Sierra Interview 1: Amanda Bendixen- Lives in DG Continued (2)

1. Do you feel any cultural connection to the food you eat?
1. In the way that we are served our food in DG, I wouldn't say their is a personal cultural connection to the food but I suppose their is somewhat of a cultural connection with meals like “taco bar” but i don't really feel like there is that much of a cultural connection with the food served?
2. Emotional?
1. When I was cooking in the past apartments i lived in with my own kitchen, there definitely was, and it was really “fun” to create my own dishes with people, it was a really positive time for me. It was fun and I was happy to cook my food
2. Having someone cook my food removes those emotions, but she is less excited about and connected to the food she is served.
3. How important is the price of the food in determining what you will eat?
1. It used to be more important to her when she first started buying her own food, trying to buy the “cheapest things” but then it switched when she wanted to seek higher quality foods and got a job.
2. Big thing when navigating price and quality was utilizing farmers markets and small local stores like Yasai
3. Important to her, but she would rather pay more for quality. But she is conscious of her fortunate ability to make this choice.
4. How important is nutrition in determining what you eat?
1. Very very important. In the past when she was in high school and she was coxen, there was a lot of pressure for her to be a certain weight and that greatly affected her relationship with food for many years, and she was essentially in calorie deficiency for many years to meet the weight requirement. But now that she has retired she has been able to choose what she eats in a way that fuels and heals her body. Food as healing rather than being anxious about gaining weight and being scared of food. Choosing dense, nutritious food that she knows is good for her has helped her to heal and feel that it is okay to splurge and have treats once in a while, knowing that her body is fueled.
5. If you are able, could you define your food preferences? For ex. Vegan, paleo, raw, etc.
1. No, I don't think I good bc i like to say i am a conscious meat eater but I'm not always doing that all the time. I have aspirational goals for my eating but couldn't restrict it to a title. I like whole foods that fuel your body and have high quality of taste.
2. Is there a label you like/ want to adapt to? No, b/c with my past experience with food, I don’t like to have aspirational eating goals. I don't want to think too much about eating. I thought about it in unhealthy amounts (obsessively in the past)
3. Also doesn't want to set harsh guidelines to follow bc doing that in the past was not healthy for me, and is reluctant to do that again.
6. Do you feel free to make your own food choices, or are external factors restricting you? I.e cultural, emotional, relational, financially, nutritionally, structurally
1. Financially- In the past I would have said yes to being free, but living in a place where they cook food for you, you are restricted by what you eat, especially for people still financially dependent on parents. The food here is paid for by my parents for me to eat, so I feel like I should eat here, otherwise I would feel guilty. So yes I do feel restricted in Dg.
2. The emotional restrictions of my past are there but subtle and nothing like it was. The period of time with those restrictions was extensive but a lot of time has also passed and they have become less intense. I feel good now about my relationship with food.
3. No cultural restrictions.
4. Depending on who you are with, is typically what u are going to eat, and not necessarily negative. If she is with a vegan friend she will eat vegan, which is great. If she is with her boyfriend he likes to eat a lot of meat so she eats more with him. If with Grandma, she cooks cajun so she eats a lot of that.
5. Structural- being in DG and eating in the way we do has changed how I eat, bc I am a snack eater, I eat little bits but throughout the day, but in DG food goes quickly so u have to get everything u want fast and all at once, so you eat more at once. And hasn’t been able to eat the variety of vegetables she would like. Can’t sautee my own veggies or have say over the type. Have to make due with what is around and get creative. 
6. Nutritionally- foods that nourish the body without being too restrictive on splurging. I try to never restrict myself if I want something. I always try to eat healthy, which has helped me stop wanting bad things anyway.