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Simple Joyful Food

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What does it mean to eat happily?

January 14, 2020 8 Comments
girl eating popsicles who is happy

I choose to eat happily. Food is a necessity of life, right? We live in a world of extremes with food starvation on one side – and gluttony on the other. There are those who live with abundance at their fingertips as well as the means to healthy and delicious meals… yet choose to feast on empty nutrition.

Lifestyle image of someone cooking in the kitchen

Living in the moments

I love this photo. It tells a story of an impromptu dinner with my husband Dennis and our niece Codi. We picked up a few things at the store to supplement what we already had stocked in our pantry. Codi and I sat while Dennis took over and prepared the entire meal. A lone bottle of Lillet is front and center. It’s a sweet aperitif and I am not prone to sweet drinks. It was, however, my dad’s favorite – and Codi’s grandpa – and so I always keep it stocked and it becomes part of the conversation. A nod to an old memory while a new one is being formed.

This photo sums up food happiness to me: family, conversation, and small things. Not rushed. Not complicated. Special. Eating happily is in the moments of a meal.

Sharing your heart

Recently my friend Beth described this blog as “a hub for food happiness.” It made me pause and think. A hub has two meanings. One describes the pivotal point of a wheel. The other describes the heart or focal point of an activity. I love that. You see, eating well is the driving momentum behind what I share. When we eat well, it can make us happy. Eating happily is the heart of the meal.

Can you eat yourself happy?

A quick Google search will provide you with study after study that eating well, eating healthy, and eating mindfully does indeed have a positive effect on our minds and body. But I don’t think you or I need a research study to prove that to ourselves… there is a reason why the term “comfort food” is so easily identified as foods that comfort us when we need comforting… and the reasons behind what defines comfort food to each of us individually is as varied as they come.

If I had to guess what Dennis’s favorite comfort food is, it would be a grilled filet-mignon. (Then again, he may answer chocolate donuts!) The answer doesn’t matter because it’s about our own happiness definition. Eat too much of the “bad stuff” and over time our bodies will let us know when we’re overdoing it. Learning how to eat healthy foods while we are comforting ourselves? Well now, I think that is perfection! Eating happily is eating healthy.

I believe that eating happily means

  • you are focused on the moments
  • the heart of a meal is understood
  • you strive to eat healthy
  • love both the simplicity and complexity of food and drink
  • eating mindfully is emphasized
  • you give thanks for every bite
  • food is respected
  • we are what we eat – mentally, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually
  • curiousity drives you to know how food is prepared, preserved, and planted
  • you are always on the lookout to learn, grow, share, and serve
  • awe and wonder about 360-degree touchpoints of food
  • that you love to explore
  • there is a strong belief in the power of giving your best to others
  • you don’t want to waste life

What’s the first step?

We can be shining lights for eating happily to our friends and families each time we share a purposeful meal at the table, pack a healthy snack when we know a dear one may go hours without access to food, and chose to serve the most simplest of nibbles on that one beautiful dish that belonged to a great aunt or salvaged from a thrift store.

Dear friends, will you join me in choosing to eat happily?

Eat well, my friends.

Lyndi

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This post was original shared on 08.21.2017 and was updated with an easier-to-read flow

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  1. Beth says

    August 28, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    Silly goose – they ALL resonate with me! And I stand by the belief that this is a hub for food happiness. And as (is like to think) one of your most loyal readers and food partners through the years: may I say that you continue to knock it out of the park. I (we!!!) love journeying and evolving with you.

    Cheers to food, friends, faith, family… and storytelling! ?

    Reply
    • lyndi says

      August 29, 2017 at 9:07 pm

      Thank you, friend! Cheers to food, friends, faith, family… and storytelling, indeed!

      Reply
  2. Debbie says

    September 15, 2017 at 4:02 pm

    All of them!

    Reply
    • lyndi says

      September 29, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      Yes! All of them! xoxox

      Reply
  3. Debbie says

    June 17, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    Well, of course they ALL do. There’s a little mystique surrounding food that of us with a food happiness bent “get.” It’s not an obsession; it’s a pure enjoyment it’s where our natural creativity beckons. ⭕️❌⭕️❌

    Reply
    • lyndi says

      June 24, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      Amen!

      Reply
  4. Michelle Hudson says

    May 5, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    Thanks, Lyndi. In recent weeks, I’ve lost interest in a lot of things…even eating. Find myself living alone for the first time in my life. Nothing holds the same meaning since our separation. I’ve gone days without eating much – coffee, few spoonfuls of peanut butter, a glass of wine. So not healthy. I appreciate your encouragement. What I’m taking away from it is that I may have to redefine mealtimes. Find and try new things that interest me, recipes for one – remember that I’m worth preparing a meal for. Eventually, I hope to find joy in healthy eating in my own company. Today has been good. I ate package of instant oatmeal, drank water this am and also took time for lunch – venison and steamed broccoli. Running across your article today gives me a little push to get back to nurturing my body because I know I’ll handle the stress better. Love you, my childhood friend.

    Reply
    • Lyndi Fultz says

      May 13, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      First things first, Michelle…. huggggggggg. You know, sometimes we just gotta’ eat the Doritoes, order the pizza, and survive on peanut butter. (Wine is healthy, right?) Eventually, our bodies will let us know that it’s time to take better care of ourselves but it’s hard to take that first step. You’re doing it. Stress is just science and our bodies are marvelously made. Keep on my friend. I’m sorry that you’re having to navigate these new waters. If I know you, you’re a fighter. One that I would want one my side, any day!

      Reply

welcome

author image of thejoyofeatingwell blogHi, I’m Lyndi Fultz and I have a passion for the simple.

I believe that planning, prepping, and cooking meals can be a joy and not a daily dreaded chore.

If you are overwhelmed and feeling guilty that you’re not eating better and are tired of deciding what to cook, join me as I share how to capture kitchen joy by focusing on simplicity.

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simplejoyfulfood

Slowing down to savor food and life. And above all, have a good time.

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Ad. Stop sneaking the spiced candied pecans!” I Ad. Stop sneaking the spiced candied pecans!” I said this not once, not twice, but almost three times before Dennis beat me to it those words all over again. “I’m sneaking some more,” he happily declared.⁠
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I’m delighted that he was enjoying them! I assured him that he could have allllll that his little heart desired… he just had to allow me to take a few photos for you!⁠
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You see these spiced candied pecans are simple and easy go-to appetizers that we should always have the ingredients on hand. For those “just in case” moments when… ⁠
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This isn’t any ordinary candied pecan recipe – it’s extraordinary! We’re adding spices. ⁠
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Not just any ordinary spice – we’re adding @puretexanchili mix.⁠
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That’s right, chili mix!⁠
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Link in bio for the recipe!⁠
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Enjoy!
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“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savor it, analyze it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.” – Julia Child

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