We're in an obesity epidemic and most people don't know how to cook even very basic meals.
Make space for it, squish other classes if you need. Make it mandatory, everyone has to take it. Maybe even ongoing through multiple grades.
Edit: Rice, beans, and even basic meats are cheap. To eat healthy you don't need your meal to be 100% Bell peppers and tomatoes.
This used to be taught as part of “home economics”. What we really need is a massive update to that class, which lives up to its name and covers:
nutritional food purchasing - how to get food nutrition on a rock-bottom budget
yes, how to prepare nutritious meals using the most affordable ingredients (how to properly prepare rice, and dry beans), how to follow a recipe, and the fundamentals of cooking: (how to make cheap cuts of meat edible and delicious, Why different cooking methods work in some cases, not in others)
financial literacy that is up to date, and explains how the entire credit system is a dangerous trap, and how to use it safely. How and why to open credit union (not bank) accounts. How to file taxes for free, and what to actually expect for take-home pay after taxes for various incomes and situations.
realistic budgeting for success. Kids need to understand that they need to expect shared living situations for most of their adult life.
actual ROI of college when loans are factored in
… separate from this we also need civics class to that includes some fundamentals that are usually only taught to first year law students: how contracts work, what negligence is, what’s The first amendment is and what it isn’t. And how to interact with cops to protect yourself.
Civics class should also include technical walkthroughs of how to register to vote, and how to do the actual voting, and how to use absentee ballots.
Civics class should also include lessons on how to find ORIGINAL sources to gather information about which candidates to vote for, and how to choose media and fact checkers by whether those media and fact checkers accurately represent the content of the original sources.
Civics class should also tell students the technical processes of how they can run for office, and what offices are available to them at the local level.
Under financial literacy, it needs to be taught how tax brackets work. The amount of people that foolishly believe that taking a $2 raise will result in less take home pay is too damn high.
I think the knee jerk reaction to just not use credit cards is an over reaction. If you are in a state where you can safely maintain a few hundred dollars in a bank account month to month, then it’s perfectly reasonable to have a credit card that is used responsibly as long as you don’t carry a balance. I would just roll it into good budgeting and it helps you build a credit history which, though a shitty system, is still a useful thing to have.
It’s not for everyone based on that criteria, but a good amount of people do fit that condition, especially if they have a moderately well paying job in a lower cost of living area, or do things like live with their parents.
There’s nothing wrong with appropriate use of credit cards … Ideally. I think most people avoid them because they fear making poor choices. They know they’re fallible. They know there are huge industries based on extracting money from the unwary. Paying cash balances that out with a very simple control.
It’s similar to eating a reasonable amount for many people. On the surface it’s calories in vs calories consumed, but in reality it’s all about human nature. I buy soda in cans, despite the cost and environmental impact, because it’s easier to tell myself to only have one per day than it is to stop at 12 Oz. This is the whole reason for “100 calorie packs”, to help people limit themselves to “one serving”
Add too much and suddenly you can’t fit it. We have an obesity epidemic that affects virtually everyone, rich or poor, degree or not, etc. We need mandatory cooking class.
I don’t actually think education is the main problem with obesity. People generally know when something is healthy or unhealthy. It’s a lack of access to healthy food options, or a mental issue. Sugar can be addictive, and food can be a coping method for certain people too.
I say this is a skill that’s lacking. That’s why I say cooking class and not nutrition class. I want cooking with a stove, oven, and food.
Food deserts exist but should be getting better with grocery delivery. Mental health is real. But you can’t start on any of this without being able to cook.
This really hit home for me over pandemic, where I was suddenly preparing more food at home instead of going out. Even though I’ve cooked all my life, doing so more often helped make it faster, easier, more natural. Less of a chore, more imagination