Let’s talk about food. The relationship between food trends and family life is rarely discussed but it’s an important topic that affects our lives and relationships daily. Think about it, most of our relationships regularly revolve around sharing a meal together. Whether it’s catching up with a friend, a business negotiation, family traditions, or trying to build a relationship (aka dating), food is usually at the heart of it all. For the purpose of this article, I will solely focus on how food trends affect our families. And in order to understand the food trends and family life of today, we first need to look back on one particular event in our history.
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Current family life and food trends can largely be traced back to two massive societal shifts springing from the industrial revolution. During the dawn of modernization, women took on entirely different roles in society which dramatically changed both daily family life as well as food in the home (Nielsen, Siega-Riz, & Popkin, 2002). As women left the home to join the working class, many of the traditional daily tasks associated with child-rearing and food preparation were abandoned (Guthrie, Lin, & Frazao, 2002). As people began to work longer hours in more rigorous conditions, diets shifted away from traditional starch and grain centered meals to stimulant fueled meals on the go, with coffee, tea, and sugar taking center stage. These events in our history fundamentally altered the construct of family life and food and continue to impact modern society and our lives as individuals every single day.
Food Trends
Current food trends are deeply rooted in the societal shifts arising from the industrial revolution. Where, what, and how we are eating today is very different from our ancestors of yesteryear and the traditional paradigm of gathering around the family table for mealtime no longer exists as the societal norm. Research shows that we are increasingly consuming more food outside of the home (Guthrie, Lin, & Frazao, 2002; Nielsen, Siega-Riz, & Popkin, 2002) and while many of us still eat at home, what we are eating continues to trend toward the ‘center stimulant diet’ of high calorie, low prep foods (Poti, & Popkin, 2011). One of the biggest obstacles families face is the feeling that we don’t have the time to prepare nutritious meals. Life can get busy! The number of activities that we ourselves and our families are involved in continues to mount and “eat up” the time previously dedicated to preparing and sharing a meal together (Asp, 1999; Larson, Perry, Story, & Neumark-Sztainer, 2006). Because of this dilemma, we tend to buy convenience foods that are pre-processed and ready to eat with a zap in the microwave (Capps, Tedford, & Havlicek, 1985) or a phone call to the nearest food delivery service. The convenience of pre-packed and prepared foods fits well into our busy ‘on the go’ lifestyles but research shows that we’re eating less of that pre-processed food together as families as well. Instead, we often take it to go and eat it in bite-size portions alone over the course of a day, substituting social meals for solitary grazing (Hamermesh, 2010) and snacking (Piernas, & Popkin, 2009).
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Effects on the Family
So where does all this food nonsense leave us? Unfortunately, it can leave us with full bellies and empty relationships. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other food-related illnesses are on the rise keeping pace with loneliness, estranged families and general feelings of anxiety. Why? Because we are neglecting two of our most basic needs as human beings- connection and nourishment.The point is, FOOD MATTERS. Food matters because family matters. There is an interconnected, cyclical relationship between food and family that have lasting consequences and the great news is we get to decide whether they’re detrimental or beneficial. Families who eat together regularly reap the benefits of greater resilience and more satisfying familial relationships. Families who eat together well by investing time into preparing meals together will benefit not only socially but also physically with decreased exposure to many food-related health risks that are so prevalent today.
Photo from pexels.com
If you’re like me, this research can feel overwhelming as I reflect on the many ways I can improve my mealtime habits. Remember, perfection is not the goal! Experts have reminded us, “It doesn’t have to look like a Norman Rockwell painting.” Not every meal will be especially nutritious, prepared by you or shared with someone and that’s okay. As we commit to doing better and making the necessary changes to get there, the benefits of connection and nourishment will be ours. Start by creating a specific goal to have more impactful mealtimes both socially and nutritionally. My goal is to prepare my family’s snacks ahead of time so when we’re out running errands and low on fuel, we can re-fuel on something nutritious. How about you?
Option 1: Review your meals for the last week. Write downwhat you ate and who you ate with.
Option 2: Plan and prepare a nutritious meal and share it with someone you love.
Option 3: If you’re anticipating a long day, plan ahead and prepare your own healthy meals and snacks that can fuel you throughout your day.
References
Asp, E. H. (1999). Factors affecting food decisions made by individual consumers. Food Policy, 24(2-3), 287–294. doi: 10.1016/s0306-9192(99)00024-x
Capps, O., Tedford, J. R., & Havlicek, J. (1985). Household Demand for Convenience and Nonconvenience Foods. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 67(4), 862–869. doi: 10.2307/1241827
Guthrie, J. F., Lin, B.-H., & Frazao, E. (2002). Role of Food Prepared Away from Home in the American Diet, 1977-78 versus 1994-96: Changes and Consequences. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 34(3), 140–150. doi: 10.1016/s1499-4046(06)60083-3
Hamermesh, D. S. (2010). Incentives, time use and BMI: The roles of eating, grazing and goods. Economics & Human Biology, 8(1), 2–15. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2009.12.003
Larson, N. I., Perry, C. L., Story, M., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2006). Food Preparation by Young Adults Is Associated with Better Diet Quality. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106(12), 2001–2007. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2006.09.008
Nielsen, S. J., Siega-Riz, A. M., & Popkin, B. M. (2002). Trends in Energy Intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: Similar Shifts Seen across Age Groups. Obesity Research, 10(5), 370–378. doi: 10.1038/oby.2002.51
Piernas, C., & Popkin, B. M. (2009). Snacking Increased among U.S. Adults between 1977 and 2006. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(2), 325–332. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.112763
Poti, J. M., & Popkin, B. M. (2011). Trends in Energy Intake among US Children by Eating Location and Food Source, 1977-2006. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111(8), 1156–1164. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2011.05.007
Shirley Anderson is a Utah native and the youngest of five children. She has been married to her sweetheart for three years, and together they have recently begun the journey of parenthood to a darling little girl and are currently living in Stuttgart, Germany. Shirley graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Family Life and Human Development.
It hits when you expect it the least. It hits you walking past the baby aisle in the grocery store. It hits you driving past a cemetery. It hits when you look at photos. It hits you when a pregnancy announcement or engagement comes through on your social media feed. It hits you when the holidays come and you’re thousands of miles from family. It never really leaves, and it comes and goes.
What is Grief?
Grief is “the response to loss that contains thoughts, behaviors, emotions and physiological changes; if the loss is permanent so too is the grief, but it evolves and changes as a person adapts to the loss (The Center for Complicated Grief: Overview).” Grief, while including death, also includes any loss that one can experience. This includes losses such as miscarriage, infertility, graduating from school, relationships, moving somewhere new, and health complications, to name just a few.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
The “Stages” of Grief
There are no real set-in-stone stages of grief. Many of us have been taught the most well-known model of the Five Stages of Grief, however, research has gone on to show that putting grief into so-called stages can actually be incredibly damaging because not everyone will go through these specific stages. Compartmentalizing grief can create an idea of grieving wrong or incorrectly (Stroebe, Schut & Boerner, 2017). So rather than talking about stages of grief, I’m going to talk about various principles of grief drawn from these so-called stages in the next section.
Grieving
The most important thing to remember about grieving is that everyone grieves differently (Stroebe, Schut & Boerner, 2017).No two people will grieve in exactly the same way. It’s okay to grieve for things and people that others may not. It’s okay to grieve in the way that works for you. And remember while you are grieving to not compare the way you grieve to the way other people grieve.
Grief comes with a variety of different emotions. The most common emotions associated with grief are shock and disbelief, sadness, guilt, anger, and fear (Coping with Grief and Loss, 2019). These emotions are normal to feel with grief and sometimes will reappear at different points throughout grieving. Some people will experience all of these emotions, some may only experience a few, and that is okay because we all grieve differently.
Photo by Claudia Wolff on Unsplash
Grief can lead to questioning our belief-systems and understanding about life and the world. When a person dies we often ask questions like, “Why did this happen to them?” or, “Why not someone else?” or, “They were such a good person why did they have to die?” These questions are often based on ideas or belief systems such as the just-world hypothesis (the idea that when we are a good person we should only have good things happen to us). When these core beliefs are betrayed by mortality, they can be called into question, and that is OKAY. It’s okay to question and wonder why. Some will try to bargain with their higher power as part of their questioning. (Feldman, 2017)
Grief may eventually lead to acceptance. Grief helps us to come to the point of accepting both what happened and the emotions surrounding the loss as real and valid. There is no rush whatsoever to get to the point of acceptance (Feldman, 2017) and we shouldn’t feel the need to get there in a hurry.
The last point I want to make about grieving comes a little from research and from my own experience. Most people get through the hard, strong, initial grieving within about six months (DePaulo, 2019) but it’s okay if it takes longer. The initial grieving is hard and consuming but it does get easier. I say “gets easier” rather than “goes away”, because in my own life experiences I have found that grief ebbs and flows. Some days, grief shows right up and sits with me for a while. Other days it presents itself in small moments, and other days it’s virtually non-existent.
Photo by J Waye Covington on Unsplash
Coping with Grief
Just like dealing with mental illness or a physical ailment, we have to cope with grief to live our everyday lives. Here are some ideas to help with grief:
Seek support from friends and family members
Find comfort in your faith (this can be religion or spirituality in general)
Write in a journal
Embrace your feelings
Take care of your physical health
Remind yourself that your grief is yours
(Coping with Grief and Loss, 2019)
Final Thoughts
Grief is hard and it’s recurring. But it’s also an opportunity to deal with loss in the most human way possible. Grief at times may be consuming but it also provides an old friend as we go through loss throughout our life. Give yourself permission to grieve even if it’s from something from years ago in your past. It’s okay to grieve and it’s okay to re-grieve. And remember your grief is your own. Everyone will grieve differently and that’s beautiful.
Option #1: Share your thoughts about grief in your journal or on social media
Option #2: Share this post to help others learn more about grief
Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Boerner, K. (2017). Cautioning Health-Care Professionals. OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying, 74(4), 455–473. doi: 10.1177/0030222817691870
Anasteece Smith is a Utah native who is now living it up as a Texas girl. She is the oldest of seven children and married her sweetheart in 2018 who happened to have her same last name. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Family Life. In her free time, Anasteece likes to read, paint, swim, hike, camp, hammock, and do graphic design. She is passionate about mental health, healthy sexuality, family resilience, feminism, religion, and research on shame, vulnerability, and perfectionism.
For years I had felt a quiet impression that I needed to look into my family history. I’d do a bit here and there, filling in missing gaps and such on the family tree, but not much beyond that. I thought I was doing my part, thinking that as long as the names and dates are there, we’re good. The thing is, family history isn’t just about filling in gaps in a family tree—though that is a part of it.
The real joy for me came when I began reading my ancestors’ stories and really getting to know them. That’s how I first learned about Grace.
Grace is my great-great-grandmother on my mom’s side. She had four children with her husband, an engineer who designed and paved roads both in the United States and abroad. That’s the basic story, and what I had known before. But life is, of course, far more complex and far deeper than two sentences can describe. When I dove deeper into her story, it ended up changing my life.
According to second-hand accounts obtained from user-submitted stories on genealogy websites as well as some information from family members, Grace and her husband met as teenagers and she was smitten. Against her parents’ wishes, they married in 1909 when Grace was 18 years old.
Years later, shortly after their fourth child was born, her husband ended up in Utah, where he designed the roads that went through some of the National Parks in the state. While his family was back at home, her husband fell for a young woman (25 years his junior) who worked as a waitress and played in an orchestra associated with the national park. James left his family and ran off with this young woman, leaving Grace to raise their four children alone.
I immediately saw the connection to my own life and my relationships.
While I have never been married nor raised children alone, my experience with unhealthy relationships and betrayal trauma lead me to believe that Grace surely experienced a degree of both of those. Those are things I understand. And from those things, I can also assume that his betrayal and abandonment didn’t just happen overnight—there were surely red flags that led to them.
Was I continuing to ignore red flags in my own life, perpetuating this cycle of unhealthy relationships?
It was only after learning Grace’s story that I realized this is a generational issue in my family, and I have the power to break that cycle.
The Research
I thought that doing family history work benefited my deceased family members as I sought to remember and record their lives. I had no idea I would find myself in their stories, and that they would influence my own life in such a monumental way.
When interviewed by CNN, author A.J. Jacobs shared the benefits of teaching children (and I’d also add adults) about their family stories: “What children learn when they hear about their past— both the good and the bad… is primarily that they can chart their own course and don’t have to follow the path of what their less-than-stellar ancestors did. They also learn that they are part of something bigger than themselves.”
The article cited research to back this up: a study by Emory University found that “Family stories provide a sense of identity through time, and help children understand who they are in the world.”
Discovering this family story helped me feel part of something bigger than myself, and gave me a sense of identity greater than I had felt previously. Feeling that connection to my great grandmother through similar traumas helped me see my own strength, both in my trauma recovery and in my ability to change unhealthy relationship patterns in my life.
The Emory University study also found additional unexpected benefits of studying family history: Teens who learned more stories about their extended family showed “higher levels of emotional well-being, and also higher levels of identity achievement, even when controlling for general level of family functioning.”
In Ancestry.com’s 2014 global study of over 6,000 Ancestry users, 67% said that “knowing their family history has made them feel wiser as a person.” Additionally, 72% said it “helped them feel closer to older relatives.” (This study was cited in a blog by the New York Public Library entitled “20 Reasons Why You Should Write Your Family History,” which is also a great read). Learning about ancestors clearly has benefits that reach far beyond basic knowledge of the past.
How to Start
A few months ago, I read an idea on an Instagram account (I’m pretty sure it was on @thelisteningearproject, though I could be mistaken) to specifically ask all living grandparents, “What is something you wish you had done when you were younger?” After recording their answers, you could then go and do those things in their place, sharing your memories with them. I decided to finally ask this question when I was home for the holidays this year. While I may not be able to actually complete the unfulfilled dreams of my grandparents (some answers included to go to nursing school, travel to Israel, and buy a horse and ride into the mountains), the prompt opened up new conversations and understanding of my grandparents’ lives. Even my parents were unaware of these parts of my grandparents’ lives. And hey, maybe someday I’ll go to Israel and share that experience with my grandma!
If you want to start asking family members questions and recording their answers (either by writing it down, or recording their voices, which will be so meaningful in and of itself), here is a great list of questions to start with.
One of my favorite lines from the New York Times article is one I’d like to end this article with: “[Culture] comes from lived experience, traditions and stories passed down, from actual people who shape our perceptions of the world.” When we get past the names and dates, we can discover our family, and discover ourselves.
Option #1: Ask a living grandparent the question, “What is something you wish you had done when you were younger?” Record their answer.
Option #2: Create a free account on familysearch.org. Learn something new about your family tree.
Allie Barnes graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies, earned a certificate in Substance Use Disorder Counseling from Utah Valley University, and studied writing throughout her undergraduate career. In every professional role she’s filled since then, her focus remains the same: People.
In today’s world of Facebook rants, cyberbullying, and Youtube trolling, it seems near impossible for anyone to share any sort of opinion without someone else jumping right on in to explain why they are wrong. The truth is, as human beings, we experience the world differently. Because of varying backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences, we are going to have differing opinions, and yes, even disagreements! This is normal, healthy, and can even be helpful (read on to find out how…). However, most “discussions” that we see happening around us, particularly on social media, often turn into anything short of an all-out riot rather than helping us find mutual understanding and empathy. So how can we avoid this? How can we disagree with someone and still remain civil (and maybe even benefit from the disagreement)?
Step 1: Keep it Private
Facebook is NOT the place for a conversation where you are seeking to understand or be understood. If you want to have a real conversation with someone where mutual understanding is the goal, be intentional about having that conversation in some sort of private setting (whether that is in person or not). Consider having a video chat or at least a phone call so that you are able to notice body language and voice cues rather than just reading a text (it’s been argued that the actual words we say only make up about 7% of what we communicate (Mehrabian, 1967), so being able to read other non-verbal cues helps lower the possibility of misunderstanding). Create a space where both participants can feel safe, and free from fear of judgment or attack.
Photo by Jessica Da Rosa on Unsplash
Step 2: Listen and Learn
The most beautiful part about associating with people you disagree with is that we can all learn from each other. If we all thought the same, we wouldn’t need each other. Our varying experiences allow us to gain perspective, and to work together to make this world a better place! The goal of a conversation where there is disagreement on an issue should be empathy, not “winning”. Empathy (taking on someone else’s perspective) is what turns conflict from something divisive into something productive (check out our other articles here, here, and here to learn more about the power of empathy). It can help us come out of the other side of an argument feeling closer and more understanding towards each other. When you listen with empathy, you also have a better chance of learning something from the disagreement, whether or not what you learn changes your opinion. The point is, strive to see disagreement as an opportunity for connection and understanding rather than a fight to be won.
Step 3: Don’t Put People In a Box
When we disagree with someone on a specific issue, it can be easy to make assumptions about other parts of their lives. Just because someone thinks one way about one matter, doesn’t mean that you can assume that you know all of their other thoughts and feelings. When you notice yourself making an assumption about someone, stop, take a mental step back, and ask yourself, “What is something true (not an assumption) that I know about this person?” Are they a loving parent? A good friend? A hard worker? Rather than getting caught up in your diverging opinions, focus on positive qualities that you KNOW they possess and allow those to shape your opinion of them.
Step 4: Avoid Black and White Thinking
We’ve all heard the adage, “You’re either with me or against me.” Black and white thinking involves the perspective that there is only one way to do or see something. This thinking pattern can be incredibly harmful when we are trying to communicate with others. When it comes to people’s experiences, thoughts, and choices, chances are they are FAR more nuanced and complicated than we can understand from just a single opinion. When you are having a disagreement, remember that the person you are talking to is part of your same human family and that having a certain opinion doesn’t automatically make you enemies.
Photo by Etienne Boulanger on Unsplash
Step 5: The Care is Still There
Finally, it’s important to realize that you can disagree with someone and still care about them. When we disagree about an issue, it can be easy to take that disagreement personally. This builds on the previous steps. Creating a private space of mutual respect, safety, and empathy, along with avoiding assumptions and black and white thinking can help someone to know that you still care for them, even if you disagree.
Even though disagreement can sometimes be uncomfortable, we don’t need to be afraid of it. When we keep conversations civil and make connection our mutual goal, our different opinions can be a source of learning, empathy, and progress rather than venom and frustration. The next time you find yourself disagreeing with someone, slow down and try to remember that relationships are more important than always being “right”.
The next time you see something on social media that you disagree with or that makes you angry, DON’T REPLY ON THE COMMENT THREAD. Practice restraint, wait a few hours, and then if you still have something that you feel really needs to be said, reach out and have a private conversation instead.
Mansfield, K. C., & Jean-Marie, G. (2015). Courageous conversations about race, class, and gender: Voices and lessons from the field. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 28(7), 819–841. https://doi-org.erl.lib.byu.edu/10.1080/09518398.2015.1036950
Mehrabian, A., & Wiener, M. (1967). Decoding of inconsistent communications. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6, 109-114.
Moffitt, U., & Syed, M. (2020). Ethnic-racial identity in action: Structure and content of friends’ conversations about ethnicity and race. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research. https://doi-org.erl.lib.byu.edu/10.1080/15283488.2020.1838804
*The Healthy Humans Project is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to improve relationships!
Rian Nicole Gordon is from Orem, Utah, and graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Family Life and Human Development. She has been married to her best friend Mark for five years, and they have two beautiful children, one boy and one girl. Apart from her full-time job as a stay-at-home mom, she works for The Dibble Institute, which specializes in relationship education for youth.
It seems that we are constantly being bombarded with bad news; there was a school shooting. A hurricane hit harder than we initially thought. A beloved former teacher died. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that tragedy will strike, and sometimes, it’ll strike without warning.
I have had my fair share of heartbreak — as I’m sure we all have — and despite the agonizing, unbearable pain that I’ve experienced, I have slowly come to accept that there are benefits to tragedy. Believe me, this is not me asking for more suffering to come my way (please, no), but I have seen myself and those around me grow and become closer because of the trials we’ve faced together.
When it comes to dealing with tragedy, individuals often possess their own spiritual and cultural traditions, which play a large part in the coping process (Aranda & Knight 1997). It’s not unusual for people to ask “why us?” or “who is to blame?” In order to fully gain perspective while experiencing tragedy, we need to make sense of the traumatic event and be aware of any repercussions that may come as a result (Walsh 2007).
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash
Through a traumatic event, however, it is essential to maintain a positive outlook. Hope is vital for recovery. Hope fuels energies and investment to rebuild lives, revise dreams, renew attachments, and create positive legacies to pass on to future generations (Walsh 2007). Being able to trust in the future and trust in yourself will help facilitate the feeling of security to return back into your life.
The Power of Resilience
The semester after we suddenly lost my sister, I took a class called Family Adaptation and Resiliency. I chose this course very purposefully — I had always planned on taking it, but I knew that I needed it sooner rather than later. Throughout the course of the semester, we read about and walked through just about every tragedy that a family could experience. Divorce, death, natural disaster, job loss and other financial strains…the list goes on and on. No matter the stressor, however, it was drilled into my head that families could recover. Not only that, but families could end up stronger than they were before. This is the true meaning of resilience: not only bouncing back but using these difficulties to improve relationships as well.
Resilience isn’t limited to an individual or a family, however. It can be seen in a community as well! So many tragedies strike on a larger scale, and through an intentional response to trials, an entire community — a city, a state, a nation — can be brought together. Although arguably none of us want to go through tragedy, it’s important to remember that when hard things happen, we have a choice. We can choose to be stuck in the tragedy, or we can choose to work towards resilience and draw closer together. Through tragedy, a family or community system can become more refined than ever before. “Resilience involves ‘mastering the possible,’ coming to accept what has been lost and cannot be changed, while directing efforts to what can be done and seizing opportunities for something good to come out of the tragedy” (Murphy, Johnson, & Lohan 2002). Achieving resilience is not a simple task, but through communication and being aware of needs and emotions, it is possible.
Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash
Studies have found that one of the most important ways to foster acceptance and hope following a tragedy is the ability to seek comfort and reassurance with others. Walsh put it best when he said, “Times of great tragedy can bring out the best in the human spirit: ordinary people show extraordinary courage, compassion, and generosity in helping kin, neighbors, and strangers to recover and rebuild lives.”
Tips for fostering community resilience:
Acknowledge the trauma and verify facts
Find meaning through memorial rituals, tributes, etc.
Rebuild lives, homes, etc. through community reorganization
Create new life plans and dreams
Journal about a tragedy you have experienced in your life, and how it has affected who you are today. If you feel comfortable opening up, seek out members of your community that could use your support and personal experience in their own healing process.
References
Manyena, Bernard, et al. “Disaster resilience: a bounce back or bounce forward ability?.” Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability 16.5 (2011): 417-424.
Aranda, M. P., & Knight, B. G. (1997). The influence of ethnicity and culture on the caregiver stress and coping process: A sociocultural review and analysis. The Gerontologist, 37(3), 342-354.
Murphy, S. A., Johnson, L. C., & Lohan, J. (2002). The aftermath of the violent death of a child: An integration of the assessments of parents’ mental distress and PTSD during the first 5 years of bereavement. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 7(3), 203–222. https://doi-org.erl.lib.byu.edu/10.1080/10811440290057620
Walsh, F. (2007). Traumatic Loss and Major Disasters: Strengthening Family and Community Resilience. Family Process, 46(2), 207–227. https://doi-org.erl.lib.byu.edu/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00205.x
McKay Strong is from Texas. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Family Life. A super experienced wife of a year, McKay works full-time at a local nonprofit and has more side hustles than she should (she still doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life). She is a proud Ravenclaw and an even more proud cat mom. McKay is passionate about self-love, body positivity, healthy sexuality, and breaking the stigma against mental illnesses. Also, Harry Potter.
Option 1: Review your meals for the last week. Write down what you ate and who you ate with. 
Last year, the New York Times published a beautiful piece (“
