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Feasting On A Budget

by Anna Wood  
12/02/2008 / Holidays

I believe that one of the problems women face when preparing holiday meals is the feeling that the food has to be expensive and the preparation elaborate in order for it to be festive enough. It is always dangerous to start thinking that you have to somehow reach an unwritten code of expectation; left unchecked, it can lead to feelings of inferiority as you can never quiet please the nebulous "they". This type of thinking is even more dangerous at holidays, however, as it leads you to expend time, money and energy that you may not have to spare. People are quick to measure other's worth by how much, or how little, they can afford, so, when you compare your simple chuck roast to the more elegant crown roast that your friends are serving, it becomes easy to feel that it's not enough...or, that somehow you aren't enough. Nothing, however, could be farther from the truth. You don't have to wear yourself out, nor do you have to break the bank, in order for your holiday meals to be good enough. Holiday cooking is just like everything else in life: you don't need any of what you want and you need very little of what you think you need. Most folks can do without a lot of what they are absolutely sure that they have to have and still be alright. It's what you do with what you have, however little that may be, and how much love you pour into it, that counts. It's an act of love to get up day by day and prepare meals for your family...it's even more an act of love and sacrifice around busy holidays to do so. Don't let yourself fall into the trap of over expectation: you needn't feel bad if you don't have the time or money to prepare an 8 course meal at Easter; 10 types of cookies, 5 cakes, 3 pies and 2 types of candy at Christmas; or, if you can't afford the most expensive ingredients for your holiday feast.

Feasting needs to be redefined, anyway; feasting should be defined as having enough but not going overboard, enjoying good company, sharing love, having peace with God and holding contentment in your heart. It's about making do with what you've got, seasoning correctly, cooking with good technique, presenting it beautifully and not feeling somehow "less than" as you serve your family a well prepared, albeit simple, meal. Remember, even soup and bread can be festive if served in a handsome ceramic bowl by candlelight.

As a very busy wife, mother of 9, homeschooler and writer, with persistent health issues and a very limited budget, I have to plan both my time and my food budget with extreme care; that's even more true at holidays and birthdays (and, in our family, half-birthdays...the day we celebrate our child for who they are). For instance, Thanksgiving is our biggest feast of the year; that means that for the rest of November I prepare meals of chili, soup and casseroles for my family, but that's okay because we're willing to make the "sacrifice" for "the feast": we're fed, we love each other, we have a great Thanksgiving dinner, and wonderful leftovers, and, as a bonus, our budget meals are not only inexpensive, but, they are also thoroughly delicious, too. I mean, really, what's the sacrifice in eating homemade chili, chicken and dumplings, creamy potato soup or chicken pot pie? Not much, I'd say. And, though I might have to plan the month financially around some other holidays (for instance, Easter or Christmas), most of ours are not a big financial stretch, even on our limited budget. We're genuinely happy with simple meals of hoppin' john on New Year's Day and hot dogs for Labor Day. My family likes them, they don't break the bank, they're simple and I enjoy the preparation of these foods, knowing that I will be rewarded with, "It's great, mama!" THAT, my friends, is the only reward I need. I have no need to please a nebulous "they"...I have 3 beautiful daughters, 6 handsome sons and one fantastic (and cute!) husband to please...and my "they" are always pleased with our simple, love-filled, feasts. We don't need to go overboard in any way in order to celebrate and have a good time. Enough, as Mary Poppins said, really is as good as a feast.

Anna Wood is a Christian wife, mother of 9 children, homeschooler and writer. Her desire is to know, love, and obey God and bring Him glory and help others to do the same. Her website is called The Apples of Gold and is at http://theapplesofgold.com

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