Hunger is the Best Sauce

[Richard Chrz]

In an effort to ignore winter, I have been going down some rabbit holes in cooking.

Last night I came across an article in Mother Earth Living, “the old fashioned cooking guide” One of the bullet points was just that, “hunger is the best sauce”.

it talked a bit about the privilege of snacking, and how that is a relatively new thing in eating habits, It implied that not snacking and arriving at each meal truly hungry, we will get more satisfaction in the meal, and likely even take more out of the experience of being together,

Just struck me as interesting. I do think those at the table, make the meal better,

[Spinaker]

I just read a book that talked about this. They call this the "Scarcity Brain" basically we evolved and learned to hoard things. The thought of "You never know where your next meal might come from." was, and unfortunately for some, is a real thing. In a society full of abundance, hoarding and binging becomes exaggerated. Many of us had parents or grandparents that grew up in the depression, my grandma saved EVERYTHING, reused everything. My mom would keep chinese food containers and washout plastic bags.....etc.

We never had a pantry to walk into for millennia, now that we have them, it is all too easy for our scarcity brain to drive us to "get it while we can" It really has nothing to do with being hungry, its a subconscious attempt at self preservation......which is ironic, cause most of us are overweight and/or obese and that leads to early deaths, lower quality of life and a host of other things.

To your point, Imagine going to your meal everyday, actually hungry.....those meals would be amazing. Let me tell you, you have never had a better PB&J sandwich than when you have been paddling for 8 hours through the Boundary Waters, hauling all your gear along the way.

Since I started eating once a day and fast for 48 hours at least once a week, I find that the meal I break my fast with is pretty amazing. Not that I am starving by any means, but my body is ready to take in some food. The flavors are more intense and I get a euphoric feeling while eating. (which is probably part of the reason I got fat in the first place, LOL)

I find this stuff really interesting too. Great topic!

(Just in case you are curious.....here is the book. Scarcity Brain, By Micheal Easter)
https://www.amazon.com/Scarcity-Brain-Craving-Mindset-Rewire/dp/B0BRBVCQB9/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=187302253638&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.H 30lzlFQhxYObLrP0OCcTAL3Ix4LdcW4x9jFqBXKciL0lRj_xdP 6sy7Tf3Q_5IGYbGXddrl_EaFYgC5B9RURgA.Kf2XuuAj8_n0B-R8FZLwDIYpyqbcCwc01PO8qrNOh_I&dib_tag=se&hvadid=77 9601913663&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9019612&hvne tw=g&hvocijid=5066391083145347481--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=5066391083145347481&hvtargid=kw d-1946668603370&hydadcr=22190_13517506_215400&keywor ds=the+scarcity+brain&mcid=63bd3bf8e432342eaa59c57 647f08e13&qid=1768663955&sr=8-1

[cruiseplanner1]

I agree with all of the above

[Richard Chrz]

jlazar interesting bit, they did end up owning a small home, and they had 9 children all together,

By the time I really remember anything from their home, it was mostly the occasional Sunday dinner. And by far they took the most simple ingredients, and elevated them beyond any other food I was eating at our home or others. The beef roast was money, the rice pudding.

Part of me now, is chasing what I remember from them, incredible food on the cheap.

[captainlee]

I remember the Sunday dinners as a kid. Great meal of the week before Dad flew away for the week then simple meals for the family until he returned.

[Oak Smoke]

I love a meal after a 24 hour fast, it’s wonderful. For me it’s sometimes as simple as just slowing down and enjoying the food. If I take a bite and chew it slowly I can enjoy textures and flavors that that I’d normally just rush by. I tend to eat less when I slow down too. The other thing that can make a meal so special is smelling it cook for a while before it’s ready. Richard, you may be used to the smell of baking bread because you get that regulatory. It makes my mouth water every time I smell it.

[Richard Chrz]

Oak Smoke I cannot even smell it anymore.

[Oak Smoke]

Richard Chrz I’m sorry for that. It’s a smell that takes me back to some of the best moments of my life. One of my earliest memories is my great grandmother baking hot rolls. That would have been about 1956. She baked cinnamon rolls that would rise up well above the edge of the pan, maybe 4 inches tall. I had an early life I wish everyone could have. It was filled with farm and ranch women who baked bread and such. That smell takes me back there every time.

[Richard Chrz]

Those memories are the best!

Thankfully this is about the only thing I can no longer smell. Seems my kitchen in the winter is always full of aromatics, I’m grateful for that.

My favorite part of the bread, besides the taste, is turning off the music and listening to the fermentation blisters on the crust start crackling as they cool down.

[DavidNorcross]

Excellent thread. I do not fast on a consistent basis but am learning more and more about the benefits.

[Sweaty Paul]

I think "hunger is the best sauce" is an absolutely fascinating take on an important truism. I think it goes beyond not having eaten for a period of time. I also see how it could be interpreted as enjoying something that you haven't had in a long time. An example for me is my grandmother Teget's scalloped potatoes and ham. For years my mom tried to recreate, I tried to recreate, and my wife did too. Then, after 12 years my wife made it again. She got caught up in doing something in her office and it got cooked longer than for what the recipe calls. The first bite of the "overcooked" dish was spectacular and took me straight back to my grandparents dinner table and our traditional day before Thanksgiving meal.

It's also like that first big swig of ice water after mowing on a hot day, or a swig of cold beer after a hunt. It's that first sip of hot chocolate in front of the fire on the first snow storm of the year. All those few and far between moments make other culinary moments even more special.

Thanks for sharing!

[Hulagn1971]

That second paragraph is everything.

[JCBBQ]

Like Spinaker I do a fair amount of fasting, and I concur when you break the fast after 36 or 60 hrs, WHATEVER you eat tastes amazing. Even my gut healthy “break fast” of kraut or kimchi and avocado tastes great. And don’t worry, I follow that up w a regular breakfast 😉.

[randy.56]

I would not survive eating one a day. Just call the funeral home I'm on my way...., been eating at least 3 sometimes 4 a day may be once a week. A skinny guy, always have been. Have to eat,to help manage blood sugar and hunger, preventing large spikes and dips. There are no right number of meals per day. You have to do what is right for you. Your body and metabolism. But I'm starvin just thinking about it.

My son age 43 and at least 100 lbs over weight, just started the shot. It's been a month and a half now, he lost 25 lbs. Say's he does not have the appetite he use to. And cut way back on the beer (no desire). He also said he is just not as hungry. Other friends and family are doing it. Some lost 100, Myself I don't believe in it. We have not seen the long term side effects yet.

[Spinaker]

You are gonna loose muscle because all the drug does is make it so you are not hungry. Muscle is biologically expensive. You have to continue to workout and keep up your protein. Unfortunately, most people take the drug and do not workout or keep up their protein. If I went on it, I would use it to focus on building habits of small portions and eating very healthy. Use the drug to curb appetite for that time.....but it is still on you to continue those habits.

[Spinaker]

It is no wonder drug that is perfect, it is just a tool that is supposed to help people make good habits. A lot of people taking it fail to realize this. Some still eat like crap, but they just eat less of it. Then they see "results" and think..."I'm losing weight without going to the gym!" The gym does a lot more for you than just make you loose weight, it is part of developing habits of being active and feeling weird or incomplete when you are not. JCBBQ SheilaAnn

[Spinaker]

As some one who lost over 150 without a drug, let me tell you it can be done. It is an immense amount of time, effort, missed meals, mental toughness etc blah blah blah....that being said, I may have taken it when if it were out when I started my journey. I used to bad mouth the drug as a "cheat". But I have changed my tune. If it helps people loose weight and they choose to be active and make lasting change, then go for it. But they have to realize that the work has to continue.