Day 18: Variety in Food

Yesterday I brought a meal to an acquaintance who had a mastectomy last week. Providing meals is a big stretch for me: I am not a confident or organized cook. I often begin meal planning at 5:05pm, throwing together a salad and some sort of pasta main course. But the month of meals that were provided to me after my surgery gave me tremendous gratitude for meal providers, and I aspire to be more flexible and generous in this area.

The meal coordinator for this family provided instructions about dietary restrictions of this woman's husband. Before planning the meal, I took a quick look. Oy! Providing a meal was going to be harder that I expected. The husband has such severe restrictions that any meal I considered included something from the long list of forbidden ingredients. I finally settled on bean soup and bread. Oh wait, he can't have wheat or yeast. Okay, bean soup and salad. Oh wait, he can't have lettuce. (Can you imagine??) Right then. Bean soup and fruit salad with a rice and broccoli dish on the side. The next challenge was finding something interesting to do with rice and broccoli that didn't involve cheese. And then I realized my bean soup recipe has celery, another no-no.

In the frustration of preparing this meal, I discovered a joy I take for granted: eating food in great variety. I love trying new foods, and I am grateful to have no food allergies. I can go into any restaurant and order any dish without asking what's in it. I can travel without worrying about finding something safe. I can enjoy tastes and textures and the joys of starting a new summer season of eating: strawberries this week!

Next week, I'll be giving my son's fourth grade class a special lesson on the science behind taste. Our senses are incredible in their sensitivity and their ability to differentiate subtle differences. And, interestingly, taste is one of our weakest senses. But taste does more than balance our nutritional needs and aid us in differentiating safe versus unsafe foods. Taste can help recall memories, can give a rush of comfort or pleasure, and can promote community.