Food is powerful.

Finding a love for food is important for physical, emotional, and mental health.

Food is such a powerful player in our lives. Sure, it’s necessary for survival and we can look at it all as just micros and macros but so much of what it offers us extends far beyond that.

For one thing, it’s emotional.

Certain foods trigger nostalgic moments or always make us think of a specific person. Sometimes we use food as a coping mechanism, whether we’re ingesting a sleeve of cookies for some instant gratification, or using the process of cooking to offer a sense of control or distraction.

Food also brings us together socially, as we gather with friends or family to enjoy meals together.

You might find yourself using food in many of these ways right now as you navigate the changes that social distancing and this worldwide pandemic has thrown at you.

I find myself wanting to eat certain meals…“normal” meals, like the ones I was making before my entire world got tossed upside down. They’re “safe” meals: ones I enjoyed when I wasn’t so concerned for the health of myself, my family, and the human race as a whole.

I’m using my love for food as a distraction as well. Sometimes, in the first few days, it was enjoying a few extra treats: crunchy, salty, or sweet snacks that would distract me from the emotional tie-dye that was processing in my head.

Now that I've identified a few of the colors of those, and decided to just wear my new shirt, I’m using my love of cooking as a pleasant distraction and a place where I can retain a little bit of control.

I can control what goes into my body, and how I fuel myself, as well as what I choose to eat, or how I’d like to prepare it. And that just feels really good.

Food is important.

Perhaps more than ever, sharing a meal with my husband or with friends via facetime is a great reminder of how we can come together and connect over food and drinks.

Seeing people all over the world enjoying virtual happy hours and meals reminds me just how powerful our tribe mentality is, and how much ingenuity humanity can illustrate when we really want something.

The cooking, the baking, the cheers-ing… it’s important. In many ways, I think it’s a gift. “We’re all in this together” and we can’t control what’s happening, but we can choose how we will experience it.

Looking for gifts and silver linings is not to take away from the suffering and loss of life that many of us are experiencing. It is in honor of it.

Some people are losing the battle and won’t be able to enjoy cooking, meal times, and all of the emotions that come with that…the bonding, the love, the satisfaction.

To me, this is a powerful reminder that I should appreciate what I have.

Food is a gift.

So often, particularly in fitness, we view food as the enemy. “If only I could eat less, resist the sweets, or didn’t love food so much, I would be able to lose weight and look amazing. Food is the problem!”

I strongly disagree. Food is a gift. Cooking like our grandparents did, using every ingredient we can to its fullest, taking an hour or two to prepare a meal, is a moment of control and self-love in these crazy times. I’ve been enjoying spending more time in the kitchen, and I hope you will too.

Food that takes time, that’s prepared with care and attention, and then appreciated, will fuel your body and your soul! If you have any questions about your approach to food and nutrition at this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

P.S. Looking for some ideas? Celebrity Chef Massimo Bottura cooks everything from chocolate sauce to hummus on his IGTV channel. He’s been live streaming daily since social distancing started, and I love his stuff!

Some favorite recent recipes I’ve tried recently:

Roasted Vegetable Frittata: This dish is so easy to make and can last several days. (Proof here!)
Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: I used gluten free flour, substituted coconut sugar for granulated, and subbed pecans instead of cranberries because I wanted extra crunch. But however you end up making these, they are incredible!
Lemon and Thyme Roasted Whole Chicken: I like to add carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes around the bird during the roasting process so I have a whole meal in one pan! Efficient and delicious.