Meal Preparation and Serving in Dark Room
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Meal Preparation and Serving in Dark Room
Food is an integral part of everyday life. There are a lot of advantages associated with eating good, healthy food. Proper nutrition is an essential part of effective growth and development (Södersten et al., 2017). Through appropriate diets, we stay fit and healthy. Food preparation is a vital aspect of a healthy diet. Well prepared food is not only delicious but also appealing to the eye (Södersten et al., 2017). While eating, it is essential to note that several senses come into play, working in a complementary manner to provide an overall feeling of satisfaction to the one eating. For instance, the sense of smell captures the aroma from the food; visual sense is essential in seeing how the food looks like. The sense of taste provides the most crucial opinion on how delicious the food is while the sense of touch is critical for noting temperature. There is a vast difference between an individual who eats food when all the senses come into play, and one who eats the same food while deprived of certain senses.
Meal Preparation
I had a meal prepared for me by my mother. She has excellent cooking skills, and I enjoy meals prepared by her. Anytime I come home from college, I can quickly tell whether she is the one who prepared the food or my elder sister. The particular meal described here is one of my favorites, roasted chicken, and vegetables. I had made known to her that I would be carrying out a test on a meal of her choice after school. She was aware of what was required, even the darkroom set up where I would take the meal from. My sister and I would be served with the meal; mum promised to prepare the darkroom for us, in one of the rooms at home.
The Meal Preparation Process
I was present during the meal preparation process, helping with various steps. There was an assortment of ingredients that would be used during meal preparation. These included two medium-sized chicken breasts; the two were cut into half-inch pieces. Fresh, frozen broccoli florets were also used in the meal preparation. More ingredients included the following; one chopped small red onion, one cup of plum tomatoes, two pieces of minced garlic. Others included one tablespoon of Italian seasoning and salt, half teaspoon of black pepper, paprika, and tablespoons olive oil.
After all the ingredients had been assembled and prepared, the roasting began. This started with the oven being preheated to 450F. Mum then got a baking dish and aluminum foil ready. The chicken pieces and the vegetables were wrapped in the baking dish. All the ingredients were then added to the chicken pieces and vegetables and then evenly distributed. Finally, olive oil was sprinkled over them. Baking of the chicken and vegetables then began, continuing for twenty minutes. Once ready, it was time for my sister and I to prepare. Mum had us blindfolded as we waited for the meal to be served. We were not aware of the room we would use as this had been kept a secret. It would not be our usual dining room. We were familiar with its set up hence opting to choose another place within the house, to improve the outcome of the whole experiment. Finally, the meal was served, mum making sure everything went on as planned. My sister and I had the meal in the darkroom.
Reflection
Eating the meal in the darkroom was somehow weird. Even though we were two in the room, there was an awkward feeling about the entire setup. There was an immediate change of perception about the food; we both noted a difference between the meal preparation process and the meal eating process. For instance, during the meal preparation process, I was aware of the surroundings, everything made sense since I was aware of what was happening, even taking part in the meal preparation process. As the food prepared, I could smell the sweet aroma, my visual and smell senses combining perfectly. However, after the meal had been served to us in the darkroom, everything seemed strange. The sweet aroma of the roasted chicken and vegetables was still present. However, I could not visualize or connect the sweet smell with the nicely charred vegetables or the tender chicken.
Moreover, even though this was my favorite meal, the setting this time was different; I did not enjoy it. My sister had the same sentiments, noting that she felt as if she was in prison; the darkroom had taken away everything good about the meal. Although there was an immediate change in how the food tasted, we managed to eat it, describing and reminding each other about it.
There are many situations where people are unable to see their food or feel it. In other situations, some people are unable to swallow or have difficulties during swallowing. In case of a person not able to see food, I would offer support through describing the food being eaten, making sure also to eat the food. This way, the individual will be able to trust the food presented to them. Once a person has trust in what they are eating, it becomes easier for them to take up the food.
Additionally, the individual must eat food which they are used to. It is not easy to introduce new and unknown foods for them. It would also be suitable for individuals to be involved in the meal preparation process if possible.
References
Södersten, P., Bergh, C., Leon, M., Brodin, U., & Zandian, M. (2017). Cognitive behavior therapy for eating disorders versus normalization of eating behavior. Physiology & behavior, 174, 178-190.