Food Is Connection
by Jessica DeMay, Food Blogger & Recipe Developer
by Jessica DeMay, Food Blogger & Recipe Developer
I’m Jessica and I am a recipe developer for my site, Real Food with Jessica. Even though I love food and exploring new recipes, that love hasn’t always come easily. I’d like to remind you what I’ve had to re-learn myself: Food is so much more than the calories it holds. It brings people together, connects you to a loved one you miss, holds memories and comfort, and isn’t something that needs to be restricted.
So often, New Year’s Resolutions tie into the consumption of food. We’re told that your life will improve if you go on a diet, cut out foods, and start exercising. But I want to encourage you to be gentle with yourself.
As someone who dealt with an eating disorder for many years, I’ve had to retrain my brain on how to think about food and how to have a healthier approach. I have some foods eliminated from my diet, but that is because I don’t tolerate them, not for reasons of weight loss or management. After years of being restricted and reintroducing, I’m in a great place with balance.
The need for balance around these ideas came into clearer focus after my mom’s passing. My mom spent a huge part of her life caught up in diet culture- wanting to lose weight, yo-yo dieting, and struggling with food. She was healthy in the aspect that she loved to move her body: dance, swimming, biking, and rollerblading were some of her favorite things. She had no health issues until she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I miss my mom for who she was as a person, not her weight. I wish she didn’t waste all those years worrying about her body and just loving herself for who she was. I am determined to not have this approach to life as a mom. I don’t want my daughter to see these same patterns. I want her to know that bodies are amazing no matter the size and you have more to offer the world than just your body. We have one life and one body, don’t spend it trying to constantly change yourself.
Make a New Year’s Resolution only if you want to. If you feel best getting back to a regular workout routine, making a focus to eat more vegetables, or drinking less alcohol, that’s great, but don’t do it because you “should” or because it seems like everyone else is.
So with the new year here and lots of focus on weight loss and body shaming, I hope you lean into self-love and remember that body size is not an indicator of health.
And if you’d like to make a resolution, here are some non-weight related ones:
I hope you’re enjoying a cup of Peace Coffee as you start the New Year, and here are two of my go-to breakfast recipes for you to try, a tasty coffee cake and a savory BLT bake!
“I have been creating recipes for 8 years. I discovered Peace Coffee years ago at my local health food store. The fun packaging caught my eye and the fact that it’s fair trade and organic sealed the deal since those things are important to me when choosing coffee. The taste hooked me and I’ve continued to buy it and try all the varieties. I’m looking forward to creating some tasty recipes with their coffee!”
Published by Peace Coffee on January 2, 2023.
Sure! Here is approximately how long each of our package sizes lasts, based on mugs per day.
Daily Brew | 12oz | 20oz | 5lb |
---|---|---|---|
1 mug / day
Pourover
|
3 weeks | 1 month | 4 months |
3 mugs / day
French Press
|
1 week | 2 weeks | 2 months |
6 mugs / day
Chemex
|
1 week | 1 week | 6 weeks |
8 mugs / day
Drip Brewer
|
< 1 week | 1 week | 4 weeks |
Your brew strength and mug size may vary!