Food Values in my Family

I really enjoyed Lexie's presentation yesterday and I'm glad she shared from her religion and family values, very educational!

My family's food values have definitely evolved over the last decade. When I was about eight, my mom decided that she wasn't happy with our family's diet; we were eating a lot of beef and other kinds of meat as well as baked goods that are heavy in butter/oil/fat. She educated herself about healthier ways of cooking(tofu is a great substitute for beef in a casserole) and found better ways to make carbs (homemade bread, substituting yogurt/apple sauce for canola oil in muffins). I'm so thankful to her for introducing those changes early on; they've really shaped my food choices today. Because my mom proved to me that lots of meat isn't necessary for protein, I am completely meat free and LOVE tofu.
I think back to how my Grandma cooked; she was very skilled and we always loved what she made, but high in meat and fat and while there are recipes from my Grandma that I truly cherish, I have to say that food values in a family evolve and I respect my mom for finding a better path for all of us.
Since my dad grew up in a family with a very traditional diet, my mom, while still concerned with lessening the family's red meat consumption, will still make it a point to cook beef in a healthier way because that is one of his food traditions. Food is certainly a great way to demonstrate respect for someone!