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It was a cold day, and all I wanted was a coffee and muffin from Dunkin’ Donuts. So, I parked my car, walked in, and scoped out all of my options. There was only one muffin that was labeled reduced fat, which to me at the time would be the only possibility. But, I needed to know more. So, I asked the girl how bad the muffin really was for me. She took out a binder with the nutritional information, and handed it to me. The second I saw the number of calories that were in that “reduced fat” muffin, I gasped. “No thank you,”Read More →

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Merriam-Webster defines empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. I have never been sexually assaulted. I can’t claim to know the impact and weight sexual assault leaves on women, but I certainly can feel empathy. There must be more empathy in this world. If we were able to put ourselves in other people’s shoes for even just a second, and attempt to feel what they are experiencing, I am confident thisRead More →

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I started counting down to my next birthday… the day after that birthday. It was the most exciting day to look forward to with our many traditions. One of my favorites was choosing ANY restaurant I wanted to have dinner. My birthday always seemed to last longer than just one day. Between celebrating with my parents and brothers, then being taken out by my grandma, and, telling our server each night that week we were celebrating my birthday, it was the BEST time of year. “Oh, here they come…” was the famous line my parents always said when they spotted the waitstaff coming to deliverRead More →

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At 3 years of age, he stands tall at 36 inches. A tiny toddler to me. As his mother,  all I want is to soak in as much as I can of his little feet, small hands, soft skin, and adorable high-pitched voice. But, all he wants is to “get big.” Like any ordinary morning, my 3-year-old son came sprinting into my bathroom so proud that he got himself dressed without any help. (Mind you, his shorts were on backwards, and his shirt was inside-out.) As I was brushing my teeth and analyzing each and every black pore on my face, I heard him shout,Read More →

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There is a reason Purim occurs right before Passover on the calendar. Megillah readings, costumes, carnivals, games, and hamantaschen put smiles on faces and enjoyment in the eyes of observers. It is one of the most joyous and fun holidays Jews celebrate. Then comes Passover…a very important holiday with tremendous historical significance as Jews celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago. However, the anxiety I feel leading up to Passover is real, as there are very strict laws and customs that we must follow as Jews; and, these rules are based around food. Matzo, the traditional unleavened cracker of fiber-free whiteRead More →

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I was way too tired to cook dinner for my family, and I couldn’t make a decision as to what I wanted to eat anyway. As a matter of fact, I struggled to make a decision about anything at the time. So, when my husband walked in the door from a long day at work, my stomach communicated exactly what I desired: the dingy barbecue place by our old house (now 25 minutes away.) No question it was one of his favorites, so when I explained I was leaving to go pick up turkey sandwiches, French fries, Cole slaw, and pickles, he just looked atRead More →

Food Allergies and Kids

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As every mom is scrambling to share her child’s camp bunk and class for next year, I have a pit in my stomach, and my anxiety level increases drastically. If her child is in Austin’s class, then she will be receiving major notifications that there is a child with severe food allergies. It will be imperative that she is very careful as to what she sends for snacks and lunch. Well, that is my child. I am sorry… But, I am not sorry. *  *  * When my first child began eating solid foods, I had described him as a picky eater. It was veryRead More →

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Immediately following my blog post, Destined for Food to be the Focal Point, I was contacted by a friend on Facebook, who I had been connected to by a mutual friend. She expressed an uneasy concern about how my description of Austin’s symptoms and issues matched that of her, at the time, six-month-old son. We spoke in detail over the phone and through text messaging, and we both concurred that all signs pointed toward food allergies. However, pediatricians do not advise testing until babies reach the one year old mark. She, a Rutgers University graduate with a psychology degree, and I, a Michigan State University graduate withRead More →

Fine Dining with my Toddler on Vacation

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I have been very fortunate to have been taken on a family vacation every winter over Christmas break. Whether we have gone on a cruise, traveled to a destination, or visited an exotic island, my family has experienced the perfect beaches, unbelievable views, historic landmarks, and, of course, exceptional food.  I was raised in a typical, Jewish household. Food was the focus of our lives; menus were planned weeks in advance, reservations were made months prior, and we discussed what and where we would be eating our next meals before the day even started. Normal? For us, it has been. We were accustomed to sitting aroundRead More →