Swop a hamburger for a tasty salad of health... I know it is hard to look at a delicious looking hamburger and then look at a bowl of vegetable salad, but have you really compared the goodness between each of them or has it become far too easy to just grab a quick bite without even thinking of your health. Apart from the financial lessons of the falling economies around the world, there are health lessons too and very importantly, when last did you honestly munch on a lovely orange fresh carrot! When last did you and your family go to the vegetable and fruit market and take your time in picking out a healthy range of fruit and vegetables. Has it become easier to hand out a cool drink to the children or have you honestly tried to hand each of them freshly made carrot and orange juice, or apple and pear juice. If you add up the costs of a juicemaker and compare this to the number of bottles of fruit juice or cool drink you buy in a month, surely the juicemaker along with the fruit and vegetables you buy at the market, win hands down…

A friend asked me how to make a salad for a get together she was having with friends, each bringing their own dish of goodies. We put this salad together in conversation only :

Lettuce (Fibre) Green apple: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin E Avocado: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 (thiamine) Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Niacin, Folate Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6 Red, orange, green peppers: Carotenes, Niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, fibre Grated carrot: Beta Carotene Pecan nuts: cholesterol lowering, natural antioxidants, heart healthy (This information provided in a Google search..) Then of course a Mayonnaise of choice mixed with milk… Her salad turned out to be the hit of her party and so she has started to learn about which healthy foods to put together.

Color in food is important as it speaks volumes on the hidden goodness both in the fruit or vegetable and in what vitamins you need. This conversation in health is just one combination of goodness and it really is quite therapeutic to spend a little time in your kitchen putting it together, even inviting your children to participate. Remember the days of shelling the peas..

Everyone can help the poorer communities develop their own vegetable gardens, including the children.