what's the buzz?

I don’t know about you guys but I’ve noticed lately that we are stressing ourselves out way too much on some things that are just plain unnecessary. I recently spent time away with friends and family, whom I adore, but the obsession with food was totally ridiculous. I know we should all eat from the right food groups and granted I am the most, as my kids call me, “rubenesque” of the group, but do we have to stoop to “I can’t believe it’s not butter” spread? I mean REALLY. You aren’t fooling anyone. I CAN believe it’s not butter and please bring me the real butter while you’re at it! How else am I going to fill all those nooks and crannies?

Low fat cream cheese, UGH. Even worse are the low fat salad dressings; who are they kidding? All these companies playing to our guilt about eating, and in most cases it has worked because there are a lot of people in all sizes and shapes making the diet-food industry a ton of cash $$$. How many times do you see someone loading up at the fast food chains for the dollar menu but adding a diet coke?

Ok, so I suffer from bad eating habits. One of my favorite movie lines comes from the classic Woody Allen movie “Sleeper”. The character, Miles Monroe, who has been frozen cryogenically for 200 years, was a prior manager of a health food store. Upon waking up from his deep sleep the doctors are chatting:
“He requests something called wheat germ, organic honey and tiger’s milk.”
“Oh yes, those were the charmed substances that some years ago were felt to contain life-preserving properties.”
“You mean, there was no deep fat? No steak or cream pies or hot fudge?”
“Those were thought to be unhealthy. Precisely the opposite of what we now know to be true.”
I SO wish it was true……..hot fudge at Kimball’s ice cream, you can die happy after that experience!

So I know the new crop of young parents want to be sure that only “organic” foods ever touch the lips of their babes; again way too stressful. I’m all about buying the best food you can afford and fresh and local as much as possible. I suffered the wrath of my sister recently when at a birthday party for her grandchild, I mixed the organic fruit with the Costco fruit, and she went a little crazy. Apparently all the 4-year-olds at that party only eat organic and now I have mixed the fruit bowl, and you would have thought I personally sprayed them with DDT. I get it, but I don’t think one time is going to give them brain damage. Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is LIGHTEN UP! Everything is not always perfect. Yes, some discipline when it comes to eating is great, but isn’t it so much fun to break those rules once in awhile?

As for me, I am now going to have a cold glass of milk and dip myself some Oreos. Cheers!