The following post is from Kate of Modern Alternative Mama: 5 Simple Ways Food Makes Me Happy
Next year, it would do us all well to reduce stress and enjoy life a little bit more.
Mothers especially could use a break now and then, but of course, it doesn’t come easily. Our families need us, and so do our homes. It’s not easy to just walk away and say “I’m taking a few hours for myself, see you.” (Not that you shouldn’t try for that now and then, but it’s not going to happen daily.)
One way to make yourself happy — and improve the overall mood of your home — is to find small things to incorporate into your day that bring you a little bit of joy. One way that I find happiness is in food! And not just sweet foods. Some silly things make me happy. I’m going to share a few of them with you today in hopes it will inspire you to enjoy a few small, joyful things at your home too.
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Why Food?
Food is delicious, consumable (so it doesn’t cause clutter), and readily available. It doesn’t require a lot of time or money, and hey — you have to eat, right? That means it’s easily incorporated into your day.
There are plenty of other small things that make me happy, too (candles, music, a conversation with a friend), but of course, those are not the topic of this site. 🙂
Without further adieu, here are the small food things that make me happy!
Crushed Ice
Every drink is better with crushed ice in it. It just is. Sipping anything from water to homemade lemonade to something fancier with crushed ice in it makes me smile.
Pretty Tea Cups
I love to sit with a cup of hot tea in a pretty cup. It’s a great way to relax before bed or start my morning. While cup itself isn’t technically “food” it is used with food.
Gravy
I know, I know, it’s silly…but I love gravy. I would put it on anything and eat it in almost any form. I like to make comfort foods that can be doused in gravy. As a kid, I’d eat it with a spoon. It makes me happy.
Ice Cream Toppings
I eat our homemade, very low-sugar ice cream fairly often (read: a few times a month), but I don’t often make any kind of toppings for it. Pouring on a little homemade chocolate or butterscotch sauce and adding some chopped nuts takes the experience to decadent for me.
Hot Bread and Butter
There’s nothing like homemade bread, straight out of the oven, with some butter on it. Sometimes I bake bread just because I want to enjoy a slice this way. The whole family loves to share this with me!
I’m sure there are other ways, but these are the ones I think about most. And they’re easy, fairly healthy (only one actually involves sugar/dessert), and something I can do every day. Why not choose something small that makes you feel happy? And why not use this as an excuse to remember all your blessings and spread the joy you feel to others? I hope to do this even more in the coming year!
What small food things make YOU happy?
| Kate is a wife and mommy to 3 and is passionate about God, health, and food. She has written 7 cookbooks and is planning to release more in 2012. When she’s not blogging, she’s in the kitchen, sewing, or home schooling her children. You can find her at Modern Alternative Mama or contribute to Keeper of the Home. | |
