiating between that and boredom.
Food is no longer a matter of nutrition to most of us.

Mealtimes for busy parents have become a matter of quickly stopping our bellies from griping before we get off to the next big event. When hungry, many mothers feed their children and neglect to feed themselves; opting instead for a coffee or a stick of gum. “I’ll just grab an apple.”
Only to go through a fast-food drive through a few hours later.

A snarky employee hands you your squished burrito. When you refuse salsa, she closes her little drive-through window in your face. Opening your bag, you’re disillusioned by the tiny and uninspired burrito you can see through green and white paper wrappings.  “That looks sick,” you think, “But I’m starving and I gotta go.”
Another day where something you thought would look like exhibit A comes out looking like exhibit B….

Or maybe this scenario doesn’t fit. Maybe you’re not the busy one, but the opposite. Sitting in front of the TV (or computer) with chips and candy wrappers in front of you right now. Maybe in sweatpants. I bet they’re comfy, too… Adults who know better but who just can’t resist. It’s not easy, in the face of so much delicious junk, to choose a healthy snack. And the kids? Pshhh! When the kids are home, they’d rather have a hot dog or a pizza snack than have an actual meal.

Some people are the type who stash and hide; shameful eating. Tears streaming down your face, you just eat a cookie. And feel better…..

Whatever the motivation, whatever the justification; we can each do better.

We have a huge disconnect in the world today, especially the first world, when it comes to awareness of our food.

Of course, There is a definite responsibility that needs to be held by the government and the food companies. No one can deny that watchdogs should be in place to monitor and uphold standards within the processed food businesses. But rather than wait for the companies and the government to change, I’m taking my food into my own hands.  There are lots of people who are out there trying to change the way that chemicals and fillers in processed foods (including those in your grocery stores- not to name any deliciously orange, cheesey names that go terribly with ketchup) are legislated. And that’s good. There need to be.

That’s not the type of campaign this is.
This campaign is an attempt to link mothers and fathers together to take back our tables. To redesign the way our children view their dinner plates.
Ladies and gentlemen, it very well may be too late for us. It’s not too late for our children.

I’ve heard people say they’re just “not very conscious” about their food. I’ve heard people write it off as being inconsequential. “Chemicals are everywhere!”, they say. And they’re right. It’s exactly that point that makes me want to change the mindset I’m encountering more and more in parents. Just because it’s already in our soil doesn’t mean we should put more chemicals into our bodies by what we eat- in fact it means we should diligently work against putting more chemicals into our bodies. Not to mention the fragile, growing bodies of our children.

So say it with me now, loud as you can:
“It matters what I feed my family.”

It matters what you’re feeding your children. It matters what you’re feeding yourself.
By eating well, and being nutrition conscious, you’re giving yourself and your children the ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. With a proper omega balance (preferably from a source of vegetation and not fish), you’re helping brains grow. By educating yourself you will educate your children, not to mention your friends, spouses, parents and siblings. Tell the dog, tell your neighbour. And then cook a health CONSCIOUS (not obsessed), well rounded meal and invite someone to join you.

FoodIsFuel Friday is designed to encourage parents to stop ignoring nutrition. It’s to encourage a reminder of what food is really for. It’s not a cure for our boredom. It’s not a band aid for our emotional booboo’s. It’s not a way of beating ourselves up, or punishing those we love. It’s not something to hide or stash. It shouldn’t make us miserable, or fill us with guilt. It should be sensibly viewed and placed of utmost importance in any family life.

That, my dear friends, is the motivation behind FoodIsFuel Friday.

How does it work?
Hashtagging : #foodisfuelfriday
#foodisfuel

Each Friday I will host a post here. And each Friday I challenge other parents to consciously make an effort to make Friday a fun, festive and healthy food night. Homemade, not necessarily “low-fat”, but just GOOD, REAL food.
Write a post that is centred around healthy food, post a button, email me your post and your icon if you want to and I’ll text link it up in my Food post of the week. Together, we’ll  see how other parents are changing the way that their families perceive what they put into their bodies. Let’s be creative, and focus on nutrition.

(Post Dated Posts Will Be Published On The Date Listed, Unless Otherwise Specified. Until Date Listed, Links May Be Broken. McLinky’s Stayed Open Until Thursday.)

Week One – March 12, 2010 – Pizza Dough

Week Two – March 19, 2010 – Hemp & Sesame Seed Tortilla Chips

Week Three – March 26, 2010 – Dragon Fruit

Week Four – April 09, 2010 - Granola

Week Five – April 16, 2010 – Lunch Wraps

Week Six – April 23, 2010 – Nachos

Week Seven – Corn Bean Salsa Scoops

Week Eight – The Gourmet Pregnancy Book Review

Week Nine – Chocolate Mousse Cake

Week Ten – Lasagna

(Summer Hiatus)

Week Eleven – September 10, 2010 – Cayenne Pepper

Week Twelve – September 17, 2010 – Bison

Week Thirteen – September 24, 2010 – Olive Oil

Week Fourteen – October 1, 2010 – Almond Milk Chai Tea

Week Fifteen – Turkey Casserole With Mexi-Spice and Basmati Rice

Week Sixteen- Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

Week Seventeen- Pumpkin Cookies

International Tastes Month:

Week Eighteen- Yellow Thai Curry

Week Nineteen- Aloo Gobi

Week Twenty- Ratatouille

Week Twenty One – Black Bean Sauce

Make It Homemade:

Week Twenty Two – Making Stewed Tomatoes and Sloppy joes

Week Twenty Three – Making Croutons and Dressing

Week Twenty Four –  Making Simple White Sauce

Week Twenty Five – Making Homemade Stuffing

Week Twenty Six – Making Homemade Ketchup

Soups From Scratch:

Week Twenty Seven – Making Broth out of Veggies or Meat

Week Twenty Eight – Making Cream Soup is as easy as Veggies or Potatoes

Week Twenty Nine - Chowders from Scratch

Week Thirty - Minestrone and Italian Wedding Soups

Week Thirty One - How To Make A Strata

Week Thirty Two - Creamy Chicken (or Vegetarian) Lasagna

Week Thirty Three – Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Thirty Four: Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thirty Five: Turkey Apple Meatloaf

Thirty Six: Creamy Dill Soup

Thirty Seven: Turkey Chili with Twice Baked Potatoes

Thirty Eight: Turkey Trittini

Thirty Nine: Turkey Cabbage Rolls

Forty: Turkey Burgers

Forty One: Cheese and Spinach Meatballs

Forty Two: Southwestern Soup

Forty Three: Ravioli failure

Pastry Persistence:

Making Pie & Quiche Pastry

Turkey Pot Pie

Rough Puff Pastry

French Toast With Raspberry Syrup

Corn Syrup Free Butter Pecan Tarts

Crepes

Apple Strudel

Carrot Loaf with Almond Milk

Grab A Button

People have sometimes reported trouble with these buttons. If you know coding, I suggest that you look over the code to ensure there are no extra parentheses or anything.

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