A while back, a comment that led to some email exchanges and a look at a fairly new blog called, http://morewithmuchless.blogspot.ca/, gave me a new awareness of the complexity of anorexia and the consequent fear associated with food preparation.
On her blog, Michelle tells of the thought process going through her mind as she looks at food or considers preparing a meal. While on her road to recovery, she is blogging her way through the More with Less cookbook - a challenge that can paralyze someone who is already guilt ridden about food consumption without a recipe book focusing on how to cook with less.
On her blog, Michelle tells of the thought process going through her mind as she looks at food or considers preparing a meal. While on her road to recovery, she is blogging her way through the More with Less cookbook - a challenge that can paralyze someone who is already guilt ridden about food consumption without a recipe book focusing on how to cook with less.
Michelle asked whether any of us of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook would be open to do a guest post on her blog. Although we are not choosing to add writing to our cooking and speaking schedule, one of her questions resonated with me and I thought I'd respond to it as best as I can. Please be aware that I am only addressing her question and talking about my personal experience. Eating disorders are complex illness that can be life threatening - my heart has been heavy just realizing that this is not an easy road for someone trying to get well, but I am not eligible to give advice on that. If someone you love is struggling, please seek professional help and do all you can to help them come through.
The Question:
How did growing up in a Russian Mennonite family affect
your relationship to food? Did your family come from a history of shortage? If
so, how does that affect how you view food consumption/restriction now?
My response:
Growing up in a Mennonite home I knew that my mom would
always have something prepared for meals. Even when she worked full-time, I never
heard an excuse coming from her, saying she did not have time to cook. There was not a lazy bone in her, the biblical
meaning of which was lived out in both of my parents’ lives. She made things
from scratch as much as possible, ever conscious of the cost of prepared foods.
She prepared ahead by keeping basic ingredients in the house, making
soups, baking breads and preparing home-made food to pack for lunches. We did
not grow up with snacking foods, when the meal was served we were hungry and
the food was nourishing. Mealtimes were family times. We waited for each other
and talked about our day. It was a time to connect.
My father and my grandmother went through food shortage and
hunger in Russia Germany
This brings me to something I consider to be important in my
view of food, be it consumption or restriction. I believe that the giving of
thanks for what God has given plays a vital role in how food affects us. When
we realize food is a gift from the One who provides for our needs, we will be
careful about how we handle it. We will not try to find fault with it
unnecessarily, be it the ever fluctuating views about foods or just plain
being picky, which shows ungratefulness. I believe that the giving of thanks can
bless food to cleanse it in instances where we have no choice. There are times
I question some of today’s dietary restrictions and where they are coming from.
Obviously there are situations where it is vitally important to follow a certain
diet, but in certain instances our self induced diets can lead to a life of problems,
stemming from some form of worry or ungratefulness. So let us give thanks to Him who made the
world, along with the food we eat, and blessed it proclaiming it to be good.
Exodus 23: 25
“Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and
water. I will take away sickness from among you.”
1 Timothy 4:4
“For everything God created is
good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.”
14 comments:
This is a God given post from my perspective, Anneliese....Far to many people complain when the food is put on the table for them to eat...I, too, had grandparents who came from Germany to the US after WW1
and then lived through the Depression...My Gramma did all the cooking from scratch and what we had when we were at her home was DELICIOUS and I was grateful for everything she did to make everyone welcome at her table.
You are spot on with this post and I am grateful that I read it and will pass it along to my friends and adult children.
Love from NC
Interesting topic! You have tackled it with courage and grace, as you always do. Some of your words resonate with me, as my father too grew up in times when food was not very plentiful. It was the Great Depression era in the US. As a result, he is still very stingy about throwing out food, sometimes to a fault! We laugh about a time when his soda spilled onto his hot dog at a family picnic, and he refused to throw out the whole hot dog even though the bun was drenched in soda.
I have always tried to teach my sons that they are expected to eat what is set in front of them. I do not make separate meals for them even if I know they do not like what I'm making. As a result, they are not picky eaters. In fact, they eat huge amounts of food as most teenage boys do!
Thanks for this post today, it has really caused me to think more in depth about my views of how we connect food and faith.
Anneliese, I may have an explanation for your Grandmother's attitude toward butter. My father, who was from her generation, also held butter (fat in general) in high regard. He explained that when food was scarce, people in Russia would seek out the butter and animal fat in a meal because it would help them to keep warm.
Anneliese
Anneliese, this is so well expressed and I totally agree with all you said. You put our relationship with food where God intended it to be - not only is it needful for our very life but it is also a gift in variety and flavour. And with a thankful heart we can enjoy what God has provided!
Well said as always! Reminds me a lot of growing up...we had to eat what was on the plate and were never allowed to complain.
"...health suffered from lack of butter and sugar."
Oh how I wish I could use that excuse! :)
Larissa, when I was young, I did not care for butter on my bread and she tried hard to convince me that the scars on her neck were from a sickness she got way back from lack of butter. I still do not put butter on my bread when I put jam or honey on it ... but the odd time I get the taste of butter with honey...I think of her =)
It's only we, who have such abundance, who can afford to be so very picky about food. A thoughtful post that reflects a balanced approach to food.
My grandparents came from Russia shortly after the first World War and my parents were born during the Depression. Food was not something to be squandered or wasted, or even over-indulged in.
I appreciated your post today. Real life stories woven into the truths of God's care and blessing. I have not had to live without nor with restrictions, but am grateful that I have the knowledge that there are those who have and still do experience this and I'm so much more grateful and less wasteful just knowing that some go to bed hungry many a night. Good 'food for thought'.
So well said, Anneliese. I too come from a background where food was simple, basic and never wasted! That can't help but influence how we cook and eat today. And thank-you for sharing those verses from Scripture at the end. We have much to be thankful for...and an abundance of good things to eat is not to be taken for granted.
I too grew up with limited quantities and little variety of food, but for Christmas of course!
Simply prepared meat from a farm we knew, root vegetables that were stored all winter, home canned vegetables. Dessert was plain and ONLY after the meal, all eaten. "Eat your carrots or no dessert".
No snacks, no seconds, but sometimes a bowl of hot milk poured over bread crusts at night.
Today, I ate an avocado.
Sharon
Well put. Enjoyed reading these thoughts-thanks for sharing!
Anneliese, your approach is sensitive and yet so clear. I love how you wove in your grandparents and parents eating habits from Russia. I can identify with many of those things. They were so frugal..I've challenged myself for seven weeks not to eat any junk for or processed snacks...Lots of vegetables/fruits can help substitute those cravings.
A very well written and thought provoking post. My heart aches for those in my world that struggle with eating disorders. It can be a lifelong struggle.
It also troubles me as to how much waste I see in our country. You put it all in proper perspective. I found it so interesting to think that your grandma's troubles were from the lack of butter, especially when so many I know will not eat butter. I loved this powerful food post.
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