By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
EL RENO – This Thursday has been designated as a day for Canadian County families to eat healthy together.
Canadian County Commissioners have proclaimed Dec. 3 as “Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Day.”
And to celebrate, Canadian County FCS extension educator Donna Jung is asking residents to participate in “Dine in Day.”
This national celebration is designed to educate families about the importance of “dining in” together.
Jung emphasized the importance of family time – when family members can share with each other about their daily lives while eating a nutritious meal.
“We’re encouraging everybody – especially with COVID – to eat healthy together – whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner,” Jung said.
If one’s family isn’t local or it is not good for them to get together in person, Jung encouraged them to plan a time for everyone to get together for a meal via Facetime, Zoom or another platform.
Canadian County families are being encouraged to use Thursday’s Dine in Day to reconnect as a family or enjoy an extended family event.
Many people haven’t seen some of their extended family for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, this Thursday is a perfect time to bring everyone together – even if it is virtual, Jung noted.
“Family and consumer sciences’ professionals promote families eating and preparing meals together as a way to build strong families and improve nutrition,” she said.
The profession of family and consumer sciences began as home economics in 1889.
IT BEGAN IN 1889
Jung, at the Nov. 30th Canadian County Commissioners’ meeting, read aloud a lengthy proclamation for FCS Day.
“Family and consumer sciences has a long and colorful history of utilizing its unique content areas of food and nutrition, human and child development, personal and family finances, family relations, housing and interior design, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues to equip and empower individuals and families to manage the challenges of living and working in a diverse local society,” Jung said.
FCS Day recognizes American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) founder Ellen Swallow Richards, whose birthday is Dec. 3.
She was the first female graduate and faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The FCS Day proclamation indicates that conditions impacting families today are at an all-time high when it comes to obesity, spousal and child abuse, and the inability to manage financial affairs.
And this points to the “heightened role” of family and consumer sciences, Jung noted.
Canadian County residents can pledge their support for Dine in Day at www.aafcs.org/FCSday.
