Caregiver Nassau Count NY
As a family caregiver, it’s a safe bet that the person you’re caring for will appreciate the extra efforts being made because they likely come from an era when cooking from scratch was the norm, as was having a vegetable garden in the backyard. And let’s face it: There’s something very special about eating a meal which has had so much love and effort put into it, especially when it includes vegetables or fruits grown by you, or you’ve have a hand in their growth, harvesting and preparation in some way. Things are a lot tastier, aren’t they? And it makes the overall eating experience that much more satisfying.
June is National Country Cooking Month (seems like there’s a special day or occasion for everything, right?). But what exactly is country cooking? It’s not an easy question to answer. In fact, it has a different meaning depending on who you talk to.
Some say it’s cooking like they do in the south. Others think it’s about preparing fatty, unhealthy foods. Still others look at it as being fiscally conservative, using the materials and ingredients you have on hand, and little else. Meanwhile, others think of it as cooking family recipes that have been handed down over the years, oftentimes treasured favorites within the family.
Whatever it means, the main goal of Country Cooking Month should be to prepare simple, healthy and well-balanced home-cooked meals, and taking the time to do as much of the meal as you can from scratch, just like grandma used to do on Sundays.
This is a great month to not only dig out some of your old recipes or those of other family members that perhaps haven’t been used in a while, but also to try something new. This might even be a good time to get even more simple and sustainable by growing some of your own vegetables, or fruits.
During Country Cooking Month you could do almost anything. What if you and your aging family member got the rest of the family involved in something like baking cookies, brownies or a cake from scratch; or baking bread from scratch instead of using a bread-making machine. You could ask your aging family member for some of their old recipes or favorite home-cooked dishes, then either surprise them by preparing one of those dishes for them, or even asking them to participate in the process with you. If you have children old enough to be of some help, you could also get them involved and make it a three-generationally cooked meal! That would not only create a delicious meal, but some beautiful, lasting memories for family members from all generations.
Remember, try to avoid using today’s kitchen technology: that includes trying to avoid blenders, mixers, microwaves, and other electric kitchen gadgets. Your hands and stove should do all the work. It will not only make your loved one smile, but warm their heart at the same time.