Food, glorious food

Who knew that losing one's job could actually be good for one's health. There are the standard reasons why...such as elimination of ongoing daily stress (well not total elimination of stress since I don't have a job), being removed from confined spaces with sneezing and ill co-workers, avoidance of germs, no commuting stress, and being able to actually make AND get to doctor appointments.

But what I really didn't anticipate was that I would be eating better now that I'm home every day and that I actually prefer to eat at home rather than at a restaurant. This is somewhat of a revelation since I don't particularly enjoy cooking, in fact I consider it a chore...not escapism or creative or fulfilling as I've heard many people remark. And I'm not a particularly good cook...I'll take the simple recipes with five or fewer ingredients any day.

When working, I would often be dead tired at the end of the day, heading home late, and knowing that my lovely daughters would be famished as soon as I walked in the door. I, too, would be ready to eat the first food item that appeared before me or in my mind as a quick dinner -- kebabs at Moby Dick, burrito bowl or salad at Chipotle, or a yummy peanut chicken bowl at Ricky's Rice Bowl. These are all fine when you're more interested in immediate gratification and not paying attention to the budget.

But my desire to live on a budget, eat healthfully, and lose weight have led me to spend time cooking -- certainly not fancy meals but nutritious foods and I know exactly what the ingredients are. I can avoid many processed and packaged foods and focus on fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and seasonings, whole grains, as well as chicken and fish. I'm enjoying eating my nice red tomatoes and fragrant basil that I grow in pots on my patio, and my salads taste far better seasoned with a little olive oil, white wine vinegar, pepper and sea salt than any restaurant salad. Yes, this is the healthy comfort food I've been yearning for and I'm enjoying being the chef in my own little kitchen. My body is feeling healthier and I like knowing exactly what I'm eating!

I suspect other people are feeling the same way...people who have lost their jobs and those who are worried that they may be next. With the enormous popularity of cooking shows on the Food Network, Travel Channel, and Bravo bringing higher ratings, food has moved to primetime entertainment. According to Nielsen data, since 2004 the primetime audience for Food Network has increased 55%. It's not just foodies who are watching! In addition Whole Foods continues to do well in this lackluster economy, and what are people buying at WalMart and Costco: food items.

Perhaps this mass loss of jobs and reevaluating what is really important in life bodes well for the U.S. by helping to create more people, like me, who are genuinely interested in what they are putting into their bodies and paying attention to the link between eating and health.