We don’t have to worry about George Orwell’s Big Brother hiding in our bedroom or cyber stalking us instead he has ended up in the unlikeliest of places our kitchens, school cafeterias and grocery stores seemingly wherever there is food.  

School notes are being sent home to parents telling them what they can and more to the point cannot put in their kids lunches. One school has even intimated in their message that if you love your child you will not send cookies to school with them. Denmark has introduced the world’s first fat tax – a surcharge on foods that are high in saturated fat. And media headlines debate obese children being taken from their parents.

There is no doubt we have a worldwide health crisis around obesity in persons of all ages but shouldn’t the family kitchen be the first line of defense? A base line of counseling and education; which not only teaches what constitutes healthy eating but showing how to budget time and money so that the outcome is a realistic eating plan.  The excuse of too busy and too expensive to put a balanced meal on the table is wearing thin, no pun intended.

I have a diabetic husband and a busy life too. One day a week I run all my errands, meet clients or friends for lunch or coffee and I shop. On that day if you’re not on the list we don’t meet, if the dry cleaning isn’t ready it waits a week and 7-days’ worth of meals is purchased. Pre-planning meals saves money & time, reduces waste and ensures three well balanced meals each day. I have also taught myself to decipher those nutrition labels and ingredient lists; my focal points are sugar (in all its disguises), fibre and sodium. 

All is not perfect I answer emails while eating breakfast and work through lunch; what was in that sandwich anyway? Between 5:30 and 6pm I close the office, pour myself a glass of wine, and start dinner. Even though we don’t eat until about 7pm most nights but we always sit down and share that meal. We also don’t deprive oursleves; you will find cookies and chocolate in my pantry and dessert served at the weekends but neither of us has a weight issue and we didn’t need to see a dietician anymore; I have the diabetic meal planning down pat. 

It is probably time to examine those cultures not struggling with these obesity issues. France, parts of Asia and certain Mediterannean countries have longevity and healthy citizens perhaps the government needs to get out of our refrigerators and take a trip.

Here are some foodie articles that were the research for this post:

School Lunches in France by  Vivienne Walt

Why just a junk food ban by Bronwyn Eyre

Out of the Frying Pan by Jennifer Sygo