Midwest to Mediterranean: S2,Day 2: The Art of Breakfast

Let’s talk about one of my favorite subjects. Breakfast. Breakfast in Spain is usually light. Very continental. It is included in our hostel so I never miss it when staying here. Most important meal of the day and all that. ;)

My meal this morning consists of a bowl of yogurt with granola and dried fruit, a small bowl of fruit, two small but delightfully flaky pastries, and a cup of delicious coffee nectar. (Note to self: Compare dimensions of coffee machine to carryon bag.)

Breakfast in Spain reminds me of my mother in many ways. Everything down to the small coffee cups, small portions, and endless healthy options. For as long as I can, remember, my mom has been very healthy eater. I share her palate in many ways. Remarkably, she eats this way in spite of living in a food environment that makes it difficult to be healthy. “All you can eat” buffets rage supreme in much of the U.S. Yogurt and cereals are chock full of sugar that we didn’t order. (I love you Captain Crunch but you know I speak truth here.)

I’ve been in Spain for two days and I’ve eaten a very healthy diet (for me). Not because I’m trying to but simply because the food that I have access to here is healthier. The food environment is designed to provide energy for a days worth of work and to keep you healthy. Conversely, strong research-based evidence shows when immigrants adopt the American diet, they gain weight and become less healthy (and often times dependent upon drug therapy to manage disease symptoms.)

The big question is why? It comes down to a fundamental difference in government and political philosophy. The U.S. system has resulted in a for -profit food industry that doesn’t exist in Spain. While the price of food has increased post Covid in Spain, it’s still relatively cheap for all to access fruits, vegetables, lean meats, olive oil, and grains. When provided ACCESS to healthy foods and limited access to unhealthy foods, the need for MOTIVATION to maintain a healthy diet is reduced. The US would need to adopt substantial policies that regulate food and beverage industries to make this food system a reality. Will this happen? I hope so but I’m not optimistic.

My afternoon consisted of a visit to my favorite museum in Madrid, the Reina Sophia. I’ve written about this place and Picasso’s anti-war piece Guernica, in previous posts if you’re interested. Still there, still stunning. Today, I introduce another big presence at the museum, Nestor Martin-Fernandez de la Torre. Nestor was an early 19th century artist who painted many things including famous works on homosexuality that were ahead of his time. These works were criticized and censored by many. His work makes me think of recent efforts to ban books on homosexuality in public schools in the US. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of these efforts and hope we can move toward a more accepting culture that accepts all forms of lifestyle and expression.

On a lighter note, I ended my day at the museum with a visit to their restaurant, El Jardin. A magical outdoor garden-themed restaurant filled with delicious food, lively music, happy people, and cold beer (calm down people, it was 3:30!). I absolutely love the social culture here that embraces any opportunity to stop and grab a snack with friends or colleagues. This is a HUGE component of what makes Spain healthy and I’ll dive into this further later.