It’s an exciting – or should we say joyful – time at Mindful Chef. We might be popping up on a TV, radio or billboard near you, but more than that, we're giving a stage to a belief that's driven us since day one: that healthy eating should always be filled with joy.
Eat for Joy runs through everything we do. It’s the colourful recipes we bring to your kitchen, the honest suppliers who grow, rear and source the finest ingredients and the feel-good tingle you’re left with after a nourishing meal. It’s the dinner that helps you connect with your loved ones or the dish you eat to feel your best.
In honour of this new chapter we asked our team one key question: what do you eat for? And it turns out, joy has even more facets than we thought.
If you would like to get involved, you can join our Facebook community to share what you eat for too.
Connection
Connection was one of the most popular answers. ‘I eat to reconnect,’ says Sasha, Registered Dietitian and Head of Health. ‘There's plenty of evidence that eating together is good for you and it's true, but what I actually love is the hour where everyone's in one place, talking over each other and nobody's in a hurry.’
Many of us use time around the table to share daily updates, ‘I love catching up after busy days or slowing down after quiet ones,’ says Rosie, Food Product Developer. But the need for connection spans outside the home too: ‘I eat to create memories with friends and family,’ says Izzy, Recipe Development Chef. ‘That includes laughing around the table but also visiting farmers markets and trying new restaurants together.’
Discovery
Food can help us find our adventurous side. ‘Food gets me out the door and into new places – new cities, trails and dishes I've never tried before,’ says Emma, Community and Events Executive. ‘It isn’t just about the food itself, it's about everything it lets me go and do.’ Trying new recipes can help us travel without leaving the kitchen. ‘I eat to experience the world through its food – new cuisines, flavours and ways of cooking and eating,’ says Rachel, Food Product Developer & Recipe Tester. And even a single ingredient can transport us: ‘I love trying ingredients I’ve never used before from new cuisines and places,’ Amy, Creative Designer, tells us. ‘There's simply so much to explore.’
Nourishment
There is a thread between food and its potential to help us perform at our best. 'I eat to fuel my training, nourish my body and feel strong,’ says Eva, Senior Recipe Development Manager. ‘It gives me the energy to consistently train well but also recover properly.’ Unlocking your full potential stretches beyond the gym too, as Fabien, our CEO, summarises: 'I eat to age healthy – I want to live a long life!’
Savouring the moment
When life gets busy (September we’re looking at you), eating is a way we can slow down. We crave intentional evenings when no one is watching the clock. ‘My happiest moments are around a crowded table, when a meal turns into hours and nobody is in a rush to leave,’ says Daniela, Growth Marketing Manager. But it doesn’t always involve others, food can be equally valuable to help us recharge solo. ‘I eat to relax,’ says Orla, Senior CRM Manager. ‘Cooking in the evening helps me to switch off from the day, especially if I've got a good podcast to go with it.’ Dinner keeps us present and allows us to appreciate the day. ‘I love delicious food to savour at the end of a long day at work,’ says Hannah, Social Media Manager. ‘It gives me something to look forward to!’
Creativity
Innovation starts with creativity, but brainstorms need brain food. ‘I eat to explore my creativity,’ says Jesse, Head of Food. ‘It helps me develop recipes which connect with the seasons through the ingredients I choose and flavours I enjoy.’ Food helps us think out the box: ‘Eating for joy expands my creativity – which is important as I spend all day writing,’ says Jess, Copywriter. ‘Nourishing food makes me feel more inspired, sharpens my writing and helps me generate more exciting, original ideas.’ It’s a tool for bigger ambition and imagination.
So tonight when you’re making dinner, take a pause and ask yourself: what do you eat for?
Because if you could eat for anything, why not eat for joy?
