The Decline of the American Potluck

My mother recently complained to me about the sorry state of today's potlucks. Thirty years ago, the promise of a potluck dinner was exciting. Participants applied themselves to making their best recipes. Mouth-watering roast beef, tender new potatoes, crisp coleslaw, fresh fruit salad and rich homemade pies were standard fare. These were also the foods commonly eaten at home. Families gathered around the table each evening (especially on Sunday) in eager anticipation. Dinner was simple and nutritious, made with loving hands.

Today, potlucks are something I try to avoid. What do people bring? Perhaps Hamburger Helper, Kentucky Fried Chicken, packaged salad and tasteless supermarket cookies. It seems that very few people want to take the time to prepare something special. The food offered is rich and void of nutrients, leaving everyone feeling bloated and nauseous afterward.

Since I follow in my mother's footsteps and still cook most of my family's meals from scratch, I hadn't realized the sad and dangerous state of America's home cooking. Of course I had seen the rows of pre-packaged food in the supermarket, but I hadn't realized what staples they had become.

My eyes were opened a few years ago, when I was invited to eat at a friend's house. It was a family affair and we were served enormous steaks, micro waved baked potatoes and salad poured from a bag. After dinner, we were treated to ice cream and cake from the supermarket bakery. It was very tasty, but where were the vitamins? The only vegetables served came out of a bag, their nutritious content open to debate.

On supermarket shelves I see frozen waffles and pancake mix. Do you know how easy it is to make pancakes? Mixing together flour, baking powder, salt, eggs and milk is healthier, cheaper and roughly the same amount of work as mixing pancake mix, eggs and milk. You still have to put the mix in a pan and cook it.

How about spaghetti sauce? It's so simple to make, not much more difficult than Hamburger Helper. Fry ground beef, onions, garlic and green pepper. Add tomato sauce and canned or fresh tomatoes, along with oregano, bay leaf, basil, or whatever spices you prefer. Let it simmer. Presto. Still, I personally know a number of people who have never used anything other than a jar of Ragu or Paul Newman sauce. I can't imagine why. Homemade spaghetti actually tastes much better and is better for you.

By using nothing but pre-made, packaged and frozen food, we are filling our bodies with chemicals while systematically eliminating all of our nutrients. Many Americans are becoming sick and obese because of the instant nature of our food. Diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease are all on the rise. Many medical problems can be controlled through nutrition. Wikipedia has a page entitled, "List of illnesses caused by poor nutrition". You are, in fact, what you eat.

My mother controls her arthritis through diet. She has found that certain foods actually cause inflammation and she tries to stay away from them. Studies have shown that Diabetes is actually reversible if you change the way you live. Cholesterol can be lowered through diet as well. Yet most people I have talked to would rather not bother. They would rather take medication and suffer their ailments, than simply change the way they eat.

Perhaps we need to recapture the pride and enjoyment that comes from the preparation and consumption of good, nutritious food. Pick up a copy of Better Home and Garden's Cookbook and give it a try. We might just improve those potlucks while we're at it!