New Year Food Resolutions
By Janet Peterson

As the old year ends and a new one begins, I ceremoniously take down the old calendar and put up a new one. As I flip through last year’s calendar and see notes of events, appointments, classes, book club meetings, get-togethers, and family happenings, it’s a quick review of my life that year. And I think to myself how quickly the days, then weeks, months — and the whole year — have flown by.

I like to thumb through the new calendar and anticipate family birthdays, vacations, and important events. I think about the glorious gift of a fresh new year and all the time ahead and wonder what wonderful and significant happenings are going to take place and what notes I’ll have to review by January 1st of the next year.

I also make resolutions to improve my efforts and my life — as do many of you.

While you’ve been making your list of resolutions for the new year, have you included healthier eating and more family dinners?

Here are a few suggestions that you might consider resolving to do in 2007.

Make It Frequent

Resolve to eat dinner as a family at home more frequently. Not only will you be more healthy, but your family will also benefit in a variety of ways as you, amidst busy schedules, meet together, discuss your day, socialize, laugh together, and relish seeing the faces of those you love most.

As a family, discuss how dinner together more often can be accomplished. Perhaps some adjustments in schedules or the dinner hour will need to be made. Talk about why eating together is important. Ask family members what they enjoy most about your family eating together and how they think dinnertime could be improved.

Make It Fun

If mealtime at your home is boring and not well-attended, try spicing dinner up a bit with new menus and/or making it more fun.

Search cooking websites on the internet, browse through your own collection of cookbooks, watch some of the food shows on television, and experiment with new dishes. Try having a Mexican night by cooking foods you’ve loved in restaurants but haven’t cooked yourself — something beyond ground beef tacos with package seasoning mix.

Print a menu in Spanish or label items in your kitchen with their Spanish names. Practice some Spanish phrases with each other. Decorate simply with brightly colored napkins and paper plates and a few souvenirs you own, borrow, or buy. Or have a winter picnic by spreading a blanket on the floor near the fireplace. Be creative — and enlist family members to come up with fun dinner ideas, too.

Surprise your family with some new ways of serving their food, such as starting with dessert first on occasion, or giving them utensils other than knives, forks, and spoons to eat with.

Play verbal games at the dinner table.

Tell funny stories or jokes or funny things that happened to you recently or in the past.

Reminisce about fun times you’ve shared.

Make It Fast

Good dinners don’t have to take lots of time to prepare. Fast food is fine — as long it comes from your own kitchen. Find recipes that utilize only a small number of ingredients, have few preparation steps, and taste good.

Make your own collection of easy-to-prepare recipes that your family enjoys and put them in a binder so that when you=re especially pressed for time, you can easily find the recipe and prepare it.

Keep your larder well stocked so that you can prepare dinner without running to the store for needed items. Plan meals and shop your plan.

Make It Less Fattening

Resolve to eat healthier this year by consuming fewer calories and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

By cooking at home, you=ll know exactly what the ingredients are and what cooking method is used.

Cut back on use of trans-fats — solid, hydrogenated fats (shortening). Use olive oil to sauté vegetables, to brown meats, and as a base for salad dressings.

Eating out usually means eating more food, thus taking in more calories. Restaurants usually serve large portions on large plates exceeding recommended serving sizes. Cooking at home means you know exactly what the ingredients and methods of preparation are.

Control portion sizes so that the amount of food eaten is appropriate for age and activity levels.

Make It Fabulous

Presentation does make a difference. One doesn’t have to spend scads of time and money to make a table look nice. Simple placemats, a vinyl or easy-to-wash tablecloth, a variety of paper napkins, and a centerpiece every now and then make a table appealing. Buying inexpensive dishes and stemware allows you to have several sets so that you’ll have some variety. Making the table attractive conveys a message to your family that they are as important as guests that come. It also boosts the taste of the food you cook.

One of the best gifts you could give your family is a year of “happy meals,” so that when you all review your 2007 calendar, it will be filled with wonderful memories of delicious food, warm and pleasant conversation, and increased family unity.

Make it frequent.

Make it fun.

Make it fast.

Make it less fattening.

Make it fabulous!