Emiko, I can't tell you how much I appreciate folks like yourself, Julia Turshen and Ruby Tandoh (and many others) for challenging the often very classist and fat phobic food narratives coming from mainstream chefs/cooks/food writers - it seems like getting on the 'anti-ob*sity' bandwagon is every celebrity chef's MO currently (at least here in the UK). As I wrote about recently (https://laurathomas.substack.com/p/fundamentals-what-even-is-health) the vast majority of people can't even afford to eat in-line with the govt's 'healthy eating plan' - yet the govt are simultaneously labelling affordable foods as 'junk' and trying to make them less accessible, rather than meaningfully trying to close the gap in health inequity by addressing the social determinants of health. It's so important for us to step back and consider - who get's to decide what is food worthy of eating, and what is considered 'junk' - and who is really benefitting from that? From a nutrition perspective - I would much rather someone ate a beef burger from McDonald's (that contains a lot of essential nutrients and energy) than go hungry.
It is not often we see food writers speak out against diet cultures and the impacts of labelling foods certain ways. I will definitely read the articles you linked. Thank you so much for starting these conversations!
Thank you for all your work on this topic! As someone who was once quick to label certain foods as "good" or "bad," I'm finally at a place where I understand that the only "healthy diet" is the one where you have a positive relationship with food. And these conversations definitely help promote that relationship!
Hi Emiko, I 100% understand your friend's joy at their child accepting McDonald's. When my son was a toddler, he was allergic to eggs and most legumes (so peanuts but also lentils, beans, peas etc). It was such a relief to have a source (eg, McDonald's) where I knew the recipes would be consistent and I didn't have to worry about attempts to "healthify" the food by adding beans/peas, which are seen as almost universally healthy/almost virtuous these days (and yet would prompt lip swelling and more in my child).
Ditto to everything Laura said! There's a certain wonder I feel, seeing your beautiful food photos next to your bold, personal writing that is taking a stance -- it's so unexpected, in the best way. I'd love to talk someday about how these conversations are different in places like Japan or Italy, where "good, clean, fair" food is not considered elitist the way it often is in the U.S., and for many reasons is often more accessible and affordable. I also feel strongly that in addition to removing personal shame from individual food choices, we have to double down on holding food corporations accountable for the power they wield, the products they are pushing, the accountability they are avoiding, and who they are marketing to.
Thank you for that realistic newsletter and I'll read further .
We never know by looking at someone what their life is like and people can be so judgemental.
We have someone in our family who is most probably on the spectrum and has very specific food needs it was seen as poor eating habits but it's so obviously not as he exhibits other traits. But a wonderful intelligent human being nevertheless.
Another family member, an adult loves porridge, and said his mum used to give him porridge often for dinner as a kid and told him it was a treat as he loved it so much. As an adult he found out they couldn't afford anything else.
Fat shaming is also on the rise with the rise of uneducated uniformed influencers causing great harm mentally to young people who don't fit the sleek tanned look.
People can be bigger and perfectly healthy. And the adage of eat less exercise more is both outdated and harmful as a one size fits all mantra.
What a compelling and thought provoking read. Thank you for taking the time open this conversation here. I remember when I was pregnant with my first born an older friend said I’ll offer you one piece of advice only....‘remember as a mother you’re always doing your best.’ I’ve always held o to that and it’s again come to mind reading your piece.
Great read! I listened to a podcast about The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan (the podcast is Maintenance Phase) and a lot of what you wrote hits the same way. When I was a kid, junk food, especially American junk food was expensive and “exotic” - a bag of Lays cost the same as a plate of hawker centre noodles in Singapore (it still does!). So I didn’t realise there was a classist attitude towards junk food till I was much older. It’s toxic and needs to stop.
This is such an important topic and I applaud your tackling it and continuing these discussions! One thing I had admittedly not thought of prior to a few years ago was that certain systems of oppression and colonial/settler dominance have created situations where food traditions have been limited or undermined. An example is indigenous communities in North America, where ancestral foods may now be less abundant or even completely gone (as a result of non-indigenous and unsustainable interference and harm). Often grocery store food is very expensive, not always particularly nutrient dense, and so people live in what is essentially a ‘food desert’ and have needed to adapt. The current choices that certain communities have for food or their food consumption traditions of the last few centuries may stem not only from current access to resources and availability, but may have initially developed from a history of great harm enacted upon them. Colonialism and settler violence (I include capitalism and gentrification in this) continues to have a lasting impact upon accessibility and affordability, as well as in some cases having traumatically altered or inhibited indigenous food traditions.
Emiko, I can't tell you how much I appreciate folks like yourself, Julia Turshen and Ruby Tandoh (and many others) for challenging the often very classist and fat phobic food narratives coming from mainstream chefs/cooks/food writers - it seems like getting on the 'anti-ob*sity' bandwagon is every celebrity chef's MO currently (at least here in the UK). As I wrote about recently (https://laurathomas.substack.com/p/fundamentals-what-even-is-health) the vast majority of people can't even afford to eat in-line with the govt's 'healthy eating plan' - yet the govt are simultaneously labelling affordable foods as 'junk' and trying to make them less accessible, rather than meaningfully trying to close the gap in health inequity by addressing the social determinants of health. It's so important for us to step back and consider - who get's to decide what is food worthy of eating, and what is considered 'junk' - and who is really benefitting from that? From a nutrition perspective - I would much rather someone ate a beef burger from McDonald's (that contains a lot of essential nutrients and energy) than go hungry.
Thank you, Emiko, for your wise and compassionate food guidance. It definitely made me question my food thinking.
It is not often we see food writers speak out against diet cultures and the impacts of labelling foods certain ways. I will definitely read the articles you linked. Thank you so much for starting these conversations!
Thank you for all your work on this topic! As someone who was once quick to label certain foods as "good" or "bad," I'm finally at a place where I understand that the only "healthy diet" is the one where you have a positive relationship with food. And these conversations definitely help promote that relationship!
Hi Emiko, I 100% understand your friend's joy at their child accepting McDonald's. When my son was a toddler, he was allergic to eggs and most legumes (so peanuts but also lentils, beans, peas etc). It was such a relief to have a source (eg, McDonald's) where I knew the recipes would be consistent and I didn't have to worry about attempts to "healthify" the food by adding beans/peas, which are seen as almost universally healthy/almost virtuous these days (and yet would prompt lip swelling and more in my child).
Ditto to everything Laura said! There's a certain wonder I feel, seeing your beautiful food photos next to your bold, personal writing that is taking a stance -- it's so unexpected, in the best way. I'd love to talk someday about how these conversations are different in places like Japan or Italy, where "good, clean, fair" food is not considered elitist the way it often is in the U.S., and for many reasons is often more accessible and affordable. I also feel strongly that in addition to removing personal shame from individual food choices, we have to double down on holding food corporations accountable for the power they wield, the products they are pushing, the accountability they are avoiding, and who they are marketing to.
Thank you for that realistic newsletter and I'll read further .
We never know by looking at someone what their life is like and people can be so judgemental.
We have someone in our family who is most probably on the spectrum and has very specific food needs it was seen as poor eating habits but it's so obviously not as he exhibits other traits. But a wonderful intelligent human being nevertheless.
Another family member, an adult loves porridge, and said his mum used to give him porridge often for dinner as a kid and told him it was a treat as he loved it so much. As an adult he found out they couldn't afford anything else.
Fat shaming is also on the rise with the rise of uneducated uniformed influencers causing great harm mentally to young people who don't fit the sleek tanned look.
People can be bigger and perfectly healthy. And the adage of eat less exercise more is both outdated and harmful as a one size fits all mantra.
These are very thoughtful ideas, presenting quite an unusual perspective and slightly inducing some awkward guilt and wincing
What a compelling and thought provoking read. Thank you for taking the time open this conversation here. I remember when I was pregnant with my first born an older friend said I’ll offer you one piece of advice only....‘remember as a mother you’re always doing your best.’ I’ve always held o to that and it’s again come to mind reading your piece.
Great read! I listened to a podcast about The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan (the podcast is Maintenance Phase) and a lot of what you wrote hits the same way. When I was a kid, junk food, especially American junk food was expensive and “exotic” - a bag of Lays cost the same as a plate of hawker centre noodles in Singapore (it still does!). So I didn’t realise there was a classist attitude towards junk food till I was much older. It’s toxic and needs to stop.
This is such an important topic and I applaud your tackling it and continuing these discussions! One thing I had admittedly not thought of prior to a few years ago was that certain systems of oppression and colonial/settler dominance have created situations where food traditions have been limited or undermined. An example is indigenous communities in North America, where ancestral foods may now be less abundant or even completely gone (as a result of non-indigenous and unsustainable interference and harm). Often grocery store food is very expensive, not always particularly nutrient dense, and so people live in what is essentially a ‘food desert’ and have needed to adapt. The current choices that certain communities have for food or their food consumption traditions of the last few centuries may stem not only from current access to resources and availability, but may have initially developed from a history of great harm enacted upon them. Colonialism and settler violence (I include capitalism and gentrification in this) continues to have a lasting impact upon accessibility and affordability, as well as in some cases having traumatically altered or inhibited indigenous food traditions.