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<\/a>So good it has its own Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
The other day I was slumped over the kitchen counter, fork in hand, eating a Costco pumpkin pie straight out of the container. \u00a0It started innocently enough – I bought the pie on my weekly trip to Costco for purely scientific reasons. \u00a0Thanksgiving is at our house this year so I wanted to make sure that Costco’s pumpkin pie was up to snuff. \u00a0A pinch too much nutmeg or a surplus of cinnamon can throw off the whole dinner. \u00a0So really, it was in everyone’s best interest that I officially test it out. \u00a0Of course, I’ve been buying the pumpkin pie at Costco for about ten years and it has remained amazingly consistent. \u00a0But still…you never know when some genius is going to mess with the recipe. \u00a0Think “new coke”.<\/p>\n
When I brought it home my husband’s eyes lit up – pumpkin pie is his favorite. \u00a0We each had a piece that day and again the following day. \u00a0Then the paragon of virtue that I’m married to says, “Well, I’ve had enough. \u00a0You can throw the rest of it out.”. \u00a0THROW IT OUT?? I was stuck with a dilemma that would have tested Solomon. \u00a0Throw out more than half of a perfectly good pie or, on behalf of all the starving children in China that I heard so much about growing up, save it for another day – or two. \u00a0Being the good Samaritan that I am, I opted for the latter. \u00a0So that’s how I found myself at the kitchen counter eating pie. \u00a0At first I just cut the tiniest of slivers but then the pie was uneven, so I had to cut a bit more from the other side. \u00a0Which of course was not at all even so then I had to go back to the first side to even it up. \u00a0Before I knew it, I had eaten a quarter of the pie. \u00a0But at least it was symmetrical by the time I was finished. \u00a0Don’t judge \u00a0– I know\u00a0<\/i>you’ve all been there.<\/p>\n
As I waddled away from the kitchen I began to feel guilty about my gluttony. \u00a0I calculated how many hours I was going to have to spend on the treadmill to make a dent in my caloric intake. \u00a0Apparently I would have to walk for three days. \u00a0And then it struck me – why are we the generation that feels so darn guilty about food? \u00a0I \u00a0thought about my parents and my in-laws – all four of them lived very long lives. I don’t think any of then ever worried about eating too much. In fact I think the only time they worried about food was when they didn’t have enough. To them, the worst sin was when a hostess served “skimpy” portions. They never heard of gluten-free, cleansing, cardio workouts, sat fat, vegan diets or a gym. \u00a0Truth be told, I’d venture that the \u00a0only “gym” they got near was Jim Beam.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A thing of the past – the dreaded Jello mold<\/p><\/div>\n
I think my relatives were pretty reflective of that entire generation. \u00a0Maybe it was the deprivation of the Great Depression or the sacrifices they made during the war, but\u00a0they didn’t seem to obsess about food and exercise the way we Boomers do. \u00a0They were the Greatest Generation not only because of all they accomplished, but because they also perfected the sour cream\/onion dip and knew how to make a splendid Manhattan highball. \u00a0When I think about the Thanksgiving tables of my childhood there was no non-fat gravy or “skinny” mashed potatoes made with cauliflower. \u00a0No, we had creamed corn, jello molds, and stuffing loaded with sausage. \u00a0Our pies were topped with\u00a0real\u00a0<\/em>whipped cream – and lots of it. In fact one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories is brother Bob and I taking the bowl of whipped cream and embarking in a food fight at the table. \u00a0And no, we weren’t little kids. \u00a0We were both in our 30’s . It’s possible we had consumed a bit too much wine. \u00a0But back to my point – our parents lived long lives despite their love of fatty foods and arm chairs.<\/p>\n So what was their secret? \u00a0It’s probably not practical\u00a0to come up with just one hypothesis for an entire generation so I’ll stick with my own family. \u00a0When I think about my dad and my mother-in-law in particular they both were just a little plump, they both loved a good party, they both loved to eat and they both enjoyed a daily cocktail. \u00a0Sometimes more than one. \u00a0More importantly, they were two of the most happy, fun, positive people I ever met. \u00a0They were too busy enjoying life to let a few calories get in their way. \u00a0And, no surprise, everyone enjoyed being around them too. \u00a0And why not? \u00a0They were either eating, drinking or laughing. \u00a0Not a bad way to go through life.<\/p>\n After giving this some thought I’ve decided that just having a positive attitude is the best recipe for growing old. \u00a0So this week on my trip to Costco I’m going to pick up the apple pie. \u00a0Purely for testing, of course. \u00a0And when my disciplined husband has had his fill, I will happily slump over the counter and eat the rest. \u00a0I’m calling it “The Greatest Generation Diet”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson The other day I was slumped over the kitchen counter, fork in hand, eating a Costco pumpkin pie straight out of the container. \u00a0It started innocently enough – I bought the pie on my weekly trip … read more