A World United to Save the Planet-

In 1825 Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in The Physiology of Taste “Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are”. In our global world this is no longer an easy task. Children the world over frequent fast food restaurants where the offering is calorie dense, nutrient depleted and, in the opinion of many, does little for the development of a discerning palate: responding only to the crude rather than the subtle senses in our taste. Surely our aspirations should rise higher than the ‘homogenized’ child.

Despite generations who have experienced lives and diets of plenty, the human instinct is to eat for the time of scarcity. An instinct that is costing us dear in both health and ecology, but one that is being turned into a dangerous habit. Cynical manipulation of our appetites needs to be countered with the instillation of good habits – a bit like manners really.

Powerful groupings within the food industry are leading us, and our children, in this dance macabre - reinventing (re-disguising) their over processed meals and cashing in on the latest film or fashion theme. Presentation, whilst child-friendly, seems always to come with the bribe of a free toy or paper and crayons. Fast food outlets know well that eating out involves far more than just the food on the plate or in the bag! It is just such a pity that the actual food at the centre of the experience is less than mediocre in nutritional value. Some would argue that the experience itself has little value in promoting family cohesion as so praised in the Mediterranean way of life. Food is either eaten in haste or is a synthetic experience.

Of course the great British public is a very eclectic mix but the current trend in our eating habits is not inspiring: yes there is a staggering variety of ethnic restaurants celebrating both diversity and quality but we are continuing to miss a real opportunity. The social and cultural norm for children is to eat on the hoof, whether that is grazing the cupboards at home, snacking during school lunch breaks or eating out at fast-food or take-away venues.

It seems that only when eating out as adults without children that it is acceptable to seek convivial company exploring the art of hospitality and meaningful conversation. However as a parent of heaps of children I have to be a realist. Most children do not sit still and they are unerringly adept at behaving badly in confined spaces. Restaurants that tolerate small people with short attention spans have to be sought diligently. The trade off is often that they have a children’s menu more akin to fast-food than haute cuisine. Should we not encourage a general attitude that good and healthy options should be available to both adults and children? Half portions of ‘grown up’ food on the menu would do the trick.

Eating out with a large family is a rare occurrence but I still need to feed my children. Living in rural Scotland I am not tempted by the local ‘supermarket of the glens’ because its ready-made delicacies really don’t excite. My menu decision making is relatively easy – cook it. I am innately energy efficient (lazy) and not prone to tattie bashing for eight, so my family have to help. My eldest son at university insists that he can’t cook but, as can be the case with rice, I am quietly confident that he’ll cook by the absorption method – instilling good habits I hope. 

I am not smug, just lucky that my choices are limited. Most parents know that they should try to cook a meal with real, raw food once in a while and you’d be pushed to find a child that doesn’t know how many portions of fruit and vegetables that he should be eating. The theory of healthy food is getting through to children via schools and awareness campaigns. We too know the theory, some of us even bother to read the packet and worry about the additives but at the end of the day we live life in the fast lane and in our exhausted state that packet becomes even more attractive. It is just too convenient. So how do we match theory with reality?

 A few decades ago we laughed with the Martians as they watched us mere mortals peel potatoes, for mash there was ‘Smash’. In bygone years there really was a choice, we could save time and energy by eating Smash but we had the skill to peel the potato if so inclined. This is no longer always the case. Potatoes are still very much with us but the peelers and bashers are unused relics for too many of us. Oven ready chips have replaced the Smash in our affections. How taste can ever re-enter such an equation is the real challenge. Here is my suggestion - by cooking with real, raw ingredients.
If children are taught simple cookery at primary school they would then be equipped with the skills to cook nutritious meals in the years to come. It is surely in this circumstance that the Chinese proverb rings most true: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a life-time.

How much cooking a child does, is a lottery. Lucky children have good food experiences in the home, some might even benefit from the purchase of your lottery ticket but we need a national strategy. Celebrities can influence but in the celebrity world it is all too easy to become yesterday’s news. We need to ensure that the government demonstrates a long term commitment to the diet of our children. Parents, grand parents, godparents and friends who don’t like the idea of a nanny state have the freedom to instil some good cookery habits early on. A balanced diet for all as a driver towards a balanced production of food for the world – fancy that!

Stirrinstuff.org

Any comments please email katie@onegreenearth.com