Some go to great lengths to fill up

Did you get enough to eat? This is a very common question asked and even more so in families where there is, or has been in the past, not enough to eat.
We don’t want people to be hungry. It hurts. It’s not a good feeling.
Many times, we go to great lengths to make sure we have that full feeling even when there isn’t enough food to go around. The two most common solutions are to water down the food we have or to add filler. Watering down infant formula or milk is a dangerous practice. Although the children may feel full, they are not getting the necessary nutrition for health and growth. The long-term repercussions can be very serious.
Adding filler is another practice and stretches what food we have. A pound of hamburger made into hamburger sandwiches will feed less than meatloaf or a hamburger casserole. By adding additional rice, pasta, etc., the pound of hamburger can be stretched.
After we are sure people have enough food, cooks want to know if what is served tasted good. We plan menus where the different tastes and textures blend, where there is variety, where people have options of pumpkin or apple pie … and is it apple pie with cinnamon or nutmeg?
And finally there is the luxury of presentation, the manner in which the food is presented and served. This is the color, the garnishes, china and such.
During the holidays, listen to the comments about food and what the main objective is. To so many people, it’s just plain having enough to eat.

Leona Martens is executive director of the Weld Food Bank. She can be reached at 356-2199, Ext 301.