She's all things to all eaters

May is the month of several National month topics that overlap: National Month of Family, National Month of Children and National Wellness Month, not to mention that special day for mothers, Mother's Day. For this article, Mother's Day is being presented as the umbrella day with the other three topics as concepts that intertwine with the established social understanding of what Mother's Day embodies.

Family

When family gathers together with Mom at meals, it matters not if the reason is perceived as good or bad, what you usually remember is the event and not necessarily the meal. Let's recreate memories more often by gathering together at meal time. Take my challenge and do this at least one day a week.

Try during this time to listen, touch one another, and engage with positive comments. Create memories you can all look back on and enjoy. Food feeds the soul, food is energy, but so are words, a smile, and a touch. Leave a legacy to be proud of having remembered. Create a tradition and something future generations want to repeat. Most families have a meal or meal item that can be passed on to the next generation.

Children

Make children welcome in the kitchen, not tolerated. Allow the children to have input on the menu by telling you their favorite thing that you make for them and have them assist with making the dish. This is also where the dish, if somewhat unhealthy, can be tweaked making it healthier and the children will more than likely eat it because they helped make it themselves. Including children in this process can make them ambassadors in the kitchen, create learning experiences, promote health and wellness using "Food as Medicine and Medicine as Food" (Socrates).

Wellness

Once these little Kitchen Ambassadors get the cooking buzz, they will be clamoring to get into the kitchen rather than getting fast food. Children thirst for interaction and helping others so tap into their natural tendency. Yes, it will take patience and time, but in the end, you will have less to do in the kitchen and be able to make the transition of having the next generation follow you, so make those steps something to be proud of and allow them the desire to follow in the right direction. You will see a major positive change and them taking an active roll in their own health.

Good FRESH food assists with promoting good health and pays for itself by saving on medical bills. Make it FRESH, Just cook it! Mouth-watering-healthy-goodness.

What's New

Mama Vega Enterprises is proud to announce that we are working with Kaiser Permanente in the Plantrician Project by creating plant-based meals prepped, frozen, and delivered. We are also working with parents who have children with autism by changing their diets and behavior using behavior modification techniques. These parents and children are going to be part of our organic gardening project. Let us know how we may assist you. Check out some of our blogs: https://mamavega.wordpress.com/, http://choicesnnutrition.com/, https://nowchewonthisblog.wordpress.com/.

 Dr. Charmène "Mama" Vega is Founder, President and CEO of Mama Vega Enterprises (www.MamaVega.com).  She is also a philanthropist, published author, Medical Nutrition Therapist, holder of a Master of Science degree in Special Education and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities.

 Dr. Vega believes in giving back to the communities where Mama Vega products are sold. For every Mama Vega product purchased, a percentage of each sale is donated to those communities' non-profits.