In the spring of 2016, I went to visit my son who was studying abroad in Barcelona. Being someone who really appreciates food and also educates people on nutrition, I was very excited to go with him to a well known indoor market in the city's center called La Boqueria. What struck me most about this marketplace upon our initial arrival was an immediate sense of pure wholesomeness and energy surrounding the foods which were bursting with colors, vibrancy and attractiveness. Both the customers and patrons alike seemed to have a mutual understanding and respect for the way food is intended to be prepared, enjoyed and consumed. The word that comes to mind is joyful eating. As a nutritionist, I was amazed and yet refreshingly delighted at the lack of labeling availability for the foods as there were no calories displayed, no fat grams, no depiction of grams of sodium, flavorings or words one can't pronounce. None were needed because the food was pure, local, nutritious and delicious.
Freshly Baked Goods
It struck me during this gastronomic experience that food felt like food should feel and often times doesn't which is a healthful bounty of variety, prepared with care, displayed with beauty and eaten with joy.
Assorted Meats and Cheeses
Eggs from Local Farms
The pure joy of eating is experienced when we stop worrying and start trusting our own bodies to decide what it really wants to eat. If we can just slow down and check in, our body most of the time will desire food that nourishes us and fills us with vibrant energy. I will always remember that day with my son at La Boqueria in Barcelona. For me this was a purely joyful eating experience.