Evolving Our Food Choices

I hear the phrase, “you are what you eat” quite often. And when I come across it time and time again, I can’t help but feel attacked. From a nutrition and health perspective, it serves as a solid reminder to eat all of the good-for-you foods. In a philosophical light, am I a terrible person every time I pop an Oreo (or eight) into my mouth? Either way, the phrase won’t be going away anytime soon. The way we respond depends on our mindset at that moment. My question is this: does this quote subconsciously make us think about evolving our food choices?

Whether we choose to evolve them for ethical, environmental, or health reasons, it’s important to know just how lucky we are to have a choice at all.

Oh, Jean, you’re so crazy

The phrase that shapeshifts me into a Double Stuf Oreo was coined back in 1826 by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The exact words are, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” Good ol’ Jean was a French author who was onto something in stating that a person’s mental, emotional, and physical health could be determined by what they ate, and indeed, revealing their character. In today’s food culture, we enjoy our food choices without fear of consequence or judgment – in a public forum anyway. We don’t need permission to have that extra slice of pizza or serving of mac and cheese. Yet, I still hear the echo of his voice saying, “You are what you eat, Ruthie,” as I slip the ninth Oreo into my mouth. Maybe what Jean meant to write was, “you are what you cook” because I can sure get behind that phrase!

Evolving our food choices

There are so many factors that help us decide what we choose to eat.

Economical: You may have a budget you want to stay within for groceries or take-away. Or, you may have personal preferences such as organic or sustainable foods.

Biological: Your food choices depend on what you’re in the mood for or how hungry you are in any particular moment.

Physical: You may grab food items that are easy to prepare. Your skillset stops at sautéeing because taking the time to cook cuts into your Netflix binges.

Social: You may belong to a social class that has unlimited food choices within reach. Or, you may be deficient in nutrients due to lack of food choices because of your geographic location and socioeconomic status.

Choice

The beauty of having a choice is pure gold. There are plenty of lovely souls with good intentions on “beginning that healthier lifestyle and eating plan” who don’t have access to fresh, organic, and affordable food options. It’s easy to take for granted what we have readily available to us. For me, this thought puts the whole reason why I cook into perspective. Walking into a grocery store or farmer’s market, I become giddy. I have so many food options to create an experience, a delicious offering, and an element of real connection with others from the ingredients I choose. It’s an ethereal moment for me. I embrace cooking and the gift of choice because I can. I CAN. And if YOU can, why don’t you?

Choice, what a beautiful thing.

Cooking at home with mindfulness and intention is a perfect place to start in evolving our food choices. We are in control of what, when, and how we choose to cook and eat our food. If you are one to have this privilege, it is a tremendous gift! Why not utilize it to its full potential?

I am not saying to stop shoving Oreos into your mouth or enjoying Wednesday night’s to-go order of Asian stir-fry because that shit is SO GOOD. I would bet my life that if Jean were alive today, he’d sit on the couch right next to me destroying a bag of Oreos and binge-watching Indian Matchmaking on Netflix. We need those escapes from time to time!

Just know when it comes to food, you always have a choice. Think about what you need or want, how or why you want it, and how far you want to go to enjoy it. If you have time to answer these questions, chances are you have time to cook. As for you, Jean, I think I will leave your judgment at the door for now. I have one last Oreo to kill.