It's not just the food - it's how you eat it

The magic of the Mediterranean diet is that it manages to satisfy both chefs and nutritionists. With its bounty of vegetables, fruit, nuts and grains, its garlic and herb seasonings, its luxurious use of olive oil and, of course, good wine, it offers plenty of inspiration for any food lover. There is also solid science pointing to its health benefits: It is well established that the diet lowers bad cholesterol and can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease, and there is emerging evidence that it may protect brain function as we age, among other benefits.

But as I experienced on a family vacation that took us from Rome to Provence to Barcelona this spring, the culinary and health attributes of the Mediterranean diet go beyond what is traditionally eaten in that region — they are also about how food is eaten and approached there. From what I could see, the lifestyle around eating Mediterranean-style is as valuable as the food itself, so I brought back a few pointers to keep in mind as I settled back into my hectic post-holiday reality and to share with you. The goal is to enjoy a little more of “la dolce vita” here and be healthier for it.

Dietitian Ellie Krieger, Nourish Schools co-founder Casey Seidenberg and certified health education specialist Elaine Gordon offer picks for everything from breakfast to dessert.

Make good food a priority
One thing that really stuck with me from the trip was something our Roman guide said as he led us on a tasting journey of the city's Testaccio section: “There is no word for ‘foodie' in Italian. Food is central to everyone's life here. It's normal to care deeply about food.” Quality and taste are held to a high standard in Italy and throughout the Mediterranean. There is a great respect for the craft of food production, and although dishes are often prepared simply, excellent ingredients are valued and shortcuts that compromise quality shunned. It was an important reminder of the wisdom of moving away from low-quality, hyper-processed foods — which are often laden with unhealthy additives, sodium and sugar — in favor of top-notch ingredients, served close to their source and simply prepared.

Eat seasonally
Artichokes were just out of season when we were there, so although they were on the printed menu at a modest trattoria we went in, they were not being served. In a world where people who can afford it can get just about any ingredient any time of year, it is almost startling to hear, “No, the season's over.” But sticking to seasonal produce connects to the previous point about excellent ingredients. Fruit and vegetables taste best at the height of their season, so get them while the getting's good and then move on. This approach offers built-in variety, providing an array of different flavors and nutrients throughout the year, and it means eating more locally, which is better for the environment.

Savor mealtime
With only one afternoon to spend in Aix-en-Provence, we were told that if we sat down at a restaurant for lunch, even at a simple bistro, not to expect the in-and-out service we are used to in the States. In the Mediterranean, a meal is generally a thing to slow down for, to be savored. Not only is the food valued, so are the rituals and the communal pleasure of eating it together. We opted for a sit-down lunch, which, as promised, took a couple of hours, and we relished every minute of it. It was not only memorably delicious but also a welcome break from chasing around; we were able to truly connect with each other and observe, from our outdoor table, the life of the people around us.

Consider how food makes you feel
Another thing that struck me on this journey was how much attention to good digestion was integrally woven into the Mediterranean way of eating. It is the rationale I was given for many of the traditional eating patterns — serving salad after the entree, having cheese at the end of a meal instead of beforehand and never having a big pizza for lunch or a cappuccino after noon (apparently, espresso is okay, though). I have not seen any research on how these patterns impact digestion, but whether the reasons are valid is beside the point. The takeaway is the value of making decisions based on how a food or meal pattern makes you feel after you have eaten. That kind of awareness, which goes hand in hand with slowing down and savoring your food, can go a long way toward preventing overeating and help keep you feeling good in the short and long run.

Why India's food police are kicking up a storm

Different parts of India serve different variations of biriyani

When police in northern India recently began checking dishes of mutton biryani to ensure that they did not contain beef, critics said it was another example of what they are calling "food fascism".

The recent drive happened in a Muslim-dominated cluster of villagers in Haryana state, which is governed by India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The state has some of the most punishing laws against cow slaughter, a special police force to protect cows, and the curiously named "cow service commission", among other things.
Volunteers and vigilantes keep watch in villages to check if anyone is slaughtering or transporting cows. Village councils have been telling local Muslims to stop selling biryani.

Why the humble cow is India's most polarising animal

A night patrol with India's cow protection vigilantes

Last week samples of biryani were taken away by the local police after "some people" complained that beef was being used. Poor biryani sellers complained they had lost their livelihood and pictures showed empty stalls on the local highway.
India's Hindu majority see cows as a sacred animal but many other Indians eat the meat. According to government data, some 80 million Indians - one in every 13 - eat beef or buffalo meat. Most of them are Muslims. But more than 12 million Hindus also eat the meat.
The cow is India's most political animal. But, as historian DN Jha says, it has "become more political under the BJP governments in Delhi and in some states, which are obsessed with beef bans and cow slaughter".
The ban on beef has also been criticised because the meat is cheaper than chicken and fish and is a staple for the poorer Muslim, tribal and Dalit (formerly untouchable) communities.
India also has a long history of religious conflict over beef - Muslims and Dalits have been targeted and reviled for eating the meat.
Eating the food of your choice has often become an act of transgression and defiance.

'Bullying'

But the crackdown on biryani sellers in BJP-ruled Haryana on the suspicion that they were using beef in their dishes smacks of extreme behaviour. "Now public places selling food are being targeted. It is a new form of bullying," says Amita Baviskar, a professor of sociology.
It also points to a poor understanding of India's wildly heterogeneous dietary habits. There are, for example, 20 tribal groups in north-eastern Assam state which all have distinct cuisines.
"We need to remember that no community... has a monolithic culinary culture just as not all [upper caste] Hindu Brahmins are vegetarians or Muslims and Christians meat eaters," says Nabanipa Bhatttacharjee, who teaches sociology at Delhi University. To define India's food culture as vegetarian is, therefore, lazy and disingenuous.
Diets are changing and culinary borders are being crossed by all communities in a rapidly changing country. But this is making a lot of people queasy.
In 2012, the leader of a Haryana village caste council (khap panchayat) blamed noodles for rapes, saying that they led to hormonal imbalance. "The widespread derision with which this comment was greeted shows how thoroughly noodles have been incorporated into local diets. Old men may express a fear of foreign foods and frustration at rebellious youth who no longer listen to their elders, but for the younger generation, noodles are here to stay," says Prof Baviskar.

A love for children and food spurs a prepacked lunch businesses in Taranaki

A home business is seeking to make healthy food fun for children by packing lunches with "a-pee-ling" characters.

Minions - a popular childrens' cartoon character - are getting drawn on bananas as part of the crafty cuisine venture, Our Lunch Box.

Owner Lisa Strampel-Menzies opened up her pantry for business in Taranaki just three weeks ago as a way to encourage students to enjoy healthier options.

Lisa Strampel-Menzies dresses bananas as Universal Pictures' Minions - a popular childrens' cartoon movie.

"I know what it can be like trying to get children eating healthy," she said. "This just makes food fun and more appealing."

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Using icing for eyes and edible markers, Strampel-Menzies packs boxes with the fun bananas as well as grape caterpillar sticks, vegetable flowers and tasty tiger mandarins.

Lisa Strampel-Menzias has started 'Our Lunch Box'. A venture to get kids eating healthily in school.

Placed in a box with a fun food fact, Strampel-Menzies then delivers the prepacked lunches to a school.

Our Lunch Box allows parents to order a packed lunch for $6.50 or $8, dependent on size.

However, Strampel-Menzies also included a feature that allows anyone to shout a lunch box for a $5 donation.

Using edible markers, Lisa Strampel-Menzias creates fun characters on healthy food.

"You hear of some students who go to school with no lunch and it's so sad," Strampel-Menzies said.

"This helps feed those students who just need a school lunch."

Strampel-Menzies said the crafty lunch box idea came naturally to her.

"I was a nanny for 10 years," she said.

"And I've always liked food. So, it just sort of came together.

"Plus I get to work from home and be with my daughter."

Seventeen-month-old Isla Menzies watches her mum draw on fruits with edible markers and cut imaginative shapes into vegetables.

"Oh she loves to taste test," Strampel-Menzies laughed.

She said when the Food Act 2014 came into force earlier this year, she wanted to combine her love for children and cuisine and start the at-home venture.

"With council approval, the law allows me to use my own kitchen so it cuts out a lot of costs," she said.

Since the lunch box business was so new, Strampel-Menzies only had one school she delivered to - St John Bosco in New Plymouth.

​"The first couple of weeks were freebies to get the name out," she said. "This week, I dropped off 12 boxes."

But the Minion bananas, crunchy cereal bracelets, and tiger mandarins weren't enough for Strampel-Menzies, as she has added edible bouquets to the online menu.

"There isn't anything like that here and I think it would work really well for afternoon tea."

If the venture gained enough popularity, Strampel-Menzies said she would like to expand and pack lunches for businesses.

"I'd like to offer salad boxes one day," she said. "Maybe some different pairing options. We'll see how it goes."