I was at home the other night and wanted to relax. I turned on the TV and of course, there was nothing really interesting worth watching. But, I was bored and started watching Celebrity Wife Swap. I don’t watch these types of shows very often, but I started watching this episode where they swapped two couples from the Bachelor. If you are unfamiliar with how is show works, they take two couples and the wives switch places for a week and have to live the other’s life. They have a household manual they must follow. Near the end of the week they get to change the rules however they wish and the husband and family must follow them. I don’t make this up.
So now you know how it goes, I’ll tell you about a scene in which one of the husbands had the swapped wife cook him dinner. He had specific instructions as to what he eats: salad with no dressing, ground turkey with no seasonings, and plain steamed broccoli…every night. This guy was a fitness buff and obsessed with his physical appearance. When the swapped wife made a comment about how she didn’t know how he could eat like this every day, he responded in a way that made me think twice. He said: “I think of it as fuel… It’s not about taste, it’s not about enjoying the meal. It’s about nutrition.” So in a sense he is only eating to live.
How sad is that? What if the only reason you ate was for it to fuel your body? To me, as well as many others, food is MUCH more than just nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, food is nutrition and we need to eat healthy food in order for our bodies to function properly, but that is just the ground work of what food is. If eating to live is your sole purpose in eating, you are missing out on so much more. Below I have listed a few things of what food is to me.
Food is a social experience.
How often do you spend time with family and friends when food is not involved? Do I have you stumped…yeah, me too. Examples: Super Bowl party (or other sporting events) – food. Holiday parties or other celebrations – food. Game or movie nights – food. Going on a date – food. …Get the picture? Whenever I am at a gathering, big or small, with family and friends food is always involved. Maybe it’s just the food-loving dietitian in me? Perhaps it’s because food is a great conversation starter? Or maybe because food makes us happy? Whatever the reason, food is social. Don’t believe me? Search #instafood on Instagram or try to scroll down your Facebook homepage without seeing a post related to food. Point proven.
Food is a memory.
Whenever I eat or even think about cheesy potatoes (or for those in Utah: funeral potatoes) I think of Christmas at my grandparents house. All of my aunts, uncles and cousins squeezed into that little kitchen, sitting elbow to elbow at the tables lined up from one end of the room to the other. On the menu was always ham, rolls, veggies, fruit or jello salad, Sprite with a maraschino cherry in it and…cheesy potatoes. It wasn’t Christmas without those potatoes. Now that both my grandparents are gone, these cherished family memories still live on and come back to me each time I have those potatoes. Sigh…I think I’ve made an addition to the menu this week!
Food is an adventure.
I am a foodie. I love eating and trying all types of foods. Going out of my food comfort zone, especially when traveling, makes me realize there is so much more to try! Whether I’m experimenting with a new recipe in my kitchen, or tasting a new dish at a restaurant – new flavors, textures, aromas, and experiences are out there waiting for me to discover them! Don’t let food be boring – try something new!
Food is a connection.
This one is related to being social, but goes a little deeper. Food brings us together. Thinking about the family dinner table: food gathers families together every day. Family meals give us time to talk about our day, enjoy each other’s company and grow a little closer together. Even catching up with an old friend at a local cafe over coffee is nurturing a relationship. Food, when shared with family and friends, is much more than just nutrition – it’s a connection.
Why Just Eating to Live is Sad and How Food is So Much More Share on XNotice how in all of those descriptions I didn’t mention anything about if the food was healthy or not or if it made me skinny or fat…that’s because food is meant to be enjoyed. Healthy food, not-so-healthy food, is ALL meant to be enjoyed. Even if you have specific health goals food can still be more than just nutrition. Put some vinaigrette on that salad, spice up that ground turkey and season that broccoli! You CAN eat healthy and with flavor! And if you have a treat every once in a while, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. Appreciate food for more than just the nutrition, for it is so much more!
What is food to you? Let me know in the comments!
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