Eating on a budget in Boston

             CASH ONLY PLEASE

That's the first thing you see as you reach for the door knob at the entrance of Vietnamese Sandwich, an Asian fast-food place that serves everything from the most fantastic subs, to curried and barbecued chicken on rice, shrimp spring rolls, and  a host of other things. Down right unfriendly was my first impression. I mean you should at least wait for me to get a foot in the door right?

I'd been in Chinatown for more than six months before my friend Oni dragged me there one afternoon in between classes to grab a sandwich. My first surprise was the number of people we saw there. Hmm...m, I thought to myself as I got in line, you'd think that a place with a welcome greeting like that on the front door should be less busy at lunch time. Almost before I could complete the thought it was our turn to order. My next thought was - Wow that was fast. And things just kept getting better after that. Our server was quick but friendly and -Oh joy!- for the first time since I stepped into the USA I finally had a choice to order a sandwich that really did have some kick to it. But my greatest (and perhaps the most heart warming) surprise was still to come. Each sandwich we ordered was no more than $2.75! Loaded with chicken and chock full of veggies on an eight inch long roll, with peppers that made my tongue sing and my heart heavy for home. I was sure there must be some mistake.

My friend assured me there was none. "Seriously", she said, "Why do you think they're so busy at lunchtime? They'll be out of sandwiches before 4pm."

 She was right about that. I found this out to my dismay a few days later when I decided to work late and strolled down from school to grab a sandwich. It was just a few minutes past four when I swung the door open, trying very hard to ignore the unfriendly 'welcome' sign. Unfortunately they were all out of sandwiches and the curried chicken and rice which I'd enjoyed so much the last time I came. I would have been sad and mad had it not been for the attitude of the lady behind the counter. She kept apologizing so profusely and repeatedly that I started feeling bad on her behalf. Since I was in no hurry and they were cleaning up preparatory to closing, this time I had an opportunity to really look around and chat with the lady.

Vietnamese Sandwich is really a tiny shop that, besides the kitchen behind the counter, only boasts 3 tables and six chairs. With its light green walls and  glaring fluorescent lighting it's not exactly the place for a romantic night out. Still if you're looking to grab a quick meal or meet up with a friend while you eat something healthy that actually tastes great, Vietnamese Sandwich is the place for you. Not to mention that as prices go it's really easy on the pocket. I'd wondered how they managed to pay rent and keep the place open while still making a profit. I mean, I hardly thought it'd be a non-profit venture. I addressed my concerns to my new friend behind the counter, and she assured me that were indeed doing quite well for themselves. Most of the produce they use is sourced from nearby Haymarket, which allows them to obtain the materials they need at very low cost and sell their products at such cheap prices.

I thanked her for her time and patience and left, resolving to be there well before 4pm anytime I wanted to grab lunch on the go.

The Girl Effect

Someone -a guest lecturer at one of my international nutrition classes actually- once asked me: "If you could have one wish granted towards solving the problem of hunger in the world, what would it be?" Almost without thinking I blurted out - "Education for every girl". He didn't seem very impressed with my answer (apparently that wasn't quite where he was going) but I really didn't care. I felt very strongly then (and still do) that until we are able to offer that to the world, everything else we do is simply just a waste of precious time and resources. Okay I take that back; maybe not a total waste, but perhaps not the most prudent use of available resources. I have nothing against short term interventions towards ending hunger (afterall we don't want the girl to die of malnutrition while we're busy trying to educate her). Still my grouse against food aid, and all other measures like it, is that they shift focus and energy from long term, sustainable solutions to things that haven't exactly gotten us anywhere. Most of us are familiar with the saying - give a man a fish and you've fed him for a day; teach him to fish, and you've fed him for a lifetime.

Actually what I'm advocating here is not teaching men to fish, but teaching girls to read and write. 

Some weeks after I was served that question, I stumbled on this website on facebook - 'The Girl Effect'. Apparently there are other humans as wise as I who walk this earth. What a relief. Seriously though, if you've never heard of The Girl Effect It's a move started by probably some of the wisest people in the world. The central idea is to ensure education for every girl child and thus educate every nation, thereby reducing the problem of world hunger to almost nil.

If you're like some friends of mine and you're wondering what the heck girl education or women empowerment has to do with hunger, just click here to learn more.

When you're done educating yourself about the topic, go out there and do whatever little you can to educate a girl; any girl.

Just because you can.

Ever since my last piece on the issue of overweight and obesity in children, I've been besieged by questions on the subject, so I thought it only fair to come back here and attempt to answer some (if not all) of the questions.

Since the most common questions have been - "How do I prevent this in my kids?" or "What can I do about my overweight kid?" these are the two questions I'm going to address.

As always, the answer is almost annoying in its simplicity: let your kid be a kid.

Have you ever stood at the entrance of a play group for toddlers at closing time? I have and I'll tell you a secret - I've never seen a kid walk out sedately to a waiting car. They always come out at a run and then get to the car and hop or wiggle from one foot to the other until the car is opened (what we the adults would call fidgeting). If you stop to think about it you'll realize that most adults often find themselves shouting - "Don't run or you'll fall" (or some such equivalent) at these times.

I'd always wondered why kids do this, and decided to ask my then three-year-old niece. Her answer was short and sweet - "Because I can"
My adult brain just didn't get it (at least not at the time). She's eight years old now and still runs and hops "for no good reason", turns cartwheels on impulse (of course always closely imitated by her baby brother) and loves to swim, swing, and bike 'just because she can'. I know I must have been that way at some point in my life. What I just don't remember exactly is when and why I stopped running, hopping, and jumping, just for the heck of it. What happened to me? Again the answer is very simple - I grew up.

The thing is, if we allow or create circumstances that allow a kid to be a kid then, all things being equal, it's rare that you'll ever have an obese child on your hands.

The USDA recommends that the average child engage in active play (what my adult mind thinks of as exercise) for at least 1 hour every day. If you asked my four year old for an opinion, you can bet he would strongly agree with the USDA. The USDA also recommends that every child aged 2 and above consume a a varied diet consisting of foods from each food group, with emphasis on whole milk (or other dairy equivalent) for children under five. 100% fruit juices are the preferred drink instead of sodas, but should be limited to no more than half to one cup/serving to avoid robbing the child of her appetite at a later meal, as children fill up very easily. Other than that, healthful family meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium and vitamin D (from oily fish) should suffice.

Most experts would recommend  that a total of 5-6 meals be offered in the course of the day - usually 3 main meals and 2 snacks. Depending on how picky your child is or other prevailing circumstances, your health care giver may recommend that you start your child on some multivitamin or the other. Still, if a child  does not suffer from any known health constraints and has a healthy appetite, ideally he/she would best obtain all the nutrients needed from their diet. Studies have proven again and again that most children who are offered these kind of choices will self-regulate and have almost no risk of overweight or obesity.

In these days when time, space and issues of security have become real challenges, the onus lies on the child's primary caregiver to deliberately create/ make time for opportunities for active play. Nowadays many gyms offer play space for children so that they get to 'play' while mum and dad 'work out' (Oh why did I ever grow up?).

Most good schools should usually have a large enough play ground with slides, swings, twisty towers and ladders (what the adults would consider brightly colored work-out equipment). The thing is to encourage your kid to spend less time infront of the computer or TV and more time on the playground/park; always accompanied by a capable adult of course. One woman I know actually bought a work-out dance video and had her kids work-out with her every day for one hour. They loved spending time with their mum and she found ready work-out partners that would never let her slide with her work-out program; a win-win situation if you ask me. Another good friend of mine makes it a point to hit the biking trail near her house with her whole family at least twice a week.

The issue is one of leading by example. Your kid will copy what she sees you do, so be what you want your child to become, just because you can.

In praise of motherhood.

What is it with us mothers? Yep. Today I'm focusing on all my sisters out there. Whatever your age or race, whatever the size of your pay packet, and whatever your vocation in life; if you're a mother, I'm talking to you. What is it with us? Why is it that even the most practical, shrewd, professional, loses all objectivity and capacity for rational thought when it comes to (what she perceives as) criticism of her child.

I was thinking this very thought a couple of weeks ago while I watched the mother of a very popular Hollywood teen idol (now infamous for her numerous run-ins with the law, and countless check-ins for re-hab). On being asked what her thoughts were as to her daughter's most recent escapade -theft at a department store- the said mother replied that she was sure that her daughter "...just forgot to return the item". Sure. How about I walk into Cartier's and just 'forget to return' that diamond necklace I've been dreaming about for ages?

But then I got to thinking about how each of us at different times has done the exact same thing when confronted with issues about our kids, the child's age regardless. Whether the child is 2 or 62, that gut reaction is almost always the same.

It was the issue of childhood obesity that got me thinking about this. True, first lady Michelle Obama has started a good thing with her School food campaigns and physical activity programs, but what good does that do if there is absolutely no support for this venture at home where it actually matters most? In fact several surveys have reported cases of parents who wouldn't even allow their kids to have a nutritional assessment done because it would involve weighing the child. As if somehow not having the figures in black and white would in any way alter the facts.

As a parent, I understand the fear of not wanting your child to be stigmatized for that kind of thing, especially since at the back of every parents mind is that tiny horrible voice saying that if there's something wrong with your kid's nutrition, it's got to be your fault somehow. There, I've said it. And therein lies the problem. We don't want to hear criticism of our kids, because even though it is not spoken and probably isn't even intended, what we hear is that WE must have done something wrong for our kid to have turned out this way. In other words - It's our fault. Let's face it: who likes to be blamed for anything? Not me.

The good news is - there is hope. Recent studies published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics have shown, in children of various ethnicity and backgrounds, that it is possible for children to lose weight and maintain the weight-loss in a healthy manner over a long term period. To do this however requires commitment, particularly on the part of the parents and other care-givers in the home setting. To get to this point though, each of those parents had to take that very difficult first step - admitting that there was a problem. Only then could anything be done about it. My mum always said - "A problem acknowledged is nothing but a challenge with a solution in sight." The older I get, the wiser my mum appears in my eyes.

So, are you going to be the mother of the woman who walks into Cartier's and 'forgets to return' the diamond necklace? Or are you going to step up to the plate (pun not intended), acknowledge that there is a problem and be one of those strong women who help to turn the tide of the obesity epidemic in America? The choice is yours.