Affirming Reality

It needs to be said. A lot of the Gen X and older are complaining, but it’s obvious that many of you made some mistakes with your kids. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be debating lunch and budget choices with Zoomers. That’s okay. All parents make mistakes. They can be fixed. So listen up. Teach your children how to cook. Teach them how to shop and meal plan on a budget. Show them how to be efficient in the kitchen for prep and clean up. The way to do that is not to lecture them and complain how awful they are at it. You need to show them. Take them shopping with you and have them in the kitchen with you. Not just once. Multiple times. Discuss your meals for the entire week. Let them pick out at least one that they will help cook. Discuss the ingredients you will need and put them on a list. Side note: we use an app called OurGroceries. The whole family can see the list. You can categorize to your heart’s desire. If someone purchases an item and crosses it off, everyone can see. Anyway, back to business. Don’t order from a delivery service. Go to an actual store together. Pick out the ingredients together. Talk to them about why you shop where you shop at the time of day and on the particular day you shop. Maybe it’s Tuesday or Wednesday when the fresh produce is stocked or towards the end of the week when produce and meat will go on sale. Discuss your food selection and why you pick the brand you pick. Show them which produce looks healthy, which ones you want to buy unripe, which meat portions to select. Talk about what you buy in bulk for long-term use. Then go home, and prep the meal together. Share the cleaning up,too. Do this often. Pick out recipes you like. Try to replicate your favorite restaurant meals. Teach them how to flavor to their senses. Get creative and make this enjoyable. You’ll make some great memories, and your kid won’t be on Twitter complaining about $28 lunches.