As I sat, the day before my deadline, pondering what to write, the phrase ‘the gift of food preparation’ came to mind.
Really, it boils down to the gift of time, right? It’s the one thing we all need a bit more of, especially this time of year.
I know future Holly is always very happy that past Holly made an egg bake earlier in the week, which provides a high-protein, veggie-packed breakfast in the time it takes to microwave a piece.
So, why NOT consider the ‘gift’ of food preparation an actual gift, either for yourself or someone else? It certainly checks all the boxes: it doesn’t cost you a penny, doesn’t add to the clutter in your home (or theirs), doesn’t feed into the trap of materialism, and not only is it practical, but it can certainly bring great joy to the recipient. (Again, the recipient can be yourself.)
So, how do you actually GIVE the gift of food preparation? Well, if the recipient is yourself, you simply need to block time NOW in anticipation of the gift coming LATER. For example, find an hour this weekend and pick one recipe you’d like to make. Be sure to shop for ingredients ahead of time. For maximum enjoyment, have an audiobook ready to go, or turn the Christmas music up as high as you can stand it. When you’re finished, you can enjoy an extra bit of pleasure knowing you have a healthy meal in minutes for tomorrow, or the next day or the next.
What if you’d like to give the gift of food preparation to someone else? Perhaps you have a friend whose aging parents require a lot of care, or you know a single-parent who could really use a blessing right now. Maybe it’s an elderly couple who live on your street. Heck, maybe it’s your husband who repeatedly comes home from work lamenting that ‘he didn’t eat lunch,’ but yet refuses to pack one. (Does it seem like that one came to me a bit too easily?)
If you’re preparing a meal for a mom who is constantly driving kids all over the place, make something that can be reheated easily and is simple, like a one-pot meal. A good example would be a homemade soup or pot of spaghetti with bread and a bagged salad.
If your meal is going to your elderly neighbor, make smaller portions and bring them in lighter dishes that are easy to handle. An idea would be some chicken breast halves, with sides of steamed carrots and rice.
If your meals are for your lunchbox-forgetting husband, prep a few grab-and-go containers. You could make it as simple as a sandwich, some raw veggies with hummus and an apple. Even easier? Package last night’s leftovers in a microwave-safe container and make sure he gets out the door with it the following morning.
While the biggest gift here is time (yours or theirs), there are more benefits to food preparation than that. First, the recipient saves money. The average cost of a meal out these days is at least $20, which doesn’t even include a drink or tip. So, you’re looking at saving more than $100 a month by skipping one meal out each week. Families stand to save even more by eating at home.
Second, the recipient saves calories. The average lunch or dinner out is approximately 150 calories more than eating a meal at home, which could be a savings of more than 1,000 calories each week if you used to eat out almost daily.
Your gift could be a one-time thing, or you could commit to a longer-term commitment, such as once a week or month. I’m guessing a friend who just got a cancer diagnosis would appreciate regular visits and goodies from you. And I’m also willing to bet that future you is going to like all this prep past you is doing…
For someone who doesn’t have the time, interest or ability to prepare healthy meals, the gift of one is truly a gift.
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