Kitchen Monkey

26 February 2008

Valuable mealtimes & what happened to the Sunday roast!

I wondered how many of you realised that this week is actually eating disorder week.
This is something still now we really do not speak a great deal about amongst family members. I was reading in the papers that this promotional week to discuss and support the issues of ‘eating disorders’ actually coincides with Paris fashion week which starts today 26th February 2008.

I do not know any woman who has not at some stage dieted for whatever reason. Whether it just is for themselves, for an event like a holiday or a wedding. Whether it is after having a baby or as many mothers know and see in their daughters is it down to social awareness or fashion trends, but then of course there are health reasons while we look in to diet.

All of us are influenced by celebrities and fashion trends. I remember my daughter telling me about the model Luisel Ramos who collapsed on the runway during Uruguay's Fashion Week in 2006. She actually later died of heart failure. Investigations publicised at the time revealed she had fasted to attain the level of weight loss she thought 'necessary' to take part. Much debating has happened since discussing such things as how thin fashion icons are a dangerous influence on young women and a possible inspiration' behind many eating disorders including anorexics. I remember how horrified I was and we sat and talked about the issues involved between the two of us that day. I could only start to consider the anguish of the mother involved being a mother myself. I too have had times where my children have not eaten as they should for fashion reasons, and I think that this is not an area which is also just dedicated to women, as my son has also been influenced in this manner too. Young men are also influenced to have a certain physic as shown in the magazines.

My own point to be made is how very busy we all are and do we really take time to have proper meal times together as did my parents and grandparents or do we all eat or not eat, on the run as may be the case.

We in the UK work the longest working day in Europe. But in all this it’s hard to keep the family quality time alive and kicking. Where are the times where we sat together to eat, catch up with each other and discuss. I know with some teenagers the art of conversation has turned to grunts and groans, but they do join in eventually honest!

A recent program screened told the story of Sundays and further stated that now only 50,000 of us in Britain now sit down to a family roast on a Sunday, a British tradition so influenced and in decline since we opened the shops to 7 day trading.

As shown on Wikipedia for instance ‘The Sunday roast is a traditional English main meal served on Sundays (usually in the early afternoon), and consisting of roasted meat together with accompaniments. It is popular throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Other names for this meal are Sunday dinner, Sunday lunch, Sunday Tea, Roast dinner, and Sunday joint. The traditional Sunday roast has been traced back to Yorkshire, England during the Industrial Revolution. It is believed this tradition arose because the meat could be left in the oven to cook before church on a Sunday morning (and was cooked by the local baker in their ovens), and it would be ready when the family arrived home at lunchtime. The meat would be used throughout the week to feed the family and even down to the vegetable water being used in tea. Part of the tradition was to serve the Yorkshire pudding first for example so this would fill the men of the house up so that less meat would be consumed after’

I make a point of having breakfast together no matter what; we discuss what each of us has on for the day and at least support each other. Plus as a busy working mum myself this is the only way I can find out about the taxing service runs I need to do and when and where to pick who up during the day. We all leave with at least a nutritious breakfast inside of us to start the day. I also insist we do the same at the other end of the day and sit down properly to eat again. I know exactly whose eating what and also what is going on with each of them. Yes, I have had some grumbles along the way but they know there is no compromise on this and we all look forward to meal times.

In the words of Claire Boynton, Editor of generation one magazine,
“As a busy working Mum, dinner always comes right at the time where everyone needs me and I’m most tired. I’d love to be able to find a quick solution but guilt prevented me from buying supermarket ready meals. In order to feel virtuous, I had to make myself even more tired and grumpy – not good for family relations by preparing the family meal. Kitchen monkey is an absolute revelation to me – the food is restaurant delicious, quick to prepare and nutritious. It has all the advantages of having your Mum cook for you, without having to tidy your bedroom”

Take back the quality time in your life for the important things you need to do or for just your own leisure and well being!