I can’t count the number of times in my life that I have visited a food shelter to find Easter cakes still there in December, or visited a worksite that values health and wellness only to find the staff room piled high with expired cakes and cookies. In recent years I have seen many food shelters adding fresh produce, whole grains and even teaching cooking classes. I am thrilled with the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. I am excited to see over $1.7 billion being dedicated to end hunger and build the on the Food is Medicine initiatives in the United States.
When I think of feeding others, I am always brought back to over 25 years ago when the dean of my school of nutrition (go Tufts!) asked me the last question of my oral exam for my doctorate in nutrition. Dean Gershoff said that I was put in charge of the relief efforts in Florida after the hurricane hit and I was in charge of getting food to people. What would I do? First, I didn’t expect a question like that, I expected a biochemistry question. After I gathered my thoughts, I proceeded to say that the #1 priority was making sure they had water #2 that they had enough calories and then #3 if possible, I would focus on nourishment.
I passed! He also asked me another question that has stayed with me ever since – if a senior was living off of canned dog food (many do because that’s all they can afford), would I classify them as hungry and in need of assistance? My passionate response was yes, of course! I knew then that there is a difference between feeding and nourishing. You can have enough calories to survive (case in point- the dog food or the easter cake) but not be nourished. You can be food-secure but nutrition-insecure at the same time.
When we feed others, are we are letting them know that they are valued when the type of food we give them is ultra-processed foods with little to no fruits or vegetables? I don’t think so. I think we are saying that they do not matter much at all. Our goal should always be to nourish others as that is how we express that we value them.
I hope you continue to nourish those you love (including yourself) and those you care about....and reach out to those with less opportunities to nourish themselves. I am hopeful that with the Food is Medicine growth we have seen recently, that when government talks about Feeding Americans, what they really mean is Nourishing Americans.
Changing the world one tasty bite at a time,
Dr. Deb
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