FOOD SECURITY | COOKING
Free Groceries from the Local Pantry
The social politics of the food in my kitchen
At five years old, I was hungry. The kind of hunger where you zone out to distract yourself from how hungry you are. We simply did not have enough food to eat. I learned to regard eating as a burdensome chore. I would fast as a matter of routine. It’s how I got by.
In my adult years, I choose to consciously enjoy preparing food — which I do, fortunately — in order to heal my relationship to it. I can easily fall into a pattern of not eating enough if I don’t find joy in cooking.
As my family recently fell on harder times, I stop at the food pantry every week for free groceries. The fun part is that I never know what we will get. It compels me to be creative in the kitchen. This week brought Brussels sprouts, mangos, lemons, celery, and several other things I have to think carefully about before deciding what to make.
Someone suggested preparing Brussels sprouts in a cast iron skillet. Coincidentally, I had just spotted my cast iron skillet the night before, which I completely forgot about. Another person chimed in and mentioned how toasting bread in said skillet is also a simple delight. So I did both. On the second round, I toasted some almonds alongside the…
