Home Eating a Threat to Public Kitchens?
State Allows Growing Trend  of Eating At Home

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April 13, 2099
Reunited  Press


After much heated debate on the house floor, legislation was  passed
today to allow a growing number of families to cook meals for their
families in their homes. The children must have annual physical
examinations to assure proper growth and weight gain. Attempts to
require weekly meal plans and monthly kitchen inspections were voted
down.

A spokesperson from the National Association of Nutritionists  (NANs)
condemns this decision. "These children are being denied the rich
socialization and diversity that is an essential part of the eating
process. Without the proper nutritional background, it is impossible
for  the average person to feed their own children. We, as child
advocates, see  this as a step backwards and speak out for the sake of
the children who  cannot speak for themselves."

Homecooking parents say the benefits of  eating at home include
increased family unity and the ability to tailor a  diet to a
particular need. Elizabeth Crocker, a home cook, states, "We  started
cooking and eating at home when we realized that my son had a severe
allergy to eggs. The public kitchens required him to take numerous
medications that had serious side effects in order to counteract his
allergy. We found that eliminating eggs was a simpler method and our
son  has thrived since we began doing so."

After this experience, the  Crockers decided to home cook for all of
their children, and converted their  media room into a kitchen.
Elizabeth says, "We have experienced so much  closeness as we have
explored recipes and spent time cooking together and  eating together.
We have a dining circle with other families where we  sometimes share
ideas and meals together."

The Crocker children have  done well physically under their mother's
care, weighing in at optimum  weights for their ages and having health
records far above average. It  should be noted that Mrs. Crocker,
while not a professional nutritionist,  has a family history rich with
nutritionists and home economists. "Surely  the success of the Crocker
children is due to the background of their  mother," responded the
spokesman from NANs. "The results they have achieved  should not be
viewed as normative." Mrs. Crocker counters that her  background was
actually a hindrance to the nutritional principles she  follows. "Our
paternal great-grandmother was a home economist, but she  prepared
most meal from pre-made mixes. In our homecooking we try not to
duplicate public-kitchen meals, but to tailor our meals to the needs
and  preferences of our children."

In a related issue, legislation is in  committee that would provide
oversight for the emerging homecooking  movement. Says the Home Eating
Legal Defense Association (HELDA): "We want  to provide umbrella
kitchens to aid parents in the complicated tasks of  feeding their
children. Many families lack the expertise of the Crocker  family, yet
desire to eat at home. As we have seen, the umbrella kitchens  meet
the needs of all concerned. We are happy to provide this service."

by Angela Paul