Scripture to Memorize
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:14–15
Passage to Read
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.
Deuteronomy 30:19–20
Guided Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of choice, even though it sometimes feels like a burden. It seems life would be better if everyone just automatically did the right thing all the time. But you created us in your image, granting us the power to choose which path to follow. I’m so thankful that you’ve given us your Word and in it you’ve set before us life and death, blessings and curses. All of heaven and earth bear witness that you’ve made clear to humanity what the consequences of obedience and disobedience look like. Today I choose life, not just for my own sake but for the sake of my children and all who will come after me. Holy Spirit, lead me in right pathways and empower me to choose wisely. I love you, Lord. I’m listening for your voice and holding fast to you. Speak to me and hold me, too. Amen.
Personal
We began this week by purging our homes of all the nonfood food hiding in our pantries. Today we talk about America’s favorite source of harmful not food: fast-food restaurants. The Bible tells us that the virtuous woman is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. We all know the grocery store is always farther than the nearest fast-food restaurant. And the grocery store with healthy food is always even farther! But even if it means we have to get up while it is still dark to provide food, real food, for our family, that’s what we need to do.
Fast-foodaholism is rampant. If you have any doubt about that, drive down most any street in America—or pretty much anywhere else in the world these days—and the number of fast-food places testifies to our obsession. More often than not, we pull into a fast-food place because we’re hungry, we’re in a hurry, and it is not “from afar”—it’s right in front of us. Because we didn’t take time to plan or prepare ahead, our waistlines (and cholesterol levels) will pay the price.
You realize, of course, that the reason it’s called fast food is because it’s better to fast than to eat the food? In recent years, many of these restaurants have begun offering healthy alternatives. Still, even though we choose the healthier options, the food is much more expensive than eating at home.
The way to save money and calories is by eating the old-fashioned way: home cooking. Your Personal Notebook can help. Once a week, take time to plan your meals using the combination MENU PLANNER/GROCERY LIST that you will add to your notebook today. If you notice something running low during the week, note it on the grocery list in your notebook, rather than on the refrigerator door. After all, you won’t be taking the refrigerator door to the grocery store, but hopefully, you’ve disciplined yourself to carry your Personal Notebook with you at all times. By planning ahead and shopping accordingly, you avoid the late-afternoon panic: What’s for dinner? and the even more exasperating, If only I had ______________, I could fix ____________.
Be sure to have on hand plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and whole grains. Then, before you run out the door, you can grab some healthy snacks to take with you. A little preparation goes a long way, especially when you have to go afar to pick up your kids at soccer practice on the way to the orthodontist.
Let me introduce two secret weapons that may help. First, the Crock-Pot. If you don’t have one and haven’t discovered the joy of Crock-Pot cooking, you are really missing out. What I love is that everyone can have dinner at a different time without too much disruption. I can spoon out a bowl for Tara at 4:00 p.m. and sit and chat with her while she enjoys dinner; then when my husband comes in at 8:00 p.m., I can serve him a bowl that’s just as delicious and nutritious without making another mess in the kitchen. You can throw the ingredients in the Crock-Pot the night before or early in the day and just let it simmer.
For those evenings when you know everyone can sit down at the same time (miracle of miracles), the easy answer is the meal-assembly kitchens that have popped up in shopping centers all over the nation. The one a block from my home is called My Girlfriend’s Kitchen and their motto is “The best idea since the invention of the wife.” They take care of all the grocery shopping, recipe planning, chopping, slicing, dicing, and cleanup. You can schedule an appointment to go in and assemble twelve “ready to cook” entrées to store in your fridge or freezer. The session takes about two hours but will feed your family for two weeks. Each entrée comes in a disposable aluminum pan, so there’s no cleanup either during or after the meal. That alone is worth the price of admission in my book. The advantage of planning and cooking ahead should be obvious.
You don’t have to assemble twelve meals, although you get a discount. You can go in and assemble just one dinner, if you are so inclined. Also they offer the option of ordering a meal to be assembled on your behalf, which you can then simply pick up or have delivered to your home—for an additional fee. Find out if there is a location near you by visiting www.mygirlfriendskitchen.com or check your newspaper for local alternatives. My best friend in Ohio uses Entrée Vous (www.entreevous.com), which actually sounds even more affordable. The cost is comparable to a delivered pizza, so it’s a great deal.
If the price of delivered pizza is outside your budget (and let’s be honest, for many families today, it certainly is), let me suggest the book Once-a-Month Cooking by Mary-Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson. You can also check out www.frugalmom.net or simply google the phrase “once a month cooking” for recent additions. Don’t forget to involve your kids in the cooking process too. It’s good for them and good for you, too.
With a little advanced planning, you and your family can eat healthier, and probably you won’t have to go that far to make it happen.
Affirmation: I plan ahead for healthier eating.
Practical
Investigate meal-assembly kitchens in your area.
Notebook: Label the third tab divider HOUSEHOLD. Photocopy from the back of the book or download and print the MENU PLANNER/GROCERY LIST worksheet (www.donnapartow.com/grocerylist). Insert several copies. Print a few extras and store in one of the pockets.
Remember: Today is day four of vegetables and water.