Rachael Ray Featured in Actions Speak Loudest: Keeping Our Promise for a Better World

Rachael has shared her passion for teaching kids and families about food and cooking as a contributor to a newly released book, Actions Speak Loudest: Keeping Our Promise for a Better World.

Every generation makes a commitment to see its children lead better lives than they have and to leave the world a better place than they have inherited. Today’s issues are combining to create the first generation of children expected to lead shorter, unhealthier and unhappier lives than their parents.

Actions Speak Loudest delves into the heart of thirty-two issues, ranging from childhood obesity to climate change, that are critical to the well-being of the next generation. With evocative, award-winning photographs; articulate and accessible essays; and attainable, ambitious ideas for action the book is designed as a clarion call to help us keep our generational promise. As a non-profit project, all of the proceeds generated by book sales are going back into the causes and organizations featured in the book.

Rachael’s essay, entitled Food and Family, explores her family’s legacy of building self-sufficiency and self-esteem in the kitchen and around the table, as well as her inspiration to start the Yum-o! organization.

Rachael writes, "For me, looking back at the way I was raised, our family’s legacy of food centers on self-sufficiency and self-esteem. Being around people preparing food from a very young age, I became self-dependent. I developed the ability to cook when I was young, and by the age of eleven it not only helped my diet, but it gave me self-respect, which is so important to children. As an adult I felt empowered with my skills – I could take a small amount of money and buy a large amount of inexpensive food, a whole chicken, root vegetables, grains, and pastas and I could provide myself with decent meals for an entire week. When you are able to enjoy a meal every night you won’t feel like a ‘have not.’ Your life will feel richer, whether or not there is a big roll of cash in your pocket."

She continues, "A friend told me once when you choose to give back, make it personal. Food is the way I make my living, so food should be the way I give back. I have seen firsthand how food plays an important role in our lives. I started the Yum-o! organization with these goals in mind: to end hunger for America’s children; to provide a scholarship program for children who want to explore a career in the restaurant and foodservice industries; and to raise families’  awareness about food and cooking – enabling them to get started in the kitchen while making meals that are easy, healthy, affordable, and delicious. We want to help parents and kids enjoy cooking together and to break down the myth that cooking is hard or confusing. We believe that parents and kids will make better food choices if given the opportunity, knowledge, confidence, and realistic options to do so. Lives are so busy today. Food choices should be easy and realistic. Parents should have the tools to cook good food for and with kids."

Actions Speak Loudest: Keeping Our Promise for a Better World is available online and at your favorite local bookstore. For more information about the project, visit the Actions Speak Loudest website.