Food On The Run
I get a lot of requests for ‘quick meals’ and healthy snacks that people can ‘eat on the go’ and my usual response is to ask “What’s the hurry?! Why the rush?”
In reality, I know very well what the rush is; it’s life! Things move so fast these days… super long days at work, trying to fit in time at the gym, time with friends, and time alone. We’ve got vacations, kids, baseball games, concerts, museums, the plumber, grocery shopping… All this stuff to do, and not enough time to do it in means that we’re stretched and overextended, and sadly for many, food is one of the things that ends up being swept into the corners.
The result is that we eat in our cars, on the subway, on the street, and at our desk. We’ve gotten so accustomed to eating at random times during the day, that we’ve become obsessed with the idea of “convenience” foods and having food available to us at all times. I remember the days when food wasn’t allowed in bookstores, but now, I dare you to find one that doesn’t have it’s own cafe! Who thought that the pharmacy, or worse, the gas station, would be places to buy food? Coffee shops never sell just coffee… there’s muffins, cookies, pastries. Even Bed Bath & Beyond sells food*!!
Instead of supporting people’s desires for “quick meals” I encourage them to slow down and consider what the purpose of a meal really is. Sure it’s fuel and energy to get us through our day, but eating is so much more than that. Our ability to truly enjoy food is one of the great pleasures in life, so let’s not eat something that came from the same store you bought your vacuum cleaner from! Make it special and make it important. A good meal, particularly a home cooked meal is something that taps into each of our senses and can speak to us in so many personal ways. It can remind you of your favorite childhood meal, a warming dish your grandmother made, or a taste of something exotic from a vacation far away. Food not only fuels our bodies, but our minds and spirits as well! If you buy gas for your car, and “gas” for your body at the same place, what is that saying about how you value yourself?
Take the time, even if it’s only 5-10 minutes a day and prepare something whole and fresh, and sit and enjoy it. Maybe it’s just a fresh seasonal peach, sweet and juicy. Maybe it’s a quick salad of seasonal greens simply dressed. Get into the habit of paying attention to the flavor, texture, temperature, and smells of each bite of food. To do this you have to be present… this means not watching tv, reading the paper, or sending an email. It may even mean total silence. Consider it a meditation experiment! I promise you that your food will be far more tasty, far more nourishing, and far more enjoyable than something eaten out of a bag from behind the wheel of your car!
*I’m using the term “food” here very loosely. I actually don’t consider any of the edible things sold in bookstores, pharmacies, gas stations, or Bed Bath & Beyond to be food in the true sense. Food is whole. Food is nourishing. These types of foods aren’t either whole or nourishing!
