Question 2
As Americans, we are
consistently going and we believe that convenience foods are often the fastest,
easiest way to eat. What would you suggest to your clients/patients when they
say that they just don't have time to make a meal and sit as a family to eat?
posted by JociSchumann @ 10:32 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
I would encourage them of the benefits of making this a priority. Most people have time for anything they are required to do. Making sitting down for diner a requirement to prevent loss of time in the future from disease is a productive use of time. Also, there are many quick and easy ways to make meals that are not convenience foods but can be prepared quickly and should be available for those days when people feel rushed.
I would talk with the family about meals that are currently purchased outside of the home, such as at fast-food restaurants or restaurants like Chili’s where carry-out is available. I would offer suggestions as to how these meals could be made at home in a short amount of time and also be nutritious choices. Preparing veggies from steamable bags or marinating chicken breasts in the fridge while at work are ways in which nutritious meals can be prepared in a short amount of time. As a family, it is important to work through their schedule to find the time to make dinner happen. I agree with Nate that we find time to include the important things in our day and dinner is not an exception.
Alana makes some good points. Having some good choices to make at home that are easy is a good alternative to having to eat out. I would say that a person would almost need cooking demonstrations or hands on classes to make this work if they are not used to making foods though.
I think I would take one or two of the following approaches:
1. Provide information about healthier choices to make when dining out. Many fast food and fast casual restaurants have healthy options if you know what to choose.
2. As Nate and Alana mentioned, provide strategies to help them get a meal on the table for the family. Having a plan for the week I think is the most important strategy. Without this, it is very difficult to get a home cooked dinner on the table quickly. A couple of popular magazines (Cooking Light and Everyday Food) have monthly features with a list of quick, healthy, weeknight menus with shopping lists. There are also some cookbooks out there for busy families by popular celebrity chefs. Additional options for busy evenings are crock pot meals that can be prepped the night before and plugged in in the morning.
I agree with Angela that there are many resources available for families who want to eat healthier at home. Morning and daytime TV shows often have celebrity chefs or RD's (Joy Bauer on Today) who prepare quick meals and post their recipes on the website for viewers.
Ha! This is what my thesis is all about. I would tell them to prepare meals ahead of time. Making hotdishes and putting them in the freezer, using a crockpot, or preparing veggies and fruits when getting home from the grocery store so everything is ready when it is time to make supper. I would explain that children are more likely to not be overweight or obese when having regular family meals and also less likely to have health problems when they get older. Children learn how to prepare food, learn about nutrition (sometimes) and are more often than not receive a more well-rounded meal than from meals purchased outside of the home. Stressing the numerous benefits of preparing a meal at home would hopefully make a parent understand the importance of making time for meals.
I think it all starts with making a plan. The weekdays can be very hectic and I would suggest trying to prepare some meals on the weekends to last throughout the week. Also, creating schedules for weeknight dinners could also be helpful. When I was at the DMH wellness center this one woman shared with me how she created a monthly schedule of dinner for her family, this way she knew what her grocery list was each week and other family members could start the meal if she were running late. A month of planning could be a little much for some but I think planning is key! Another solution is a crock pot which allows someone to put all the ingredients together in the morning and have a meal ready later in the evening (find recipes that use fresh produce). Finally, using convenience items is not always a bad thing just using them in moderation would be important and understanding that all convenience items are not unhealthy; utilizing healthier options like chopped frozen fruit and vegetables without added sugars or sauces would be a time saver.
Angela makes a good point about providing information about healthy choices that can be made when dining out secondary to family meals. This way when a family does need to rely on convenience meal they can be prepared and make a healthy choice.
Alana I love how you bring up working fast-food and restaurant food into a healthy eating plan. I think one of the biggest issues why people may not respond as well as dietitian's may like to weight/diet counseling is because they just spew out one-size-fits-all weight management strategies when they should really be tweaking the consumer's current behavior.
Specific examples are probably the most important piece to helping someone change their behavior.
The RD should guide the client to these goals to ensure the goals are personal and attainable.
A few things that come to mind are things that I personally do:
-Cook meals on a day when you have time (for example, Sunday night) and pre-portion them into storage containers so you can grab-and-go or pop them in the microwave or oven. Leftovers are a busy person's best friend.
-On the same note, pre-portion snacks into baggies or containers.
-When you grocery shop, have a menu in mind, don't just mindlessly purchase food that has no cohesiveness.
-Don't feel bad about convenience foods--they are good to use when you're in a crunch (the healthier options), but not a daily meal replacement (ex: Clif or Luna bars, protein shakes, trail mix, granola bars, etc.)
-ALWAYS keep a "convenience food" in your bag, car, desk, etc. so you always have a nutritious option when you're stuck and don't have to succomb to a vending machine or drive-thru (I keep Luna bars everywhere).
-Whatever your "weakness" food is--allow yourself to have it in moderation and appropriate portions. Stay out of the depravity pit!
As always, I think it depends on the individual person you are counseling. Busy is such a general term, and could pertain to many different lifestyles. If someone is busy but at home many hours of the day, I would recommend, like many of you have said, that they plan ahead, freeze meals, and pull them out when available. If I'm talking to someone who travels for a living, I would probably advise them on what some things are to look for when dining out. I remember observing an RD advise a truck driver on a diabetic diet and individualizing it to his lifestyle, constantly on the road. Like many of you have already said, the most important thing is having a plan. I think that a good plan can even account for when things don't go as planned!
I agree with Taylor that not all convenience foods should be discouraged. I would rather a client eat a Luna or Clif bar for breakfast than to eat nothing at all! Taylor also mentioned having a menu in mind when grocery shopping and I feel that this is so important. We taught this at DMHWC and it helps people to focus and avoid the "splurges" that often occur at the grocery store.
Taylor, I love your comments about being prepared. Not only for the week ahead by buying and prepping snacks, but also on a daily basis. And I agree with Alana that we need to guide clients to those healthy convenience foods. I think most of us always have something like a LUNA bar stashed in our bag. It's easy to be tempted by treats at work if it is the only option. If a person has access to a shared fridge at work they can also stash fresh fruit and yogurt for the week. I used to keep a jar of peanut butter in my desk at work. My company provided bowls of complimentary fruit in the break room and I could always slather an apple or banana with peanut butter if I was really hungry.
Nate I am completely with you. I think that making clients/patients/families realize the numerous benefits of eating together at home with a homemade meal may make it a priority for them.
I feel like I wouldn't necessarily say the same thing to everyone. I would find out what the barriers are to eating healthy. I know a lot of parents who are on the go a lot because they have multiple kids in sports or extracurricular activities. Makes it really hard to "make home meals a priority". You have to consider what works best for them and their lifestyles.
I like all of the great suggestions on how to make quick meals. However, I think, as Americans, we tend to perceive a hot meal as a more nutritious meal. There are ways to eat a cold meal and still get the proper nutrition. It may not be as exciting but will get the job done, be way more friendly to the budget, and keep the family healthy.
Post a Comment
<< Home