When I was young, I never made the connection between food and how the fuel I put in my body made me feel differently; I grabbed whatever was convenient and tasty. I was not attentive to, nor did I really care, how different types of food fueled me differently and made me feel. It seemed to me that the foods I wanted were always sodas and cookies, while my parents, on the other hand, would “coerce” me to eat vegetables and other foods they deemed to be healthy. To me, it was a battle between having a tasty snack and the responsibility to be healthy. I thought food was “either-or”: It was either “good” or “bad,” “healthy” or “unhealthy.” I did not grasp the concept of balance, but truthfully speaking, as kids, most of us did not go that far to scrutinize our food choices.
However, when I grew more aware of what I was eating, I started to realize the complexity behind food. Food is more than just fuel. I started to notice how having carbohydrates, proteins and fats on my plate fueled my mind better for an upcoming test, how fruits and fast-digesting carbohydrates energized me for sporting events, and also how food carries emotional and cultural weight. That realization opened up a new way of looking at food. It occurred to me that satisfying food and health do not have to be sacrificed for each other but rather can coexist in harmony.
I have come to learn that being aware and intentional about “what makes you feel good” does not mean restriction; it’s not about cutting our entire food groups or avoiding desserts, because what is “good” is not only about what is nutritionally good but what is emotionally good. When you start to understand balance and what is behind your food, food is no longer restrictive but empowering.
My awareness of this incentivized me to start Kitchen & Nutrition. I wanted to share my interpretation of food, not through binary categorizations but by presenting recipes that connect science, emotion and balance. I created the website to acknowledge the power behind food and to hopefully advocate for a balanced and mindful relationship with food through my own culinary experiences. My goal is for young people like me to see food not as something to control or not control at all, but as something to understand.
This is why Kitchen & Nutrition emphasizes discovering the values in foods through science. Instead of rules or guilt, we focus on how individual ingredients nourish our bodies and minds, celebrating the dishes we hold dear while making adjustments that allow you to reach your goals. The website fosters a mindset: A healthier relationship with eating is one that values balance and how you feel.
Images: Ethan Hu
