one or more of the Oz crew is prepping food, others join in and chat, and the
conversation continues right into the meal. I want all of us to recapture the
spiritual benefits of mealtime and relearn some important truths:
Food helps you bond with others.
Food strengthens your family.
Food sets the stage for meaningful exchanges, passing on traditions (like
Grandma’s incredible tomato sauce recipe), and sharing lessons with the
people you love.
We’ve established that food is about science, yes, but it’s also about soul—the
humanity that is revealed during intimate gatherings at the table. That element
actually has healing power in its own right, helping you decrease anxiety,
improve mood, and lead an overall healthier life. No wonder a small study from
New Zealand looked at the effect of family meals and found that they improved
people’s health and relationships.
So as you embark on your food-fixing journey, spend a few moments thinking
about how to get your crew to engage actively in the kitchen, instead of simply
showing up at the table, waiting for food to appear. Start small—cooking one
family dinner together each week, or proposing a Sunday tradition where
everyone works as a team to assemble lunches for the week, or having once-a-
month surprise meals where one member of the family prepares a new dish.
Over time, and by piloting little ideas like these, the kitchen becomes a place of
creation rather than one of obligation.
There is value in food above and beyond macros and micros. That value
comes in the form of moments. Let me share a few from my life.
ROLE OF SOUL 1:
The Missing Ingredient in Many Meals Is Connection
Growing up, I spent my summers in Turkey with my relatives. When we visited,
my extended family would have a feast once a week. The table was covered with
all kinds of Turkish delicacies, like baklava and baba ghanoush (a rich aubergine
dish). One aunt made dolma, or stuffed vegetables, such as courgette filled with
rice and meat. Another aunt had a mulberry tree. I would climb up and shake the
berries off the branches. We’d collect the delicious mulberries by the bushel and