I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve been approaching everything related to food for my family. I finally got around to watching Food, Inc. and I hate to say it, but I wasn’t all that surprised. It’s a “I don’t want to know how hot-dogs are made” kind of mentality. It was gross and it made me furious at big companies that control family farmers. It has inspired me to be a more conscious voter with the dollar and I’m opting out of buying factory-farmed meat products at the supermarket and looking for other sources. Luckily we have a “Right By Nature” about 15 minutes away and it carries affordable options.

Before I dive in, I should tell you we’ve never eaten out very often and we don’t eat a lot of convenience foods but my attitude toward making meals for the family has been pretty utilitarian. As long as I’ve been preparing meals for myself and then for my husband and now for all of us, my approach has been to streamline the process to get it done. Feed them something mostly nutritious that they’ll eat. I don’t mind food that requires a lot of preparation but this isn’t my preference on most nights.

I’m beginning to rethink this and am realizing that the act of planning, preparing and eating a meal together may be the most important of all my duties. Aside from sleep, a healthy, balanced and predictable meal schedule is the physical cornerstone to wellness of each of us and affects every other facet of our days together.

Since my kitchen isn’t attached to our main living area, I got into the habit when the kids were little and would be underfoot, to prepare meals in solitary confinement. When they were small enough to take naps, I’d do prep work ahead of time and let them watch TV while I finished. Mark works 3 evenings a week and doesn’t get home until close to 7 on Sat. and Sun. so I flew solo for meals when the kids were little. Now, they’re old enough to wait for him on the weekends so we eat with him more often than not.

For the most part, I still am in the habit of being in the kitchen by myself while making dinner but I’m realizing that I’m missing an opportunity to