My sister is the real definition of a foodie, the same goes for my brother who interestingly married a caterer – strategic isn’t it? And the mother of them all, my Mom, whose family anthem actually has a prayer that states ma fi ebi ale pawa meaning I will not go hungry – yeah, that is the extent to which her family loves food, and not just food but good food.

I am amazed at the expression on the face of my sister when she is eating or when she is thinking up a meal she will like to eat – her eyes instantly light up and she gets totally excited – like an ant that has seen sugar. My mum literally waltzes in and out of the kitchen as she churns out one mouthwatering meal after the other and before she sets out to cook, she takes her time to plan her meal – that in itself is an enjoyable task for her. Yeah, and my brother – his ‘DP’ constantly has pictures of food or hilarious sayings like ‘eat whatever you want and if someone tries to lecture you about your weight, eat them too!’ imagine!

However, it is interesting to note that there is actually a connection between happiness and food (I can only picture the expression on the faces of foodies when they see this) this starts with the joy of preparing the meal to the pleasure of relishing your delightful delicacy. It is said that food affects the pleasure and reward centres of our brain so it is not only important that we eat delicious food but also healthy ones too in the proper portions.

Also, research has proven that eating meals that are rich in fruits and vegetables and other healthy components can greatly improve behaviour and moods – now isn’t that amazing!

Funny enough, cooking is therapeutic; guess some people are rolling their eyes at this, but it’s true! Cooking can be a great source of happiness. Firstly the joy that comes with creating your very own ‘masterpiece’ whether it is your unique recipe or someone else’s the important thing is the thrill that comes with making the meal, and yes the satisfaction that comes from savouring every piece as you send your taste buds to cloud nine!
Food is a key part of our lives and can be an amazing beginning to the journey towards happiness, deepening of relationships and definitely living a healthy and fulfilling life.

So come on, get your pots and pans together, go shopping for the ingredients you need, and let’s start cooking!