Hey Diet Culture, Stop Making Bread the Bad Guy

Okay, real talk? I used to be that person who'd wrap their burger in lettuce while secretly eyeing everyone else's fluffy buns. eye roll at past self

Y'all, we need to talk about the elephant in the room: why are we still acting like bread is the villain in our wellness story? Like, seriously, who appointed bread as the bad guy? Was there a meeting I missed? 🤔

The Great Bread Shaming Saga

Let's get something straight - bread has been a staple food since basically forever. Our ancestors weren't out here being like "Oh no, I better wrap this in a collard green because I'm watching my carbs." They were too busy, you know, surviving and stuff.

But somewhere along the way, diet culture decided bread was public enemy #1. Suddenly everyone's looking for "alternatives" like we're in some kind of carb witness protection program.

Plot Twist: It's Not About "Instead Of"

Here's where I'm gonna get a little spicy with my take - what if we stopped thinking about corn tortillas, sweet potato slices, and rice cakes as bread "alternatives" and started seeing them as just... different delicious options?

Like, imagine going to a restaurant and thinking "Hmm, do I want a sandwich or a taco?" instead of "I should get the lettuce wrap because bread is bad." See how different that feels?

Let's Talk Options (Without the Side of Guilt)

Since we're here, let's chat about some actually cool ways to mix up your meals (not because you HAVE to, but because variety is fun, k?):

• Corn tortillas: These bad boys are basically edible plates of joy. They're not "better than bread" - they're just their own awesome thing.
• Sweet potato "toast": Listen, it's not trying to be bread. It's just a delicious sweet potato slice that happens to be great at holding toppings. Let it live its best life!
• Rice cakes: Are they bland? Maybe. But they're like the perfect blank canvas for your snack artistry. Think of them as your food's backup dancer, not the main event.

The Plot Thickens (Like Good Sourdough)

Here's the mind-blowing part - you can actually enjoy ALL of these options. gasp I know, revolutionary, right? You can have avocado toast on Monday, a rice cake snack on Tuesday, and wrap your lunch in a collard green on Wednesday.

Not because any option is "better" or "worse," but because your body and taste buds might want different things on different days. Wild concept, I know!

Your Food Freedom Homework (Don't Worry, It's Fun)

Next time you catch yourself reaching for a bread alternative, pause and ask:

• Am I choosing this because I actually want it?
• Or am I choosing it because diet culture made me afraid of bread?
• What would I choose if all foods were morally neutral?

No wrong answers here, just some food for thought (pun absolutely intended 😉).

The Bottom Line (With a Cherry on Top)

Look, I'm not here to tell you what to eat. That's your business. But I am here to remind you that you don't need permission to eat bread, to not eat bread, or to wrap your sandwich in a rainbow chard leaf just because you feel like it.

Your relationship with food doesn't need to be complicated. It's okay to like what you like, eat what you want, and tell diet culture to kindly see itself out.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to make a sandwich. Or maybe a taco. Or maybe both, because that's how we roll in food freedom land. 💁‍♀️

What's your take on this whole bread drama? Drop a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts! And remember, there's no such thing as a food police (unless you count my grandma, but that's a story for another day).