Try it . . . you might just love it

My husband is in the family room watching football and just called me in to watch this commercial. Have you seen it?

It really got me thinking.

On the one hand, the clip really made me laugh because, despite the fact that my husband is one of the smartest people I know, I think he sometimes believes (just like the fan in this clip) that what he does will actually influence the outcome of a game. From what he wears, to where he sits/stands in the room while watching the game, to whether he attends a particular game from year to year vs. watching it from home . . . I could go on and on. I have always known that he is not alone in this thinking/behavior, but it was amusing to see it played out in a commercial.

I also found it funny because, unlike this fan, we absolutely love quinoa (which is actually pronounced KEEN-wah) burgers. I have a recipe for black bean and quinoa burgers that I have made a number of times from scratch. They are full of flavor and a great substitute for beef. But they are admittedly a bit time consuming to prepare, so I recently took a few minutes to look at the frozen foods section at Whole Foods Market. Other than picking up a few quick items (usually frozen berries and gluten-free bread), I generally don’t shop in this department, because it is difficult to find anything that compares to homemade.

On a whim, I decided to try Hilary’s Eat Well burgers, and have discovered that they are an excellent option for the nights I am short on time. They have a great texture, taste amazing, and are filled with ingredients that I trust. Best of all, my entire family loves them. In fact, our boys have asked for them the past two weeks for dinner on Sunday (date night for my husband and I, which means the boys eat on their own and get to choose their meal). I think it is safe to say that not all quinoa burgers taste like “dirty old tree branches” as suggested in the commercial!

Finally, this commercial made me think about how quick people are to judge what they are and are not willing to eat, based solely on the look and/or name of the particular food. We of course expect this to a certain degree from our kids, but I frequently find that adults are just as guilty of this behavior.

The journey toward better health requires taking some risks. Trying foods we may not think we’ll like. Being open to new ideas. Being patient while our taste buds adapt to and begin to appreciate healthy foods (because it often takes three to four attempts to train our taste buds).

Are you, like the fan in this commercial, guilty of ruling out new foods before you really give them a chance?

I challenge you to try one new food this week. A fruit, a vegetable, a whole grain. You name it. Let me know what you tried, and what you thought.

If you need suggestions, just let me know . . . I have a long list of amazing foods for you to incorporate into your diet.

And who knows, it may just help push your team to victory in the process.