riyagohalblog

I can’t believe I’m saying this.

Fifteen year old me would be absolutely horrified. But I genuinely think I’m going to grow up to be an almond mom.

My future kids are getting bone broth, eggs, milk, meat, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, salmon, berries… basically every nutrient dense food I can get my hands on.

I cannot believe I’m admitting this, but I might actually ban snacks in my house.

They can have baby carrots.

I’m only half joking.

I’m honestly so disgusted with the food scene nowadays.

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve all been collectively brainwashed into believing that healthy food is bland, boring, and something we should avoid, while junk food is supposedly the greatest thing to ever exist. What kind of propaganda is this? Who started this?

Who convinced us that a packet of cookies containing ingredients we can’t even pronounce tastes better than a nice bowl of fruit and yogurt?

Because healthy food isn’t even bad.

A warm bowl of soup. Eggs and toast. Fresh berries. Yogurt with fruit. Grilled salmon. Crispy roasted potatoes. Fresh mango straight from the fridge.

Why are we pretending this food tastes terrible?

Maybe these habits should be taught much earlier.

Honestly, schools should teach nutrition as a subject. I spent years learning equations I’ll probably never use again, but nobody taught me how to read a food label or understand basic nutrition.

Maybe healthy eating shouldn’t begin when we’re adults trying to lose weight. Maybe it should begin in childhood.

Maybe we should normalize stocking our refrigerators with actual ingredients.

I want to be an ingredient household.

If my kids are hungry, I want them to open the fridge and see eggs, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, and ingredients they can actually turn into something. Go make an omelette. Cut up some fruit. Make a smoothie. Get creative.

I know. I know.

This is much easier said than done.

Sometimes you’re exhausted. Sometimes you’ve just come home from work. Sometimes you don’t have the time or the energy to meal prep.

And honestly, packaged foods can be lifesavers.

I’m not completely against them. I just wish they contained fewer additives and fewer ingredients designed to keep us reaching back into the packet.

If you really look at it, so many modern health problems can be traced back to the way we eat.

And I say that from personal experience.

At one point in my life, I was overweight. And I would never wish that experience on the people I love.

Having to stretch your clothes because they suddenly feel too tight. Using a pillow to hide your stomach while sitting on the couch. Feeling uncomfortable every time you go out for dinner. Listening to comments from family members and friends. Feeling self conscious in your own body.

It’s awful.

Which makes me wonder…

Can some of this be prevented?

Can healthier, more mindful eating habits be taught much earlier?

Can we change our relationship with food before years of bad habits start catching up with us?

I don’t know.

Maybe I’ll become an almond mom after all.

And honestly?

I don’t think that’s the worst thing in the world.