Jenni Benerofe

Spring has sprung and so has my waistline. Time to start eating healthy.

HEALTHY. What does that word even mean? Healthy used to mean good for you. But now it’s splintered into so many definitions that it’s simply impossible to keep up.

Every Monday, I swear an oath to “eat healthy” before my feet hit the floor…then, immediately second-guess myself. What does healthy mean this week? The ’90s kid in me insists it’s low-fat, but today fat is our friend. Maybe it’s low-calorie? No, I’ll count macros. But at 48, I’m not doing math at mealtime, or really any time. Clean eating? Sounds virtuous, but can anyone actually define “clean”? Low carb? Bread is the enemy! Except bread is pure joy, so that won’t work. Gluten-free bread? That stuff is full of sugar, and sugar is poison. Wait, sugar is pleasure. Maybe I’ll just eat less sugar, although that usually ends with me face-first in all the sugar. I’ll give up vodka…until the weekend. That’s the best I can do. A girl’s gotta live. I’ll just eat healthy in moderation, between noon and 7 p.m. because intermittent fasting is the only healthy way.

Are you exhausted? I am. Food is my job; I can’t eliminate a different food group every other week. It’s time to stop holding ourselves to ever-changing, unrealistic ideals. What if being healthy was never meant to be about fat grams, carb counting, or sugar bans at all? Maybe it’s about slowing down, paying attention to how we cook, where our food comes from, and reconnecting with the people we love at the table.

In our tech-addicted world, the healthiest thing about cooking is that you can’t scroll Instagram and chop onions at the same time. Cooking is a ritual that forces us to pause, focus, and be present in the moment. Being healthy in the kitchen means using all our senses. Breathing in the intoxicating aroma of garlic sizzling in oil, pausing to taste tomato sauce as the flavors bloom. Even stirring the pot can be meditative. These are the rituals that pull us back into the moment after the day has chewed us up and spit us out. No restrictive diet can offer that kind of nourishment. Cooking is a quieter, more honest way to slow down. Forget the performative wellness proclamations. Instead, make a commitment to feed yourself and your family with care and intention. This definition of healthy is meaningful no matter what you’re cooking. Even if the kids are yelling, the dog is barking, and the dirty pans are piling up in the sink.

Then there’s the act of sitting down to eat. Breaking bread with people we love without phones or TV turns food into something richer than calories. Sharing a meal creates connection, sparks conversation, and nourishes the soul. In Spain they have a word for this: sobremesa – the tradition of lingering at the table long after the last bite, talking and enjoying each other’s company. These are the moments that become lifelong, heart-warming memories. A reminder that food can show us, again and again, what it feels like to be human. What could be healthier than that?

Here’s my new definition of healthy… cooking with intention, savoring each bite, sharing meals with the people who matter, and allowing yourself to enjoy it all without guilt. Healthy isn’t a diet. It’s a LIFE. Sometimes that’s a salad full of crunchy greens. Other times it’s chicken parm because that’s the meal that brings everyone together. Being healthy is a practice, a ritual of living your life full of flavor.

This year, I’m ditching the macros, cleanses, and tracking apps. I’m turning up the Sonos, chopping slowly, tasting as I cook, sitting down with the people I love, and savoring the moment. Mealtime should remind us that nourishment is about joy and gratitude as much as it is about nutrients. The goal is a life lived slowly, intentionally, and filled with love…one delicious dinner at a time. And honestly? That feels a whole lot healthier to me.