The history of humanity and food is an endlessly complex and fascinating story. Humans need food to survive, as it is one of our three most basic needs; shelter, water, and food.
However, humans have a much deeper, creative connection with food.
Think of all the cuisines in the world or the cultural significance of food in every society. Everything we do is centered around food. From birthday parties to holidays to tailgates, we celebrate life’s big moments with both the people we love and the food we love.
Enjoying food can be something most of us take for granted, as those who have trouble eating or enjoying food can find these moments of celebration difficult. At theEATBar, we want to show our love through food that includes everyone. This mission is at the heart of our company.
Keep reading for a dive into why food is so much more than just fuel.
Food Brings Us Together
We can understand just how important food is to humanity by focusing on the places and the people we eat with. Food is at the center of any celebration, gathering, or family dinner.
You may have complained about family dinners when you were a child, but the importance of “dinner time” is easily shown through weekly dinners with loved ones. Most family members have such busy schedules that dinner time can be the only time for visiting with one another.
Whether sharing a meal with your parent or sibling or going out to eat with your newfound friends, many of our joyful moments contain food. Sharing a meal is more than just chowing down; it is about taking the time to connect with the person across the dinner table.
For those who have lost their appetite or struggle at the dinner table, this connection of sharing a meal together can at times be tarnished.
We wanted to create theEATbar to provide a tasty, filling, and satisfying food option that can help bring joy back into eating. Having an eating experience that is actually enjoyable can allow one to focus on connecting with others at the table.
Respect Food’s Unique Connection
Another important thing to understand is everybody’s experience with food is unique.
Some people might have difficulty swallowing, while others struggle with binge eating. Someone you know might have to eat particular food or liquids to help with multiple sclerosis or struggle to physically eat because of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. There are hundreds of different ways people can interact with food, and no two people have the same experience.
The point is, you can never honestly know how the people around you experience and interact with food, and there’s no perfect solution that will accommodate everyone’s eating struggles.
Be mindful of our differences and never judge someone who has a different relationship with food. We hope others will do the same for you too!
Rediscover the Joy of Eating
Finding joy and not just fuel in eating, can be done through mindful eating.
Mindful eating, also known as intuitive eating, is a practice meant to reconnect you with food in a positive, almost meditative way. To start, all you have to do is ask yourself two questions:
- What should I eat?
And
- What do I want to eat?
The first question can reveal some of the various ways you view food. Most likely, the food you think you should eat is closer to the food you’ve been told you should eat. The second question helps you move past the should/shouldn’t phase of food and allows you to begin viewing foods with happiness and excitement again. If the answers to these questions are entirely different from one another, then diving deeper into mindful eating can be a great tool.
Instead of listening to the shoulds and shouldn't, mindful eating makes you listen to your body and ask yourself some critical questions.
What kind of food will satisfy your hunger? What type of food brings you happiness? What kinds of foods can give you nutrients while still achieving the first two goals?
Once you can answer those questions, your food journey will truly begin.
Food for Joy
The answer to how to have a healthy relationship with food is going to look different for everyone. Although understanding that food is more than just a way to fuel our bodies can be a great place to start.
We created theEATbar to help bring joy and fun back to eating. Our founder, a speech-language pathologist by trade, wanted to make an easy-to-eat, calorie-full, delicious snack for everyone.
With a melt-in-your-mouth meringue texture and easy, tasty flavors, theEATbar is a quick and simple solution for anyone looking to eat.
Learn more about theEATbar, and other food tips on our blog!