Protein Shakes Make Me Cry

I am just coming back from the grocery store where I picked up some lemons, amazingly green broccoli, and butter to go with it.

Right on the corner between the fruit display and the breakfast cereal, I almost bumped into a promotional stand for protein drinks. The branding was yummily farmer's market and the curvy slogan read "This is the real food".

I read the label. Twice. As far as I can tell, nothing in there even resemble food anymore. I wouldn't even call it food. Nutritional proxy, maybe.

Now, I do understand the use of supplementary ingredients in foods for, let's say, athletic performance purposes. But I find it extremely sad that we are calling it food.

I had a similar experience when I went to an electronics store the other day. There was a huge display of meal replacement products right next to the section with the gaming PCs. It made me cringe. My son asked, "Mom, is that gamer-food?" I didn't know what to say. It made me want to open a soup kitchen for online-gamers and e-sports enthusiasts.

Don't get me wrong, this is not about prescribing a diet. This isn't even about whether these meal replacements are nutritious or not. What makes me sad is the drabness of it. The absolute lack of everything food can be. There is so much pleasure to be had from a good hollandaise sauce. Some cheese is as close as you will ever get to a divine experience and don't get me started on the wonders of chocolate cake.

Sure, meal replacements might feed your body. But what about your senses? What about your soul?

I'll go have that broccoli now.