It’s pretty clear that choosing locally grown and seasonal foods is a smart choice when trying to eat healthy. Optimal nutrients, great flavour and minimal preservatives are a few good reasons why we do so. But what about homemade variations of your favourite fast foods? Can we still get the great taste and convenience of fast food but with the healthy and fresh ingredients from our fridge and pantry?
Are homemade foods, like muffins and hamburgers, really healthier than conveniently prepared foods?
There is no doubt about it. Nutritionally speaking, homemade foods are superior to any prepackaged or restaurant-made fast foods. The fact that homemade foods aren’t made predominantly from carbohydrates and don’t use those unhealthy oils or preservatives makes it easier for the body to use those calories as energy.
But with active families and crazy schedules, cooking ‘homemade’ can be a real challenge.
Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, says “Eat whatever junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself”. He uses the example of French fries – junk food that is delicious, can easily be made at home, and is relatively inexpensive. Hamburgers, nachos, chicken fingers/wings, Caesar salad, chef salad, burritos, lasagna, poutine, and fettuccine Alfredo are all quick, convenient meals that can be nutritious when made from scratch.
What about the convenience of drive-thru fast food?
The trick is to have good, whole foods in your fridge or freezer from a quality grocery store, like Vince’s Market, at all times. Know what fast foods you and your family typically crave, and keep ready-to-make homemade version ingredients at the ready.
Eggs, meats, fresh/frozen pasta, olive oil, butter, cream, cheese, and potatoes are foods that Europeans always have on hand. Add seasonal veggies and a baguette from the bakery section and you have the formula for the traditional diet… a healthy fat (ex. cheese, cream sauce, paté), some protein (ex. eggs, fresh or cured meat), seasonal vegetables and a small portion of grain (ex. pasta, bread, or rice) to compliment the meal.
The homemade menu does not need to offer a Sunday Roast or a complicated dish on a night with overlapping music lessons and soccer games.
Homemade Fast Food Recipe Idea: Poutine
Trying making poutine from homemade fries, fresh cheese curds, a dribble of gravy left over from the holidays and some cucumber or celery sticks on the side. This is a quick, hardy and reasonably healthy meal that offers enough calories to fill up the growing teenager and appeal to his/her palate.
You can buy a 5lb. bag of potatoes and cut them into fries by hand or by food processor. Rinse off the excess starch and freeze them in Ziploc bags. The freezing helps breakdown the cellular structure of the potato to make them cook faster. Toss them in your favourite traditional oil and bake at 450 for 35-45 minutes on the top rack of the oven. Garnish with cheese curd, gravy, or left over bacon. Sprinkle some fresh herbs on top and you have a balanced ‘Power Up’ dish made from scratch.
Ours and our family’s health should be our #1 priority (while not compromising on taste)
On a final note, let homemade meal preparation take priority over a clean house. Toilet rings, crumbs on the floor and cozy, unmade beds are all signs of a well-loved home. When our health begins to fail, diet becomes the main focus, not the state of our abode. It’s truly all about ‘homemade’ and not how the home is made. And who said homemade fast food can’t be just as delicious while being healthier and more filling?
What are some of your family’s homemade fast food favourites? We would love to hear from you!
Our Power Up Mission is simply to educate our customers on the importance of using quality food as fuel. For all your Power Up news make sure you check out Vince’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Make sure you follow @VincesMarket and #powerupwithvinces, sign up for our Power Up Newsletter and keep an eye out for nutrition tips and tricks from me, our in-house nutrition expert!
To our health and wellbeing,
Shannon,
4 the Luv of Food, Owner
www.4theluvoffood.com
shannon@4theluvoffood.com
