Akron Life August 2023

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UP F RON T

[ Managing Editor | Kelly Petryszyn | kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com ]

Home Grown

Eating fresh is challenging but rewarding.

When you start feeding a baby solid food, the pediatrician tells you to avoid processed food and added sugars. While I didn’t have the energy to puree fruits and veggies, a lot of what we give Izzy is preservative-free, organic, no sugar added or fresh. I am not as strict about my food. It’s fascinating how we start with a clean diet and muck it up with processed and fried food. The healthi est I’ve ever eaten was when I was pregnant. I had to avoid alcohol as well as processed foods like lunch meats and hot dogs. I stayed on a diet into the second trimester and picked it up for a while a few months after Izzy’s birth. A few hacks that have worked for me are eating vegetables as sides with dinners — they really fill you up — and having salads for lunch and snacking on fruit. What I struggle with is grabbing packaged foods when I’m on the go and nighttime snack ing. But if I haven’t kicked it already, it’s likely not happening. I try to buy lower calorie options, but often sweets end up in the house, and I’m a goner. Plus, if there’s wine in the fridge, I’m often having a glass at night. In the summer, it can be harder with parties and cookouts filled with tantalizing options. I have no control when it comes to cheesy dishes and the dessert table. And when I eat out, I order what looks best, which often isn’t the healthiest, so I try to eat healthier at home and give myself a free pass when I’m out. And I’ve realized I can give Izzy veggies, but like most kids, she’s more likely to choose fries and mac and cheese. But I can keep offering fresh food. A wonder ful thing about summer in Ohio is there are fresh peaches, berries, ears of corn and more. Plus, eating peppers and tomatoes from my garden is so rewarding after the

care I put into them. What I’ve learned is it’s not about never treating yourself, but it’s about starting fresh with each meal, trying to work in cleaner foods, exercising modera tion and celebrating good choices. It helps when healthy options taste great, and our feature points you to restaurants and cafes that source cleaner ingredients and serve fresh, from-scratch dishes like the Fresh Summer Veg salad I had from Butcher & Sprout. The house-made cucum ber-lime vinaigrette gave it a citrusy pop, and the kale blend wasn’t bitter. I ate it all up and felt great after. “They’re a little lighter, lower calorie,” says executive chef Logan Johnson on why you should choose a salad. “In the summertime, it’s a great not-heavy meal.” At Pitchfork, many proteins come from the owners’ Ashland farm. “The stuff from their farm — you can tell the difference,” says executive chef Mary Clarke Morris. “They’re not factory-farmed animals. They live freely on the farm.” She says when your ingredients are sustain able, it not only tastes better but you feel better about eating it. With recipes and 20 spots, including juice bars, smoothie cafes and farm-to-table restaurants, our guide helps you make healthy choices and celebrate places in our community that are leading the way.

photo by Meghan Winkler

My 17-month-old, Izzy, was running around my friends Mark and Anja’s backyard at a cookout in early sum mer, and she stopped at the straw berries in the garden. Anja plucked some berries off the vine and gave them to Izzy, who promptly devoured them with red juice drib bling down her face and onto her white floral romper! Anja walked away, but Izzy wanted more. She sat in the grass by the strawberry patch, signaling Anja to pick a few more for Izzy to wolf down. It was so sweet to see Izzy learn how delicious it is to eat food from the source at such a young age, and it’s a big responsibility to set a good example when it comes to healthy eating. Get some help with eating local and clean from our feature on pg. 22 that’s full of res taurants and cafes that strive to follow the farm-to-table model.

[ Managing Editor Kelly Petryszyn is an adventure seeker, forever a dreamer and an avid supporter of #TeamFiona. ]

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AUGUST 2023 | akronlife.com