#059. What is the relationship between food and grief?

This Let’s Chat… episode is exploring the relationship between food and grief. Does it help or hinder?Heal or hurt?

These Let’s Chat… episodes pop-up every now and then instead of one of our 101 different types of loss, as I (Claire Sandys, co-host of The Silent Why podcast) chat to a guest who has lived-experience or expertise in a particular area that can help us deal with, or prepare for, loss.

In this Let’s Chat… I’m talking to Lisa Kolb Ruland, a food editor, writer and young widow who divides her time between Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn, New York.

Lisa was a full-time food editor when she went through her own very sudden loss; in 2014 her husband Erik was in a group of explorers who died in a mountain climbing accident.

Lisa manages the food website Unpeeled Journal and the ‘Food + Grief’ project that you’ll hear us speak about. She has a unique insight into both areas from a personal and professional standpoint.

With Thanksgiving just gone and Christmas ahead I thought it was a good time to explore the relationship we can have with food when we, or others around us, are grieving.

Food plays a huge role in our lives, and therefore in our grief too, whether it’s eating alone for the first time, big family meals, taking other 'griefy' people food, under-eating, over-eating, cooking recipes that link us to those we’ve lost, or avoiding foods too connected to those we’ve lost, there’s so much to explore.

For more about Lisa visit her website:
https://www.lisakolbruland.com

Or the Unpeeled Journal: https://unpeeledjournal.com

Or her Food + Grief project: https://unpeeledjournal.com/category/features/food-grief-project

Or her amazing food photos: https://www.instagram.com/unpeeledjournal

And with each Let’s Chat… guest I'm building a tool shed (metaphorically) of tools to help you face and get through loss. So let’s see what Lisa adds to my growing list of tools.

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More about the hosts, our childless journey, photos of guests, blog, and official 101 losses list: thesilentwhy.com

What's a Herman? - thesilentwhy.com/herman

Tips on how to help and talk to griefy people: thesilentwhy.com/post/howtotalktothegrieving

Episode transcripts and support the show: thesilentwhy.buzzsprout.com

Thank you for listening.