Saturday, March 6, 2010

Love the Family Table

Every expert from the scientists at the Department of Health to your grandma will tell you that it is vitally important for your children to experience regular family meals at home.  They develop better social skills, participate in family discussions, eat healthier food while eating slower and more deliberately than those who wolf down delivery pizza standing up at the kitchen counter.  Not only children, but all of us benefit from this.

Everybody knows that eating a healthy home-cooked meal as a family is best, but just talking about the benefits has not changed the minds of women who still prefer to warm up something frozen and toss it on the table for whoever feels like wandering by to consume it when they're ready.   You may know that actual cooking is better, but there's always that lame excuse, "I'm just too busy and tired to be bothered."  Well, if you bothered to have these children, bother yourself to take good care of them.

I cook every day, with a few exceptions.  It takes time, it takes hours.  The preparation, the serving, the eating and the clean-up is time and energy consuming.  But the joy of seeing my family well-fed and happy, seeing them come home eager to know what's for dinner, knowing that they were looking forward to my food - it's worth it all.  There is something very healing and calming about a family that joins together over food they love; sometimes a dish that's familiar and comforting, or other times a new and interesting dish to test out.  Even those exotic new dishes that we decide we don't want to try again, are a fun experience for us all to laugh about, and I'm always given points for effort!

So for all the bullet points that the Health Department can list off about the positive effects of home cooking, do it for you.  Do it for the very selfish reason of getting extra kisses and hugs, lots of thanks and a quiet peaceful evening after the dishes are washed because everyone's tummies, hearts and minds know that they're loved.

I've seen plenty of photos these days of the young women who are going through their initiation phase to enter the Sisterhood, and one of those ongoing tasks, is cooking and setting a proper table for their families.  One after another, I hear how much happier their home has become just through these meals alone - meals made to be special, delicious and beautiful to look at.  If cooking can melt the hearts of a stressed-out family, isn't it worth all the effort?  Don't know how to cook?  If you know how to read and follow directions, you can cook.  Now open those cook books and get cracking!

(Thanks Camilla, Yuliana, Blanca, Ana, Pr. Lucas and Jorge for letting me use your picture!)

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

E., please explain about the Sisterhood. If they're learning to cook for their families, this must not mean becoming nuns. I'm confused.

Your MN sis-in-law

Maritza Barr said...

Very true! I have recently learned that having a family meal or at least a family gathering is essential to the development of a child, in many different ways!

I never did have a 'family gathering' but I have recently had that opportunity! Something as simple as cooking a meal can bring family even closer!

I really agree with your comment "Well, if you bothered to have these children, bother yourself to take good care of them."

This is something that RARELY happens, speaking from personal experience and from what I've seen thus far. I sometimes enter a fast food restaurant and all I see are a bunch of kids eating basically rotten food, or food that is extremely unhealthy!

I ask myself "don't their parents care?" I am not criticizing fast food restaurants but I worked at one for 6 months and I saw several things!!

Bianca Moctezuma said...

i like this post is so true!
I know this from experience
because this is what happens in my family, my mom cooks for us but not all the time! she just buys us things that we can heat in the microwave,(because my brothers are not used to home cooked meals, because my mom never took the time to cook for us, she said she was too tired or didnt have time) & Now that I cook for them,, for my sisterhood tasks i think we got closer because never eat together! back then i would just go to my room and eat over there! but now its different!
i truly can say that with the sisterhood tasks helped me ALOT!

In Faith,
Bianca Moctezuma
Austin Tx.

Sandra Tiseira said...

It's so true sometime it takes up extra time to cook up something special, but it’s wonderful to hear your loved ones say they just love it. My husband always says did my mom come to visit...lol

Anonymous said...

This is so true Mrs. Evelyn. The table is the place in which the family gets together every night. It's the place that makes them bond and communicate. Many decisions, announcements are made at the table. Nowadays everyone is so busy, but when the family gets together to enjoy a meal it's like everything stops and there they are, just the family, and at that moment it's all about them. By the way, The Sisterhood has been a great instrument in God's hands to unite families, to make of ordinary girls- great women of God, and I believe it's just the beginning. (Oh...and thanks for using our picture as an example...we feel privileged!) :-)

Cecilia said...

I agree with you Mrs Evelyn, to cook for our family is a lot of work but we forget about when we hear from our love ones to say was really good.

I remember when I was single I didnt like to cook my dinner was maruchan soup, and when i get marriage everithing change, I love to cook becauase I know somebody also will eat my food.

Laura Aime said...

A home ccoked meal can make a family closer,it's true!My mom works all day so when its time for me to cook for my sisterhood tasks it's only me and my older brother at the table.But through this experience we have gotten to know each other even more.
-Laura Perez
Austin Tx.

Izamar Romero said...

Great message Mrs. Evelyn, I didn't see it that way

Izamar Romero said...

Great message Mrs. Evelyn, I didn't see it that way

Debora Anjos said...

Thinking about these details in life I can't help but wonder that in reality, maintaining a healthy and happy family can take very simple habits.
Yet nowadays, somehow we completely miss them! ALL the time!

Even if we want to claim that ordering in is better, we need to realize the time we waste waiting for the food to be delivered (because we end up not doing anything significant until the food arrives anyways). When going to a drive-through, we spend more time driving there, carrying everything, etc..
Not counting that we spend so MUCH more money for not as healthy food!

loved the post!

Unknown said...

Is very important to eat our food at home. Besides being healthy, unite our family more ;0).

Marites,Manila,Philippines said...

hi mrs.Evelyn!
i love to see the whole family are eating together, bonding with them.and everybody is enjoying the best meals that we prepared.
thanks for this post mrs.Evelyn,it's so true,when we are doing something for our family,we must give them the best.
God bless you abundantly!

Marites,Manila,Philippines

Revolted_Manila said...

Hello Mrs. Evelyn,

Yes I agree in this blog Mrs Evelyn. And as we love our family and show we could be happy family in every way we must freely give time, effort and willingness to make a very nice family table set with nice nice foods to eat with our family.

As I start again preparing for our family at first I'm afraid to do cause I feel like I dont have time but when I've took the courage and do with all love for my family. I realized and said to myself "I should have done this before, I should have done this when my father is still here". But I do believe it's never been too late to cook, prepare the table and eat with our family.

^_^
Cindy from Manila

Divya said...

Eating home cooked meals is much healthier too. Imagine how many health problems women could be saving their families from.

Also it is very good to have a good conversation. I enjoy it, when I go home and Mrs. Diana, I and her mother in law get talking. It is very nice.

However, it is not that nice to have good home cooked meals, a beautiful table and a family that just sits down to eat like strangers :(

It has to be the complete package ;0)

Diana said...

hi mrs. evelyn
i am Diana from philippines, i love this post of your maam because it's true that one of the main cause our society face is the problem that many children nowadays got really in trouble. In their young age others know how to stole things from others, while the others become a prey for those who does so evil things in young children, they abused children they sold their organs. And these really make me feel sad. I believe a simple family get together to eat or talk would really help young people to find love, comfort and care that enough to make them build themselves strong.

PHAMELA JOY--UCKG PHILIPPINES said...

hellow mrs. evelyn..
i love this blog so much..
before our family didnt care for each other but now its a big transformation.
i really feel the love and care for each one of us..
thank you so much..
GODBLESS..
__PHAMELA JOY--UCKG PHILIPPINES

PHAMELA JOY--UCKG PHILIPPINES said...

hellow mrs. evelyn..
i love this blog so much..
before our family didnt care for each other but now its a big transformation.
i really feel the love and care for each one of us..
thank you so much..
GODBLESS..
__PHAMELA JOY--UCKG PHILIPPINES

Princess Erika - Philippines said...

Hi Mrs. Evelyn,

This is really true Ma'am. Most of the families now a days doesn't do this, like eating together. And this is one of the reason also why some family doesn't have a bonding with each other and sweetness also.

And I learned from this that eating with our family makes us more close them. So close to them!

Thank you so much for sharing this to us Mrs. Evelyn!

JOY-PHILIPPINES said...

hello,Mrs.Evelyn

YES,it's very true..

I am Happy to see my Family are eating together and enjoy the food we are preparing to them,with love and care..
thank you Mrs.Evelyn,i learn a lot to this post..


I'm joy from Philippines..

GODLESS YOU..

Unknown said...

very nice to have this..to have a family gathering..i like this post because its true.its nice to see your family eating together..like in our family were not doing this before but now i learn to cook to prepare now were eating together.and for me its the place for us to bond
and communicate..

_kristine julaton
_UCKG philippines

Liza said...

Hi Mrs. Evelyn!

Your posts inspire me a lot! It is really true that the healthy home-cooked meal as a family is best because we can enjoy the food and we will have a bonding between our family.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mrs Evelyn

It's true, the table is the place in which the family gets together and is beautiful to see the whole family are eating together.

Francilene - Manila

Anonymous said...

There is a saying that "the FAMILY that prays together, stays forever". Well for me i could say that "the FAMILY that eats together,makes the bonding/relationship STRONGER". Eating alone its not good unlike you were together as a family you can share to them what happened to you the whole day,your feelings,thoughts,ideas, you can share different opinions. In all, Its nice that eating together shows the care, love, the support to one another. Let's continue doing it at home. Thank you for this blog Mrs. Evelyn.

Tess-Manila

Camila said...

Hi Mrs. Evelyn, indeed is very important to eat home-cooked meals and it is so nice when we sit at the table with our family, enjoying the food and the company.

The pleasure of hearing my husband complementing the meal is priceless and all the effort is not even remembered.
Thank you for this great post.

Anonymous said...

hello Mrs Evelyn,

yah its true, i realized it after i have exerted an effort to cook and prepare meals for my family,..
i am a very busy woman and its very hard for me fine time to do it, but when i tried ive seen how happy my family about it i feel how much they appreciate what i did, the tiredness that felt was eased, seeing them eating and enjoying the meal that i prepared brought fulfillment inside of me and i realized that i should have done this before....
thanks for the sisterhood, though i am not yet in, i am already learning a lot!

kisses to all:)

Mishelle(Mia), UCKG philippines

lovely said...

Hi Mrs.Evelyn,
This is true that the table is the place in which the family get's together,
Through this we can get to know each other..

lovely rose
Manila,Philippines

Lillian said...

This is so true, and yet how many people have heard this before and continue to disregard it? From experience I have seen that those families that have a meal together each day seem to get along and be able to communicate better. Growing up I never had that family meal and the consequences were obvious - there was hardly any communication in my family and nobody really felt comfortable being around each other. Everyone would find something to eat on their own, or even if my mom would cook a meal, everyone would eat it at different times. The lack of practicing this even made us feel awkward and uneasy the few times we had visitors and therefore had to eat meals together... that's why I completely agree with this post and believe it's something that shouldn't be taken for granted...

Delma said...

Hi Mrs.Evelyn
It's very important when we sit at the table with our family to eat together.
Thank you for sharing this post to us.

Delma-Philippines

Janet said...

"All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

Rebeca=) said...

So true, eating around a table with those you care for is very nice. Growing up I didn't do this much. My mother would get home late, my sister would keep herself locked in her room and I would be out with the neighborhood kids or watching tv. Though the few times we did do this it was nice. And now with the sisterhood it changed everything.
I see it as a very worthwhile thing worth doing and looking forward to.

Lily Torn said...

Mrs. Evelyn, this is so true! My dad is always on a happier mood when I cook for him. He comes home tired from work, and to see a table set and a cooked meal makes him relax, and also gives us time to talk about our day. It's a great thing to do!

Dayrin said...

The pleasure of seeing our families feel good about what we did for them is extremely worth it.

Mayela Menezes said...

I love it when my mom cooks home cooked meals when i get home, or even my dad because he's a great cook! I also noticed that when eating a home cooked meal we are more active than when we eat fast food! I'm glad i learned how to cook, now i can use this tool of mine! :)

Ana Villatoro said...

I love to eat home made food. It is delicious and healthy. I rather cook than eat in a fancy restaurant.

missleon said...

I love this blog and couldn't agree more! I have grown up having regular home cooked meals and eating around the table with my family. Now that we are all older, our commitments mean that we often eat at different times to each other, but every Sunday we have a meal around the table and some "family time". It is the part of the week that I look forward to the most. We take it in turns each week to prepare a lovely family meal and set the table nicely. Whilst eating, we can talk about our day or our week, we laugh with each other etc. It is a time of week that we all love. Seeing the benefits of family meals and home cooked meals means that when i do start a family of my own I will bring them up with the same tradition!

Triana ! said...

THats how i feel when i do my taks i do it to gain my famaly so true that thay become united and hyave a good time loved it thanyou!!

Triana ! said... THats how i feel when i do my taks i do it to gain my famaly so true that thay become united and hyave a good time loved it thanyou!!

April 2, 2011 10:00 PM
Publish

Triana ! said...

gronetaTHats how i feel when i do my taks i do it to gain my famaly so true that thay become united and hyave a good time loved it thanyou!!

Triana ! said... THats how i feel when i do my taks i do it to gain my famaly so true that thay become united and hyave a good time loved it thanyou!!

April 2, 2011 10:00 PM
Publish