Food Journals

01/05/22 • 26 min

Writer Alexandra Johnson helps us get the new year off to a strong start. Among the things she writes about is the practice of journaling to support creativity. You know what we'll all need to put into practice food appreciation as a tool to become adaptable in our diets? Creativity. It's time to redefine how we think about food journals - these aren't the standard food logs of calories and serving sizes, Alex is helping us define a different tool entirely.
No surprise, we referenced a lot of writing over the course of this conversation. Here are some links for additional reading:

The Hidden Writer, Alexandra Johnson
Leaving a Trace, Alexandra Johnson
On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion appears in Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Here is an article about the essay, with excerpts, from The Marginalian.
2022 Food Trends - with the coffee & climate change reference (see also a longer piece from October, here)
Why I Switched to Eating Grandma's Food, Geeta Pandey in BBC News
Melissa Clark on Wine-Braised Chicken in the New York Times

For examples of prompting questions for finding flavor details, peruse this handout from my "Describing Flavor" craft seminar. It's from the Lesley University MFA program that I mentioned at the top of the episode. Sadly, the food samples that went with it were only available in-person.
Do look for Alex's other work - we focused on only one aspect of it in this episode. Her essays, reviews, and travel pieces appear in national publications and anthologies, and her book in progress set in southern Italy is The Saint's Laundry.
Full season archive here. This podcast is part of the Food Access in Health Care program at Bi-State Primary Care Association.
This season of Policy in Plainer English is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $189,892.00 with 0 percentage financed with non governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

The Hidden Writer, Alexandra Johnson
Leaving a Trace, Alexandra Johnson
On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion appears in Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Here is an article about the essay, with excerpts, from The Marginalian.
2022 Food Trends - with the coffee & climate change reference (see also a longer piece from October, here)
Why I Switched to Eating Grandma's Food, Geeta Pandey in BBC News
Melissa Clark on Wine-Braised Chicken in the New York Times

Previous Episode

A Pause to Think Bigger

In a special year-end episode, we reverse directions. This season is about bringing skills from food professionals to bear on how we shape our individual diet, but what about moving the other way - from individuals to commercial scale production?
The main lesson from this episode is to listen to the Mission ImPASTAble podcast series (thank you to the Sporkful for permission to use the clips we play). You can find the series online.
We also reference several previous Policy in Plainer English episodes, including Medically Tailored Meals and the Health Care Systems introduction to season four.
For some of the reports also referenced in this episode:

CDC statistics on eating patterns can be found in their Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys.
The GAO report on federal efforts to address diet-related chronic health conditions.
Editorial on the structure for supporting nutrition incentive programs.
USDA overview of federal nutrition programs.

Full season archive here. This podcast is part of the Food Access in Health Care program at Bi-State Primary Care Association.
This season of Policy in Plainer English is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $189,892.00 with 0 percentage financed with non governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Next Episode

How to Cook

Professor Amy Trubek, and instructors John Corliss and Emily Barbour, join us to talk about core principles of the courses they are developing in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Vermont. Their curriculum combines sensory analysis with basic cooking skills to increase food agency.
Some resources referenced in this episode:

Food Agency Website - including a course in Culinary Nutrition that is offered to interested health professionals through UVM Continuing Education.
The Google project on learning to make vegetables delicious. See also the Plant Forward Kitchen from the Culinary Institute of America.
Careful listeners may have noticed that the oven frying Amy references sounds a lot like what an air fryer does. Episode Three of the last season of Nice Try, which explores the history of the crock-pot, is an interesting take on kitchen appliances that fits in well with our food agency conversation.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
Children and Health Eating from Season Three. See also Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT FEED).

Full season archive here. This podcast is part of the Food Access in Health Care program at Bi-State Primary Care Association.

This season of Policy in Plainer English is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $189,892.00 with 0 percentage financed with non governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.