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Living a healthy life with nutritious homemade meals: An interview with Fujimoto from the food education salon "TeTe"

A new food education salon will be held at Greenwich Yonago store from January 2022.
The lecturer will be Hiromi Fujimoto from the food education salon "TeTe," who is also a regular user of Greenwich's original sofas.
We asked Fujimoto about his thoughts and what he wants to convey through his activities.

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-How did you come to start the food education salon “TeTe”?

I was originally qualified as a nutritionist and had an interest in cooking and food.
What sparked my interest in food education in particular was my own child's experiences.

I have three children, and my first child is often sick and has to go to hospital constantly.
As I learned more, I realized that relying solely on medication was not good and that there must be something I could do myself, and I was reminded of the importance of diet for children's health.

Until then, as a nutritionist, I often planned my meals based on calorie calculations and nutritional facts tables, but I began to pay attention to the ingredients.
By making your own meals using nutritious ingredients, you can ensure that your pet gets all the nutrients it needs.
Through our food education salon, we want to convey the importance of "food" in supporting and encouraging children's growth.

-What exactly does it mean to "pay attention to the materials"?

For example, the "cut vegetables" that are readily available at convenience stores may be very convenient, but many of them actually contain very little nutrition.
To keep them fresh for a long time, vegetables need to be thoroughly sterilized, and in the process the nutrients are lost as well.
A new type of malnutrition, in which people think they are getting enough nutrition but are actually not getting enough of it, is now becoming a problem.

We make meals using nutritious ingredients produced by farmers.
In the lessons, we suggest dishes that take note of these ingredients.

-What kind of people usually attend your lessons?

Many of our participants are mothers on maternity or childcare leave who want to learn about nutritious meals for their children, as well as mothers whose children suffer from allergies.
However, there are some people in their 60s,
Due to her husband's illness, she wanted to learn more about eating a proper nutritious diet, so she started attending the lessons.

I'm also happy that cooking together provides an opportunity for the students to communicate with each other.
I feel that the cooking classes are not only a way to teach children about food, but also a way for mothers to take a break.

In fact, when I first started my cooking classes with the theme of "food education" in 2017, people around me were against it, saying, "Everyone is too busy to take time to learn about food."
This may be because the term "food education" evokes images of serious study, not the fun image of a typical cooking class.

However, in recent years, the importance of "homemade meals" has spread throughout society, and recently, people have been spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More and more people are interested in learning about nutrition and developing good habits.
Many of the people who participate in my lessons are referred by my students, and I feel happy that I am able to spread the importance of food education to each and every one of them through my lessons.

-It seems that many people are troubled by their children's allergies. Can this be improved through diet?

It is difficult to solve the problem with diet alone. However, it is certainly true that diet is always a factor, and that medical care is effective because of diet.
Food is the foundation of everything. If you don't improve your diet, it's difficult to cure illnesses even with medicine.

The only way to get enough nutrition is through "homemade meals" made by humans. Ready-made side dishes and eating out at chain restaurants inevitably tend to be high in carbohydrates and fats.
Especially for children, it is important to eat nutritious food to build their bodies. In the lessons, we also warn against relying too much on convenient food.

-What are some important things to consider when it comes to meals for children?

Children tend to dislike foods that are difficult to swallow, so the most important thing is to make them easy to eat.
Children instinctively know what they need. When you worry that your child won't eat, it's often because the food is too strongly seasoned.
Season lightly and don't use too much salt.
Children also like fragrant foods such as bonito flakes and sesame.

Light seasoning allows children to taste the ingredients and helps them discover the true deliciousness of food, broadening their palate and helping them grow into healthy eaters with no picky eaters.
We tell them that the diet they eat up until the age of three is very important so that they will be able to enjoy a balanced and nutritious diet when they become adults.

-What kind of dishes will you be making in the class?

I mainly teach simple dishes that can be made in 10 to 15 minutes. I have had personal experience of not being able to keep up with elaborate cooking, so I don't teach difficult dishes that can only be made in a cooking class.
Combining "careful" and "quick and easy" cooking, I aim to provide a "cooking class that you can actually do."

The seasoning is also very simple.
Sugar is eaten as a snack, so try not to use it.
Instead, simmered dishes use mirin, while Western and Italian dishes use only the umami of vegetables such as tomatoes to add sweetness.
In Japanese cuisine, the dish is sometimes seasoned only with dashi stock. Even that alone is really sweet!

Rather than relying solely on seasonings, such as "If I want sweetness, then I'll add this vegetable," I try to make use of the natural flavor of the ingredients in my dishes.

My cooking classes started from my desire to help mothers and children with cooking. They are not for the purpose of making money, but for the purpose of "raising" mothers.
Rather than having them continue attending school forever, we want them to study hard during their maternity and childcare leave and then "graduate."

That's why the dishes I teach are simple and easy to customize.
Students learn about what a nutritious meal is at the cooking class, and then when they go home, they try to cook it themselves.
It's fine if the food is not exactly the same as what I make, but if you create your own flavor based on my food and your family says "It's delicious!" then that's done right.

It's packed with nutrients and will become a memorable taste for your family.
I think that's the appeal of homemade food.

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I also have two children and I was having trouble getting them to eat their meals, so I found the ideas in this project so interesting that I even told my wife about it.
I found it refreshing to hear the idea of ​​"cutting corners where necessary" rather than trying your best every day.
If that's the case, you can continue doing it easily, there won't be any sense of obligation, and you might even enjoy cooking.
I am looking forward to hearing the opinions, impressions, and expressions of the people who will actually participate . (Furukawa, Manager of Greenwich Yonago Store)

(Text: Tomori Okada)

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