There are few topics that paralyze me the way childhood obesity does. I know…I’m not supposed to “take it home.” As a clinician, it is my job to be just that…clinical. But how can I, when I am facing a 70-pound second grader and a parent that doesn’t know where to begin?
It’s a tough job for a caterer like me to design meals that satisfy clients and (hopefully) the majority of their guests. It’s even harder to accommodate picky kids–and adults, frankly–and the stakes are even higher with ever-increasing food intolerances and allergies. There are obvious benefits to keeping our menus healthy and kid-friendly. All of us moms feel the pressure to provide healthful options because it’s the right thing to do, and none of us want our kids jacked up on junk food or starving because they didn’t find anything they liked. We all embrace the importance of showing love for each other through tasty food that everyone likes.
Everything feels “off” when the temperatures rise. As someone that pays a lot of attention to how and why people eat, I understand that cravings dictate and meals are greatly affected by the weather. I even notice how shopping habits change. (Now you know how obsessed with food I really am!) Since I see everything through a food lens, it won’t surprise you that I have a plan for summer eating and ideas to make it easier.
John’s recent post on his travels to Italy reminded me of a few things I noticed when I was over there. Italians are very different from Americans in some ways, and it’s definitely worth contrasting the two cultures when thinking about public health issues. If I had to guess why there is less obesity, I would agree with John’s points about fresh food and activity, and also add this: Italians have much lower stress than Americans.
It was earlier this spring when I realized that eating all the vegetables that my extended family and I enjoy (or needs to be exposed to) was getting far more expensive than I was accustomed to. Terrible winter weather in Florida and Mexico and outrageous transportation costs from the west coast were all supporting an increase in cost. I found myself doing what I implore others not to do: complaining! What would I tell someone that was griping about produce prices like I was? The answer was obvious. Do something about it.
Twitter