So much has changed since childhood for adults today. Looking in my pantry, I see that I have six different brands of breakfast cereal. How different from my Mother’s pantry that had only porridge oats or a loaf of bread. Times have change radically; mothers work and we are now money rich, but time poor. No wonder that at times we reach for convenience foods to feed our families. The 1970s signaled a change in family life with the advent of the dual income family, followed by the rise in availability of convenience food. The more food we eat away from the home, the more we lose control of what we are eating and the calorie content. Also, we now have no time for the daily shop and so we shop weekly instead. It is no wonder that our self-control is tried to the absolute limit. If you don’t want to be faced with a constant battle of food versus self-control, there is a better strategy.
Make a plan for your meals and snacks. Don’t make controlling your weight a test of your willpower. Life rewards actions so start with a plan — the food you don’t want to eat, simply don’t buy. Your objective is to control your weight and to be healthy — your action is to make time for exercise and to buy healthy food. Take healthy snacks to work and the outcome will be that you are in control of your weight, you will look better, feel healthier and will have more energy.
In contemporary society, being fat can be related to income, as poor people are less likely to become overweight. Those of us who have a memory of scarcity in the past and now live in an environment of abundance have to strive extra hard to learn to hold back and not over-indulge. The only way to prevent putting on weight is to develop self-control. Parents are responsible for teaching their children to eat healthy food and avoid a constant stream of carbonated drinks and snacks. Preach restraint, but remember that children pick up on whatever is going on around them. Show them that you respect your body and they will learn to respect theirs.
Recipe of the week
Chicken Gumbo
Serves 6
Ingredients
680 g chicken pieces
360 ml (360 g) water
360 ml (370 g) chicken stock
1 tbsp (14 g) vegetable oil
1 tbsp all purpose flour
110 g onions, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
230 g okra, cut into 6 mm pieces
46 g long grain white rice, uncooked
1 celery rib, chopped
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/2 bay leaf
Method
Bring chicken, water, and stock to a boil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to another bowl and set aside. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over low heat. Add flour and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until roux is golden in color. Add onions and bell pepper and cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until onion is translucent. Slowly stir in warm stock. Increase heat to high, stirring until mixture boils. Add chicken, remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 40 minutes, until mixture is thickened and chicken is cooked through.
Ask Alva
Q: I know that it is good for me to drink plenty of water, but quite frankly I find water pretty boring to drink. What’s wrong with fizzy drinks and squashes? Peter W.
A: Fizzy drinks, squashes and ‘juice drinks’ contain lots of sugar — which means they contain a lot of calories — and very few nutrients. So try to keep these to a minimum. Research shows that most children and young people eat too much sugar, and more of it comes from fizzy drinks than any other type of food or drink. Children who have lots of sugary drinks, such as fizzy drinks and squashes, are more likely to be overweight and to put on weight. So getting children to drink fewer sugary drinks is a good way to reduce the amount of sugar they eat. The best drinks to give children are water, milk and milkshakes without added sugar. ‘Diet’ versions of fizzy drinks also contain very few nutrients, so milk or water are much healthier choices especially for children.
