Home Eating a Threat to Public Kitchens?

State Allows Growing Trend of Eating At Home
by Angela Paul
April 13, 2099
Reunited Press

After much heated debate on the house floor, legislation was passed today to allow a growing number of families to cook meals for their families in their homes. The children must have annual physical examinations to assure proper growth and weight gain. Attempts to require weekly meal
plans and monthly kitchen inspections were voted down.

A spokesperson from the National Association of Nutritionists (NANs) condemns this decision. "These children are being denied the rich socialization and diversity that is an essential part of the eating process. Without the proper nutritional background, it is impossible for the average person to feed their own children. We, as child advocates, see this as a step backwards and speak out for the sake of the children who cannot speak for themselves."

Homecooking parents say the benefits of eating at home include increased family unity and the ability to tailor a diet to a particular need. Elizabeth Crocker, a home cook, states, "We started cooking and eating at home when we realized that my son had a severe allergy to eggs. The public kitchens required him to take numerous medications that had serious side effects in order to counteract his allergy. We found that eliminating eggs was a simpler method and our son has thrived since we began doing so."

After this experience, the Crockers decided to home cook for all of their children, and converted their media room into a kitchen. Elizabeth says, "We have experienced so much closeness as we have explored recipes and spent time cooking together and eating together. We have a dining circle with other families where we sometimes share ideas and meals together."

The Crocker children have done well physically under their mother's care, weighing in at optimum weights for their ages and having health records far above average. It should be noted that Mrs. Crocker, while not a professional nutritionist, has a family history rich with nutritionists and home economists. "Surely the success of the Crocker children is due to the background of their mother," responded the spokesman from NANs.

"The results they have achieved should not be viewed as normative." Mrs. Crocker counters that her background was actually a hindrance to the nutritional principles she follows. "Our paternal great-grandmother was a home economist, but she prepared most meal from pre-made mixes. In our homecooking we try not to duplicate public-kitchen meals, but to tailor our meals to the needs and preferences of our children."

In a related issue, legislation is in committee that would provide oversight for the emerging homecooking movement. Says the Home Eating Legal Defense Association (HELDA): "We want to provide umbrella kitchens to aid parents in the complicated tasks of feeding their children. Many families lack the expertise of the Crocker family, yet desire to eat at home. As we have seen, the umbrella kitchens meet the needs of all concerned. We are happy to provide this service."

About the Author:

Angela Paul is a home schooling mother of four children aged 22, 21, 19 and 17. Before having children she was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Georgia Institute of Technology. She obtained Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in the field of Chemical
Engineering. While in college, Angela tutored students in math and science at all age levels. Witnessing the benefits of one-on-one teaching and the problems with mass education Angela and her husband Jim, a former high school teacher, decided to educate their children at home before any of them were born.

After working for two years in Research and Development, Angela "retired" from chemical engineering and became a mother at home. She returned to tutoring and had many requests from home schoolers to help them with science. Nine years ago she started teaching the Sensational Science Series, a hands on science program in her home. Angela has written five books used during the classes covering phases, acids and bases, crystals, atoms and molecules and chemical reactions. These books, The Sensational Science Series, are now available for use at home.

The Pauls live in Tucker, Georgia and host a science fair each year for home educators. If you are interested in classes, books or the science fair, call the Pauls at 770-939-1006 or e-mail: angelapaul @juno.com.

©Angela Paul, April 13, 1999, used with permission.