We eat the same meal at home on Monday nights for dinner.
We aren’t in a rut. It’s not gourmet and there aren’t any secret ingredients.
We are being intentional.
Most of the world doesn’t have the luxury of having a pantry and refrigerator full of food with dozens of options. Meat is for the wealthy and fruit is a delicacy.
What better way to remind our kids how much we have than through their bellies?
We eat rice and beans every Monday, so we can remember how the rest of the world lives and eats.
Sometimes the best way to introduce a different perspective is by doing something different. And then repeating it often.
Recipe:
Cook brown rice, lightly salt, add fresh cilantro
Top with generous amount of black beans, seasoned with cumin.
Add fresh avocado.
It’s what we eat on Mondays. And it matters.
Sounds good to me!
Well..Meatless Mondays are a ‘thing’. Considering the price of meat and general food costs it actually sounds like a decent easy to make meal. I would add in some lime to the rice, maybe some cooked peppers, and some salsa. I realize it’s supposed to be a simple meal as a reminder of what others only have to eat, but this can be turned into a recipe idea for Meatless Monday.
Great idea! My pastor said that we expect our children to be grateful when we shower them with gifts, but the only way to be really grateful is to live without. Also…this showed up in my newsfeed this morning. Ironic!
http://www.wptv.com/news/state/sarasota-school-cafeterias-going-meatless-on-meatless-mondays
Wise words from your pastor. I’ve noticed we have always done better when we have less than when we have more. We’re happier too. Your pastor has a lot of insight.
I think this is beautiful. Truly.
I completely agree!
I agree with an intentional meal. But I also especially would dial it down on the additional spices and condiments or sides. Adding too much additional besides rice an beans seems to defeat the purpose. It is no longer a meal like the rest of the world when we can jazz it up and thereby forget that it’s simple rice and beans. We eat these kinds of meals often because we are vegetarian, but it usually is doctored with lots of things. Just rice and beans would help turn the focus to more closely identify with the rest of the world.
I just returned from Rwanda, and I disagree with you. Even the poorest families I visited…living in shanties in the remote villages…had access to basic seasonings and even fruit.
And, really? You can find a way to pick at this tradition as if it’s not enough? Are you even remotely aware of what Kristen and her family do “for the least of these”?
Please excuse me. I was not meaning to be critical at all. I was actually meaning to be encouraging. I was stating from my own experience of living overseas as a missionary and also living currently in an American culture where simple isn’t enough. My own family has adjusted to a plain meal. I meant no disrespect at all. I applaud Kristen–and anyone who chooses–to make choices like these.
I didn’t think you were trying to be critical. You are right many families I have visited rarely have additional things to add to the rice and beans. But, they do find creative ways to season their food because they know more about their plants that are edible than most of us do!
That would work for me– I love rice and beans! But truthfully, if I served that much avocado to each person I may as well buy meat at the price my grocery store charges!
Just returned from Rwanda, and we’re going to start doing the same thing: eating what our Rwandan family eats.
that is such a great idea! I love being intentional ❤️
We try to eat rice and beans once a week. It’s not always on the same day, but it is a good reminder. We are so very blessed in our family and in this country.
Love this.
Intentional Living.
Rice and beans are tasty. Bonus points for being foods I get for free with WIC 🙂
Awesome idea! 🙂
And a great reminder for all of us.
this is really helpful. Something concrete for my little ones to understand as we’ve started talking about this in our home.
What an amazing way to teach kids ‘reality’
Great parenting…
Respect from Scotland
I am friends with Anne..
Shaun
Do any of us remember Meatless Fridays or “Friday Fast”? Originally started by the Catholic church (to remind people to be grateful for Christ’s crucifixion…and our many blessings), it is why you will see Clam chowder or fish & chips as the daily special at many restaurants ….on Friday. Always a good reminder to be grateful to God!
Absolutely! Did it all my life growing up, and now with my own family. A very meaningful tradition.
Love this!
I love this idea! My 6 month old isn’t old enough to understand that yet, but my husband and I do recognize that we like to eat lots of good food and not everyone else has that luxury so we’ve been doing a monthly cash donation to our local food bank since we got married 2 years ago.
Awesome.
Great way to remind us and spark discussion around the table.
And
It is easy to make with our modern convieniences they may not have.
Thank you
Oh my, I love this. I did a summer in Zambia in college, and lately I’ve been thinking so much about how to bring a little more global awareness to my kids. What a sweet and impactful way.
I do a similar recipe often and our family finds it really satisfying. Sometimes I will make skillet cornbread to go with it. Now I’m hungry….
My husband is Brazilian, so he grew up with rice and beans every day. Sometimes, when money was tight, they had “bean soup” — really watery beans with a pinch of salt, you know, to make it through to the next pay period. So once or twice a month I make a huge pot of beans and a bunch of rice and that’s what we eat for four to five days, usually with eggs or ground beef, or other “simple food” with a simple salad. People think we are crazy, but we make sure we get our proper nutrition and it helps keep us aware of what a luxury everything else is. Besides, it tastes good once you get used to eating the same thing every night. It is great that you are intentionally showing your children the reality of world. Too many of us don’t even know what is beyond Safeway (or whatever your local grocery store is called).
It looks delish; wish I had cilantro. But the message is divine!
What a great reminder of how blessed we are. Too often we forget to be thankful for the many gifts that we have been given. Food is certainly something that we take for granted.
love it! great idea, and I’m half way through your book. love it, too.
A practical question- do you use canned beans or dried beans?
Great idea. I think we learn lessons best when they come on our plate. We really are blessed.
This was my life growing up Catholic. We never eat meat on Fridays, and kept it simple. During lent, we kick it up a notch, and eat only bread and water on days of fasting. It certainly is a very real and effective way to help our children remember others who have so little, if anything. And as we do believe fasting has spiritual effects, it is a very conscious and intentional practice. It’s very powerful to keep those traditions alive within the family.
This is such a great idea. Food is such a crucial part of life and I sometimes think we forget how lucky those of us that have choice are.
I loved this post! What a practical and powerful idea! This post made me smile because my husband is originally from Africa and he loves rice and beans. He often makes a big pot of beans and adds spices like curry and cumin. We eat the beans throughout the week with our dinner 🙂
Thank you. I have been searching for a way to teach humility and thankfulness to my children, and also something to remind myself to live more intentionally like Jesus. I’ve been reading Jen Hatmaker’s book, Seven, and have been looking for an idea that would serve our family as we get rid of excess and over-consumption. We talk about how we are so blessed, with more than we possibly need, while so many people all over the world do without. I love this idea and am cooking my beans and rice right now for our Monday night supper. What a great tangible reminder this is.
I’m mulling over starting this with my girls. They are young, 7 and under. I’d like to add reading through a book to go along with this. A book that would increase all of our family’s awareness of poverty in the world. Ideas?