Tuesday thread: What are you eating?

Yes, for the holidays, but also, how has the pandemic changed the way you eat, for good and bad?

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In a weekend open thread I mentioned I’d post a discussion thread this week on food — which has come up in some of the summer weekend open threads too — since some of you had said you were cooking or baking for the holidays, and what that meant, even though it’s a been a holiday season like no other.

So, here it is: a discussion thread about what you’re making but also how the pandemic has changed how you eat, good or bad (I’ll get to that in a minute), for you to jump into with your thoughts and comments.

I just asked my husband the other day, What do you want to eat on Christmas? And he was like, whatever. If we were visiting my mom on Christmas Eve it would be the feast of the fishes all night, Italian tradition. And I would make onion pie sometimes — calzone di cipolla (and I’ve shared that recipe on my show and on Twitter). But no, we’re not going to do that.

I think I’ll figure out something else. Maybe start with a soup, like this one in the photo, which I made on Thanksgiving — pumpkin and honey nut squash, with a dab of cream. We did do a nice Thanksgiving just the two of us, and had the traditional fixings. But of course it was still an odd Thanksgiving.

I’ve been thinking in general about how the pandemic has changed the way we all eat, from the early part and the lockdown, sporadically buying groceries or having them delivered — and all of the product that was selling out.

For me, some eating habits changed quite a bit because at the SiriusXM studios, where I hosted my radio program every weekday until March 13 when we went remote from home, I’d stop by the desks of some of the great friends I miss, who had candy out in a bowl or a tin: Snickers, M&Ms, Twix — you know, all in the little packages. And my friend Emily, from the Dr. Radio channel, and I would eat lots of sweet and sour filled Twizzlers that we’d both buy.

I wouldn’t buy any of that to bring in the house — too guilty and afraid I’ll eat it all! — and found in the early part of the pandemic, even with no gym open and less exercise, I actually lost a few pounds, while many people said they gained weight. Now the gyms here in New York City are open — everyone in masks, socially distanced, etc., and who knows how long they will stay open ? — but I think over the months I compensated for that candy by eating other things, like bread or pizza or focaccia or other foods I began baking more regularly.

Nothing’s changed that much in the end, and throughout I have done a lot of running, several times a week — so that was good. I do think overall, however, Im eating better than before this began — a lot more vegetables, a lot less junk.

What about you? Has the pandemic changed the way you eat if at all?

And what are you making for the holidays?

Join the discussion thread with your thoughts, and I’ll be jumping back in too.