By Spring Sault
To err is human. To indulge is often divine…but also human. Can there be an argument made for simply loving the taste of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, brick cheese and Mom’s coleslaw, or do we all need to subscribe to the theory that if we have more than one plate at the Thanksgiving table, we’re ‘emotionally eating?’ Do we really have an internal warning signal that says, “Beat it bud, and 86 those dishes before Aunt Francis sees you loading up again?” With food as the major focus of Thanksgiving, diet gurus, the latest exercise ingénues and yes, even Aunt Francis, have their own personal take on what is about to happen at America’s dinner tables.
Before you reach for the next how-to guide for a holiday like the one we’re about to embark on, consider that in order to be worthy of calling itself a successful family feast, perhaps aside from our feelings, the turkey is the only thing that should be stuffed.
Photo: news.softpedia.com
Yes, that was sarcasm, but what really is the true measure of a good family meal? In many homes, it’s the moment when the last bread roll has been had, the gravy has been soaked up, and the toothpicks (along with Uncle Alfred) are passed out. But another benchmark that should be applied is the nature of the meal.
Too often we find ourselves sitting alone at a counter in our kitchens, drinking an hour-old coffee coupled with a microwaveable meal that barely passes our taste buds before it’s causing gastro-intestinal issues that could mimic the wind speeds of a hurricane. Is it because of our overly-scheduled lives? Are we too lazy to cook? Or do we actually enjoy the taste of powdered and processed over healthy and homemade, while we sit silently thumbing through our news-feeds as opposed to socializing with family and friends?
With the impending temptation of a home-cooked, juicy, oven-roasted turkey, complete with all the trimmings, in comparison to the dinner doldrums we subject ourselves to on a daily basis, it’s easy to understand how one could walk away (or roll away, if that’s the case) from the table having gourmandized on the delicacies we so rarely treat ourselves to or consider taking the time to cook. The meal, coupled with our family interactions, become the centerpiece of focus on a singular day as opposed to a regular occurrence.
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Now I ask you this: wouldn’t you rather enjoy a good meal with a measure of modicum, wash, rinse and repeat, than gluttonize yourself paying homage to Pilgrims and Indians in a fashion that they didn’t even partake in? Not to sound crass, but the truth behind the Thanksgiving meal is far from turkey and even further from indulgence. They did the best they could with what they had, and it wasn’t considered a holiday for some 200 years after this meal was originally acknowledged in the history books.
So, modern-day Thanksgiving festivities, possibly consisting of overeating, could be likened to the child that never had new clothes becoming the adult that continuously shopped. Instead of developing a routine of eating well regularly, the possibility of stuffing ourselves in one sitting is all the more likely because of limiting our really good meals and family/friendly interaction.
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The belief that your appetite should be double or triple what it normally is just because it’s Thanksgiving will have you promptly undoing (or at least wanting to, with decorum in mind) your top pants’ button and breathing an inevitable sigh of relief. But there’s always the possibility that better times could be had, with more to come, if only eating in reasonable portions and enjoying your family time was the rule of thumb. And, if having the majority of your meals on a daily basis was more like a slow cruise through Texas Hill Country in a ’51 Chrysler New Yorker as opposed to a stunt in The Fast and the Furious, you could walk away feeling better… and enjoy the ride. It’s just something to ponder.
Happy and healthy Thanksgiving, y’all!
