As we come to the end of January, let's cut the nonsense about food shall we?
This past month's stream of celebrity "detoxes" and wellness guides has been trying to sell you the silly idea that certain foods make you a better, "cleaner "person. A quick flick through #foodporn on Instagram and you could be convinced that it's just what food looks like that matters (glitter cappuccinos, what even are you?). In fact, a mildly concerning new trend out of Silicon Valley might even see the end of food as we know it, thanks to some bright spark who decided to replace dining with nutrient-heavy "MealSquares".
When we make our really important food choices – when we're down and really need to eat something that's going to make us feel good – does Gwyneth or Instagram really matter? When we're sick, for example, is the food that makes us feel better nourishing because of its nutrient content, or are there other reasons it makes us feel good?
We asked seven women from very different places to share what that meal is and why it makes them feel so good. Wellness and food trends usually ignore the emotional connection we have to our food but if these stories are anything to go by, it might be worth taking a moment to remember why and how food can make us feel better, before we begin another year of detoxes and unicorn Frappucinos.
Nina
White bread toast with marmite, cut into four triangles
My ultimate recovery food when I’m sick is Marmite on toast: it must be white bread and unless it’s suffocating under offensive amounts of butter and marmite, I’m not interested.
This started when I was a kid and my mum used this food equivalent of wallpaper paste as a litmus test to see if I was on the mend after a bout of sickness, usually owing to whatever sticky-handed snot disease I had brought home from school that week. She would remind me: “If you can keep Marmite toast down, you can have dinner later.” And I really liked dinner.
Today, despite being the adult who has to buy the bread, toast and butter it myself before dragging my only marginally less snotty body onto the sofa to eat it, as soon as I’m there with the four little viscous triangles in front of me, I’m suddenly 7 years old again. I close my eyes and I’m wrapped in a Disney duvet, being showered with a level of affection that flatters whatever amateur dramatics I’ve put on to ham up the illness. The toast is a time machine to an era when adulthood was a foreign land; when council tax and knowing the difference between bio and non-bio washing powder simply was not my problem.
A word of warning, though; if you’re actually still sick and you eat Marmite on toast and vomit it back up, let me tell you – it isn’t pretty.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Yoana
Lemon juice & honey
When I'm sick I always have to have lemon juice with honey three times a day. I squeeze a whole lemon in a cup, then add a teaspoon of honey – it's a bit sour and people that don't like sour tastes might not like it, but to me it is so, so refreshing. When I was growing up in Bulgaria my grandmother would always give it to me when I was sick, and I can definitely say it helps. As an adult I still don't like taking pills and try to avoid them as much as possible, so my grandma's old trick is my first go-to when I need to tackle a cold. Now I live in London, so I only get to see my grandmother for less than a week a year. Even though I can't be with her when I'm ill anymore, lemon and honey is a good reminder that she's still there for me.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Sass
Hot Ribena and spaghetti hoops on toast (cut into squares) with grated cheese on top
This is my go-to meal when I’ve been poorly and am just starting to get my appetite back. Part of its appeal is that all three ingredients (bread, cheese, spaghetti hoops) tend to be in the house so there is no need to get dressed or, heaven forbid, go outside. The toast has to be cut into small squares (ideally 16 per slice) and then covered in a small tin of s’getti hoops with some grated cheddar on top. It absolutely does not taste the same if the toast is not cut up and has to be served just the way my mama used to make it when I was little. This, combined with a mug of hot Ribena, has saved the day when my life has been hanging in the balance (ie. I’ve had a cold) many a time.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Anna
Homemade lemonade
When I was little, my mum used to always make lemonade when my brother and I were ill. Her mum did the same for her, so it's become a bit of a family tradition. The recipe is one tablespoon of sugar per half lemon, soaked with the rind in hot water before squeezing in all of the juice and topping up with cold water. Because of this it's always a tiny bit warm when you make it and always flat (not fizzy), exactly the way it should be. It's not for the sugar-conscious (please don't try and replace with agave syrup) but it is packed with vitamin C, and ultimately comforting deliciousness.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Rose
Pasta cooked in chicken stock
When I was growing up my dad called chicken "Jewish paracetamol", so when I was a kid he would always make me and my siblings pasta cooked in homemade chicken stock to kick off our chicken-based cure. My room was on the top floor and I still remember the sound of him bringing me up a bowl on a tray; he would even set it like a table for me so I would feel fancy. My dad is such a legend he still offers to bring me food when I'm poorly, but even if I'm at death's door I can still drag myself to the shops to buy stock and pasta. Eating it makes me feel like I'm being looked after like my dad used to – even the smell makes my flat feel more like home.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Katy
Mashed anything
My go-to when I'm sick is mashed anything. When I was a kid my mum would bring me little bowls of mashed turnip and carrot. It's nutritious and easy to swallow if you have a sore throat or are just generally feeling rotten. Soft buttery mashed potato with peas is delicious too – it's like baby food and everyone turns into a bit of a baby when they get sick. Also, every Irish mum insists on making you drink flat 7Up when you are unwell; maybe they do some mammy witchcraft on it while stirring but whatever it is, it works.
Photographed by Anna Jay.
Kirstie
Grandma's chicken soup
I lived with my grandma for three years when I first moved back to London. The minute I came home from work with so much as a sniffle she would knock up some of her homemade chicken soup. With the perfect mix of chicken, root vegetables, potatoes, salt, pepper and those weird little noodle bits that I have never actually been able to find in a supermarket but she just seems to have an endless supply of; knocked up with the relentless love of a grandma… one bowl and I would be feeling tip-top! Great for hangovers too.
Photographed by Anna Jay.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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