Nibbles

I recently read a book in which the author referred to the fictional heroine nibbling on her food.  With today's obesity epidemic, do we truly nibble anymore?  When I think of nibbling, I think of daintily taking a succession of small bites, savoring that small amount of food and feeling satisfied.  Today's eaters, however, seem to super-size everything, gulping down big sandwiches, big steaks, big soft drinks, big servings of every food and beverage imaginable -- the bigger, supposedly the better.  And those gulps have caused us to become a heavier nation,with approximately one-third of adults now considered overweight or obese.  Health care costs are skyrocketing due to the effects of being overweight or obese on our bodies' systems. Have we gotten beyond the age of nibbling?  Larry and I have been participating in discussion groups this spring and summer that take on sometimes difficult topics, our latest having been about food -- i.e. food safety, health, hunger and agriculture.  I've learned from experience that when I truly nibble, taking small, slow bites, really chewing my food, the textures and flavors are enhanced and the dining or snacking experience is much more pleasant.  So, while I don't want to be accused of playing with my food (as I was as a kid!), I am ever embracing the Art of Nibbling.