Mentally Healthy Foods
NovusDies
Posts: 8,940 Member
So as the debate warred on about natural food vs evil food I couldn't help but think about food that makes me happy or nostalgic and why are we so quick to dismiss it and its benefit in the name of almighty nutritional health?
I don't have any scientific evidence to back my claim. I have to think if I am smiling about something it is good for me, right? Perhaps it is something that just enhances a particular experience like the nachos with the goopy fake cheese at a ballgame or the beloved hot dog.
Before I begin I do believe in making today a happy experience and not dwell too much on the past but in moderation most things are okay imo.
I will start with 2 examples.
I had 2 distant grandmothers. One was physically distant and one was emotionally distant. So as a teen I adopted this older lady who was lonely herself and she became a surrogate. I didn't realize I was doing it at the time cuz I was a teen. In any event, when I visited her she always made me these grilled cheese sandwiches. Now when I make one, especially when I make one like she did, I can be right back there in her kitchen keeping her company.
When I was a teen I was also a camp counselor and like all good camp counselor stories go I had a camp counselor girlfriend. My favorite beverage at the time was Mellow Yellow and my favorite snack was Funyuns. I can't drink Mellow Yellow anymore as it tears me up but I still like a bag of funyuns to take me back to camp.
Nutritious? Maybe a little. Mentally Healthy? You help me decide.
I don't have any scientific evidence to back my claim. I have to think if I am smiling about something it is good for me, right? Perhaps it is something that just enhances a particular experience like the nachos with the goopy fake cheese at a ballgame or the beloved hot dog.
Before I begin I do believe in making today a happy experience and not dwell too much on the past but in moderation most things are okay imo.
I will start with 2 examples.
I had 2 distant grandmothers. One was physically distant and one was emotionally distant. So as a teen I adopted this older lady who was lonely herself and she became a surrogate. I didn't realize I was doing it at the time cuz I was a teen. In any event, when I visited her she always made me these grilled cheese sandwiches. Now when I make one, especially when I make one like she did, I can be right back there in her kitchen keeping her company.
When I was a teen I was also a camp counselor and like all good camp counselor stories go I had a camp counselor girlfriend. My favorite beverage at the time was Mellow Yellow and my favorite snack was Funyuns. I can't drink Mellow Yellow anymore as it tears me up but I still like a bag of funyuns to take me back to camp.
Nutritious? Maybe a little. Mentally Healthy? You help me decide.
28
Replies
-
So as the debate warred on about natural food vs evil food I couldn't help but think about food that makes me happy or nostalgic and why are we so quick to dismiss it and its benefit in the name of almighty nutritional health?
I don't have any scientific evidence to back my claim. I have to think if I am smiling about something it is good for me, right? Perhaps it is something that just enhances a particular experience like the nachos with the goopy fake cheese at a ballgame or the beloved hot dog.
Before I begin I do believe in making today a happy experience and not dwell too much on the past but in moderation most things are okay.
I will start with 2 examples.
I had 2 distant grandmothers. One was physically distant and one was emotionally distant. So as a teen I adopted this older lady who was lonely herself and she became a surrogate. I didn't realize I was doing it at the time cuz I was a teen. In any event, when I visited her she always made me these grilled cheese sandwiches. Now when I make one, especially when I make one like she did, I can be right back there in her kitchen keeping her company.
When I was a teen I was also a camp counselor and like all good camp counselor stories go I had a camp counselor girlfriend. My favorite beverage at the time was Mellow Yellow and my favorite snack was Funyuns. I can't drink Mellow Yellow anymore as it tears me up but I still like a bag of funyuns to take me back to camp.
Nutritious? Maybe a little. Mentally Healthy? You help me decide.
LMAO. Grilled Cheese is the only good thing you mention in this thread and it has to be with tomato soup or it doesn't count. Everything else you mention is either gross or heartburn city. Baseball Park Nachos .. GAG!21 -
For me mentally healthy foods, nuts, olives, dill pickles those are my go to feel good snack. But nothing tops a BLT for nostalgia.5
-
I can't eat a lot of my nostalgia food due to celiac disease, but there is something to be said for the place of such food in the overall context of one's diet.
That being said, I think I'm one who gets taken back more by the smell of things than by the taste. Nothing ever tastes as good as it used to back then to me. But smells bring me right back.13 -
Yep. Treats help keep me sane. No source .ymmv.
I can't imagine going through life without tasting ice cream again or never having cake Because it doesn't meet some made up standard of health.
Instead I like to incorporate treats along side of my well balanced nutrient dense diet.14 -
Last weekend, Mom gave me this recipe that my gramma used to make her in the 50's. She'll be happy when I bring her some this weekend!
"Healthy"? Eh. "Fits in a balanced diet?" Sure. Plus no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Hopefully, 1 square of chocolate = 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, cuz that's what I'm using.
21 -
There’s some science behind it.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-babble/201501/smells-ring-bells-how-smell-triggers-memories-and-emotions
I suggest if you go for emotionally evocative foods that you decide ahead of time what your portion will be and fully immerse yourself in the feelings and the memory.
Otherwise you may eat mindlessly, one after the other, trying to repeat the experience.13 -
mutantspicy wrote: »LMAO. Grilled Cheese is the only good thing you mention in this thread and it has to be with tomato soup or it doesn't count. Everything else you mention is either gross or heartburn city. Baseball Park Nachos .. GAG!
I admit I would skip the nachos these days but I would still have a hot dog. Kind of the point of the thread though these are foods for smiles not necessarily high caliber.
I will give another example though:
I hate sweetened tea now. However, when I was ill as a kid I often drank hot tea with honey. To this day when I am ill I drink sweetened tea and it comforts me. Better?
7 -
mutantspicy wrote: »For me mentally healthy foods, nuts, olives, dill pickles those are my go to feel good snack. But nothing tops a BLT for nostalgia.
Obviously I am not talking about foods good for your brain... A BLT though is perhaps the most perfect sandwich in the world. I don't have any good memories associated since my family never made them.4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I can't eat a lot of my nostalgia food due to celiac disease, but there is something to be said for the place of such food in the overall context of one's diet.
That being said, I think I'm one who gets taken back more by the smell of things than by the taste. Nothing ever tastes as good as it used to back then to me. But smells bring me right back.
Yes the experience starts with the nose for sure. When entering nostalgia mode make sure the room is clear of competing smells. I wish you didn't have your disease but most taste happens in the nose anyway.0 -
100_PROOF_ wrote: »Yep. Treats help keep me sane. No source .ymmv.
I can't imagine going through life without tasting ice cream again or never having cake Because it doesn't meet some made up standard of health.
Instead I like to incorporate treats along side of my well balanced nutrient dense diet.
Ice cream sandwiches are another camp food memory.
You made my point exactly. They have their place. I don't need to eat funyuns all day but I don't like the idea of never eating a bag again. I loved being a camp counselor. Visiting that experience on occasion I think is good for me.5 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Last weekend, Mom gave me this recipe that my gramma used to make her in the 50's. She'll be happy when I bring her some this weekend!
"Healthy"? Eh. "Fits in a balanced diet?" Sure. Plus no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Hopefully, 1 square of chocolate = 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, cuz that's what I'm using.
You can buy unsweetened chocolate at the store. I love old recipe cards. They are so cool. One of my favorites was a card I found for squirrel chili.
That is super nice of you to fix for her. I will be expecting some in the mail.2 -
mutantspicy wrote: »So as the debate warred on about natural food vs evil food I couldn't help but think about food that makes me happy or nostalgic and why are we so quick to dismiss it and its benefit in the name of almighty nutritional health?
I don't have any scientific evidence to back my claim. I have to think if I am smiling about something it is good for me, right? Perhaps it is something that just enhances a particular experience like the nachos with the goopy fake cheese at a ballgame or the beloved hot dog.
Before I begin I do believe in making today a happy experience and not dwell too much on the past but in moderation most things are okay.
I will start with 2 examples.
I had 2 distant grandmothers. One was physically distant and one was emotionally distant. So as a teen I adopted this older lady who was lonely herself and she became a surrogate. I didn't realize I was doing it at the time cuz I was a teen. In any event, when I visited her she always made me these grilled cheese sandwiches. Now when I make one, especially when I make one like she did, I can be right back there in her kitchen keeping her company.
When I was a teen I was also a camp counselor and like all good camp counselor stories go I had a camp counselor girlfriend. My favorite beverage at the time was Mellow Yellow and my favorite snack was Funyuns. I can't drink Mellow Yellow anymore as it tears me up but I still like a bag of funyuns to take me back to camp.
Nutritious? Maybe a little. Mentally Healthy? You help me decide.
LMAO. Grilled Cheese is the only good thing you mention in this thread and it has to be with tomato soup or it doesn't count. Everything else you mention is either gross or heartburn city. Baseball Park Nachos .. GAG!
Yes indeed grilled cheese and tomato soup! I am not alone in this!2 -
Those orange Push-ups frozen treats were always so good after playing ball when I was a kid.13
-
I find that I snack less when I eat for pleasure verses white knuckling the nutritional ticket. I have also found that I can maintain it and keep it mostly nutritionally sound.5
-
100_PROOF_ wrote: »Yep. Treats help keep me sane. No source .ymmv.
I can't imagine going through life without tasting ice cream again or never having cake Because it doesn't meet some made up standard of health.
Instead I like to incorporate treats along side of my well balanced nutrient dense diet.
Ice cream sandwiches are another camp food memory.
You made my point exactly. They have their place. I don't need to eat funyuns all day but I don't like the idea of never eating a bag again. I loved being a camp counselor. Visiting that experience on occasion I think is good for me.
Yeppers. My sister and I share a birthday. Every year we got an ice cream cake and a pudding cake ( we insisted on 2 separate cakes)
It reminds me of that Every time I taste either of them. My Mom still makes us the cakes as adults and delivers them to our homes every year.9 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Last weekend, Mom gave me this recipe that my gramma used to make her in the 50's. She'll be happy when I bring her some this weekend!
"Healthy"? Eh. "Fits in a balanced diet?" Sure. Plus no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Hopefully, 1 square of chocolate = 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, cuz that's what I'm using.
You can buy unsweetened chocolate at the store. I love old recipe cards. They are so cool. One of my favorites was a card I found for squirrel chili.
That is super nice of you to fix for her. I will be expecting some in the mail.
Oh, yes, I have unsweetened chocolate. But Baker's is I believe 16 squares in 4 oz now, and Hershey's is 8, so my issue is with the conversion. And if by "chocolate" she meant unsweetened, which I'm sure she did due to the amount of sugar.
Another fun thing about old recipes is that they never list the oven temperature, so I assume she meant 350 degrees F.3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Last weekend, Mom gave me this recipe that my gramma used to make her in the 50's. She'll be happy when I bring her some this weekend!
"Healthy"? Eh. "Fits in a balanced diet?" Sure. Plus no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Hopefully, 1 square of chocolate = 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, cuz that's what I'm using.
I love those old recipe cards (especially when they have food stains!). and anything I find with my mom’s handwriting on it. It kind of makes me sad that my kids won’t really have that familiarity with my handwriting.
Speaking of, one of my nostalgia recipes is this freezer cheesecake my mom used to make for my birthday. Graham cracker crust, and a filling that when I found the recipe had an ingredient I had to look up - Millnot. Also powdered lemon jello and cream cheese. A very unique texture - I never knew till I was an adult that most cheesecakes are baked!
7 -
I always put kumquats on my Christmas list because my Grandmother always had them at Christmas when I was a kid. I never buy them at any other time of year.4
-
Costco polish dogs?0
-
Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches puts me back into my teens3
-
When I was younger my parents would take me and my siblings to blockbuster & we were always allowed popcorn & a candy. I always got the buncha crunch...& we'd go home and watch all our movies & eat our food. Buncha crunch is one of my favorite nostalgic treats....reminds me of wonderful memories
8 -
Yes, I think foods of our youth are definitely good for our mental health.
The first thing I learned to make myself was cheese dreams--whatever stale bread you have with lots of butter on it
Toasted under a broiler until it softens a little and browns, covered with a slice of tomato, bacon, and American cheese,
Warmed under the broiler until the cheese melts.
Just thinking about it is enough these days. Definitely puts a smile on my face!9 -
All the mouth can taste is sweet/salty/bitter. All the nuance we are getting from our sniffer.3
-
They invented the term "comfort food" for a reason.So as the debate warred on about natural food vs evil food I couldn't help but think about food that makes me happy or nostalgic and why are we so quick to dismiss it and its benefit in the name of almighty nutritional health?
I don't have any scientific evidence to back my claim. I have to think if I am smiling about something it is good for me, right? Perhaps it is something that just enhances a particular experience like the nachos with the goopy fake cheese at a ballgame or the beloved hot dog.
Before I begin I do believe in making today a happy experience and not dwell too much on the past but in moderation most things are okay imo.
I will start with 2 examples.
I had 2 distant grandmothers. One was physically distant and one was emotionally distant. So as a teen I adopted this older lady who was lonely herself and she became a surrogate. I didn't realize I was doing it at the time cuz I was a teen. In any event, when I visited her she always made me these grilled cheese sandwiches. Now when I make one, especially when I make one like she did, I can be right back there in her kitchen keeping her company.
When I was a teen I was also a camp counselor and like all good camp counselor stories go I had a camp counselor girlfriend. My favorite beverage at the time was Mellow Yellow and my favorite snack was Funyuns. I can't drink Mellow Yellow anymore as it tears me up but I still like a bag of funyuns to take me back to camp.
Nutritious? Maybe a little. Mentally Healthy? You help me decide.
11 -
My grandpa passed a few years ago and he used to make amazing homemade jams. We'd always have batches of pear jam and peach jam in our fridge. I haven't seen a pear jam around, but I recently found a peach one at Whole Foods and even though it doesn't taste nearly as good as his, it was a nice reminder of him.9
-
One morning I was in a wretched mood. I don’t remember anything about why. The part I remember was how I felt after an egg in Posole (it was a strong batch of anchos) for breakfast — miraculous. I felt so much better immediately, that I had to google it to see if it’s “a thing.”
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/02/24/281978831/sriracha-chemistry-how-hot-sauces-perk-up-your-food-and-your-mood
So I put hatch chile stew (hatch anything, really), Posole (any ancho sauce) and mole at the top of my mentally healthy list! Plus, delicious.8 -
macaroni and cheese is my mental mood enhancer. and chips and salsa.4
-
There’s some science behind it.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-babble/201501/smells-ring-bells-how-smell-triggers-memories-and-emotions
I suggest if you go for emotionally evocative foods that you decide ahead of time what your portion will be and fully immerse yourself in the feelings and the memory.
Otherwise you may eat mindlessly, one after the other, trying to repeat the experience.
It makes sense and good advice for those of us that enjoy mental time travel.
My next example is something I will never eat again:
Boiled spinach from the frozen box or the can. I liked Popeye as much as the next kid but spinach cooked that way would only bring back negative emotions. Is is good for me nutritionally? Sure. Does it represent an otherwise fairly obedient child taking bite after nasty gagging bite for 45 minutes after the meal was over? You betcha. I like raw spinach and I like barely wilted spinach but even if I have outgrown the aversion to boiled it will not ever be on my plate again
6 -
100_PROOF_ wrote: »Yeppers. My sister and I share a birthday. Every year we got an ice cream cake and a pudding cake ( we insisted on 2 separate cakes)
It reminds me of that Every time I taste either of them. My Mom still makes us the cakes as adults and delivers them to our homes every year.
Any chance your mom might be interested in adopting an overweight well worn male?
8
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions