As I make my place in the food blogging world I am learning more and more about how bloggers interact and help one another. Within my first week of blogging I quickly recevied support from other local food bloggers – some have started following my blog, others are interacting with me on twitter, and one seasoned blogger is interested in talking blogs soon. I immediately discovered that food blogging is a very positive and welcoming community of bloggers (how could they not be, food bloggers write about something most people love – FOOD!). By the end of my first week I was motivated to do a little online research about professional blogging groups and to learn tips on blogging. That’s when I found BlogHER.
A community and media company created in 2005 by three women who asked “Where are all the women bloggers?” has now grown into a community of women bloggers who contribute regularly to BlogHER.com. BlogHER covers “the hottest news and trends among women in social media” as the website explains, hosts an annual conference, and runs a publishing network of blogs.
So how does this all translate into my new Food For Thought Fridays?
BlogHER posted “Food is not a moral issue” from a blog called Nourishing the Soul a few days ago and the title instantly caught my attention. The article talks about the use of guilt in food advertising and how some foods are portrayed as sinful or naughty and others are healthy alternatives: “good” food makes you a good person, and “naughty” food makes you indulgent. The article really resonated with me: does food have moral side to it? Does food have to have a moral side to it? And then I asked myself, does food have a moral side for me?
Food does have a moral side for me sometimes; sometimes food can be “good” and sometimes food can be “bad.” Most of the time though food makes me happy despite its label. My relationship with food is very complicated. Yet, I know I am not alone and that this is complicated for many of you too.
As I was creating my blog, I knew I wanted to cover all types of food – savories and sweets that are tasty and satisfying – for all different food lifestyles, including my gluten-free friends. I also plan to include healthy options because we need to take care of our bodies too. I contemplate indulgent food regularly because I have a wicked sweet tooth. It’s taken me years to learn how to balance out my sweet tooth, but I know that there are many foods I love and that moderation is key.
As you can see this article really got me thinking, and since I’m always thinking about food anyway “Food For Thought” Fridays was born! So stay tuned for posts which contemplate the relationship between food and other things on Fridays; some posts will be a little serious and others a little more fun.
For today, the day after Valentine’s Day, the day many “indulge” in chocolates with their Valentine, I’ll leave you with some food for thought. I hope you leave a comment below 🙂
Is there a moral side to food for you? Do indulgent foods make you feel guilty or do you enjoy those treats even more because they’re “naughty”?
Savory Sweet Eats 