Menu Makeover: Slow is the New Fast

The goal of the Michiana BetterU healthy cooking class is to demonstrate "fast food" does not only exist at the drive through window. I am not so sure "fast food" is really that fast.  Think about this for a minute; by the time you decide where to go to pick up food, get in your car, drive to the restaurant, order, then be served and drive home 30 – 45 minutes has passed. In the same amount of time you could have enjoyed a relaxing home cooked healthy meal with your family creating a healthier life for you and your family. 

The Michiana BetterU Challengers learned how to fight fast food with slow food during the interactive Menu Makeover healthy cooking class. In case you have not heard of the Slow Food Movement, it's a philosophy which focuses on combating the idea when it comes to food, fast food is NOT your only choice nor is it the best choice.

The Slow Food Movement, like the American Heart Association focuses on choosing healthier food options, the fresher the better. There seems to be confusion as to what healthy food is and is not. To add to the confusion are hundreds of media messages every day telling us manufactured foods are cheaper, faster and has the same level of nutrition as foods made at home from natural whole food ingredients. This is simply is not true.

The fact is any food you prepare from home, with your ingredients and that do not come out of a bag, box or freezer are always going to be healthier than any food you get anywhere else. During the cooking class we chopped, mixed, stirred, cooked then served a 5 course meal fast in just 30 minutes. I'd say that's pretty fast!

The menu included foods we think of as fast food: 

oven baked corn chips

tomato and fruit salsa

vegetable soup

fruit and vegetable green salad

oven baked chicken nuggets

fruit parfait 

and sparkling water with a dash of pomegranate juice.

Here is what else we learned: 

1. The easier the food is to make the more sodium and fat it tends to have.

2. What is unhealthy about prepared and process foods.

3. How to make healthy substitutions for prepared foods common to family menus.

4. Food is always healthier when prepared at home.

5. Healthy foods can be prepared “fast” at home.

6. A serving size of chicken, beef, pork and fish is smaller than you think.

7. The recommended servings of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are more than you think.

8. New nutrition facts label will help us make better food choices. 

In class we examined food for heart healthy labeling looking for sodium, cholesterol, fat, fiber and sugar comparing these "ready to go foods" with foods requiring some simple preparation. We prepared a full meal containing USDA recommendations for a healthy diet and reviewed healthy plate management strategies.

The healthy cooking class demonstrates with an organized plan, knowledge and a strategy that works cooking from home is nutritious, easy to do, economical and takes very little time.

Thank you to Martin's Supermarkets for assisting us with our cooking class and the beautiful cooking school location. Also to American Heart Association for providing helpful tools in their Nutrition Center and C2 Your Health LLC for teaching the class.

Slow is the new fast!  

Your partner in health,

Cindy Cohen RN

Certified Health Coach

C2 Your Health LLC