Comfort Food For The Economy

If Obama and staff can't quickly energize thehome. It makes us feel secure that someone cares
economy, we will all need more comfort food. And, weenough for us to cook dinner. And, we then all sit down
will be eating at home more. As a society, I think weand eat together.
needed to slow down a bit and enjoy moreAha, this is sounding good. Can we stop long enough
"moments." Today's economic downturn may justto dine together as a family? It has been proven that
have been the wakeup call we needed.there are huge benefits to children to have family
I personally have felt like I've been on a 20-year rollerdinners. The conclusions of a study done by Columbia
coaster blending family, career, friends, networking,University show that teens who eat fewer than 3
volunteering, raising a child beginning at 40, becoming afamily dinners a week are:o Two and a half times
widow, re-marrying, getting my daughter throughlikelier to smoke cigarettes.o More than one and a half
college, being her career advisor, and---going to thetimes likelier to drink alcohol.o Almost three times likelier
gym!! I made money, saved money, and spent a wholeto try marijuana.
lot of money. Is all this pure craziness?Two researchers at the University of Minnesota
I had a 17-year-old student from France, Audrey, aboutinvestigated the potential benefits of family mealtimes
16 years ago. I took her to Costco. She wasand found children gain these benefits:o Better
overwhelmed at the low prices we have. She lovednutritiono Better language and literacyo Fewer eating
America. Two years later she came to visit again. Shedisorderso Fewer risky behaviours.
observed, "In France we are taken care of fromJoseph Califano Jr., chairman and president of the
cradle to grave by the government. As a result wenational Center on Addition and Substance Abuse,
have no money and prices are high. We don't havesays that "the family dinner is more powerful than any
much 'stuff'." This time she was trying to evaluatelaw we can pass, any punishment we can level" for
which system was best. I became more conscious ofprotecting children against risky behavior. "parental
how much "stuff" we have.engagement is a critical weapon in the fight against
Audrey got me to begin thinking also that it is a lotsubstance abuse," he says. "If I could wave a want, I'd
easier to buy things than to get rid of them. I am suremake everyone have family dinner."
my age is the main reason. Young people can't getThe new cookbook, The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner,
enough "stuff." My 22 year old daughter is a primeEasy Family Meals for Every Day of the Week not
example. However, I did teach her that she could buyonly is chock full of comfort food recipes, but one day
many things, but it is best to only buy what sheof the week is dedicated to comfort food, Monday.
LOVED. One time when she was in high school, sheThe author Liz Edmunds says that this is because
went into Macy's dressing room and tried on at leastMonday is the day after the weekend where children
20 garments. She came out with nothing and said, "Ineed to get back into the routine of school for the
didn't LOVE anything."week. Comfort food helps achieve this.
Why is comfort food the medicine we need in a badMy new year's resolution is to slow down, have
economy. Well, it reminds us of what our mothers andcomfort food for family dinners, and learn to make
grandmothers cooked. It is often the retro or classicbread and home-made pizzas like the author of the
recipes that nouveau cuisine ignores. It is often a blendabove book exclaims is not as hard as you'd think and
of a lot of food categories into one dish. It often cooksmakes mom very "special.
for 30 min. to an hour adding yummy smells to the