Reboot Food- Culinary Cleanse Retreat With Stefanie Sacks

 

Summer is winding down as much as I may not want it to.  Such is life, seasons change, and our routine needs to change along with it.

For those of you that is planning a Fall wedding or even preparing a Winter wedding and you are still trying to figure out your menu, or maybe just figure out your own personal eating habits, we found an expert that we feel should be in your list of professional contacts.

Food goes beyond just being sustenance for us to stay alive.  It goes beyond just being a form of recreation and a reason to get together with your friends.  Food, when we are not conscious of its power, will become our greatest poison.

We caught up with the author of What The Fork Are You Eating? Stefanie Sacks and asked her some questions that will help you have a healthy relationship with food.  Stefanie Sacks is a nationally recognized Culinary Nutritionist, and founder of Reboot Food.  Sacks’ goal is to help you and I create a simple way of approaching food that is healing to our bodies and soul.

 

 

Our conversation

Full Name

Stefanie Sacks, MS, CNS, CDN

Occupation

Culinary Nutritionist, Author, Educator, Consultant + Speaker

What started your love affair with food?

I loved to cook as a kid. I loved to eat. I was also chronically ill. And I wanted to figure out a way to help myself because doctors kept drugging me and I kept getting sicker. A summer job cooking in a health food market and café in the 1980’s fostered not only my education but also an innate passion to get well and feel great. That was the beginning of my healing journey with food. In the 1990’s I was formally educated at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City, the leader in health-supportive culinary education. Following, I attending Teachers College, Columbia University for my Masters of Science in Nutrition Education. While in graduate school I started privately cooking for people with illness that quickly morphed into a private practice as a Culinary Nutritionist where I teach patients how to take the “nutrition prescription” to the kitchen. My goal has always been to turn my pain into purpose but with a high level of credibility, integrity, and authenticity. Learn more about me and my story...

The other challenge is brides are often under pressure to lose weight for their wedding day the same is not asked of the groom.  How do you suggest they make this a couples’ affair.

Weight loss is not something I choose to focus on. While I appreciate it, the paradigm needs to shift to… “Under pressure to feel good for their wedding day and beyond!” How society approaches to weight loss can be dangerous and temporary—something that not only can plague any person but also any relationship. Marriage is about joining. How couples nourish themselves is a huge part of that process that must be honored to ensure that their foundation is strong. Thus, they should be given any and all opportunities to get inspired and educated together. I work privately and offer private and group Cookshops as well as Retreats. Both are incredible opportunities for couples to join, explore their personal food truth, share and grow. A truly nourished couple equals a truly nourished relationship and family.

In today’s society, everything is done over food meetings, family engagements, social gathering– and often time is eating out.  That can probably make it more challenging to eat healthily.  What are your suggestions when it comes to that?

Today, whole healthy food is readily available. I don’t see the problem being access as much as it is education. There are many options for healthy choices whether at a highway road stop or at a restaurant, whether ordering in or requiring food fast. People just need to know what healthy choices mean—the reason I wrote What The Fork Are You Eating. My first suggestion is to get an edible education with my book! You will be armed with the knowledge and skills to navigate nourishment. Outside of that, a few quick tips:

  • Always eat fresh food when and where you can
  • Don’t subscribe to artificial anything from colors to flavors to sugar
  • Hydrate with water, not sugar or zero sugar beverages; the zero sugar means artificial sweeteners
  • Understand that sauces hide sugar, salt and fat—and lots of it—so choose wisely and ask for “sauce on the side”
  • Never believe the banners on the boxes; always read the ingredient list as they tell the story of your food
  • Always opt into food with the fewest ingredients
  • If buying packaged food, understand that if you can’t pronounce an ingredient you shouldn’t buy the product

How can couples that are not the best of cooks learn to cook healthier meals together? 

You don’t have to be the best of cooks to throw a healthy meal together. I suggest learning the basics as a starting point like how to use a knife so you are comfy prepping or cooking. That’s foundational and often solves many culinary conundrums. Then move onto easy salads, boiling sautéing and baking. All super low maintenance and a snap to clean up. Storing food is an important basic too so food waste can be mitigated. Perhaps I should do a quick video on these basics for your brides and grooms?!?!

Where can our readers engage with you and how can they learn some of your techniques of healthy shopping and eating?

My website for starters. I suggest signing up for my newsletter on the landing page. Also, my book could help for sure! Engaging with me on social media—Instagram and Facebook—are also great ways. And of course, simply working with me!

I am excited to be launching the first-ever Reboot Food Culinary Cleanse Retreat June 6-9, 2019, at Breakers, Montauk.

Our friend, colleague + Nourishment Warrior @stefaniesacks is leading a 3 day + 3-night REBOOT FOOD Retreat this June 6-9, 2019, @breakersmtk for hands-on cooking, meditation, yoga and more in beautiful Montauk, NY. She is the real deal! Dig deep with a team of credible experts to nourish mind, body + soul. Space limited. To learn more + register Reboot Food Culinary Retreat at Breakers Montauk.

 

Breakers Location Your New York Oasis

The sprawling ocean view property has 25 rooms, including a guest lounge which doubles as a private events space.
Each room is unique, but they have all been updated in a clean, minimalist beach style, ranging from smaller Standard Rooms with Queen Beds up to larger 2-Bedroom units that can accommodate up to 6 guests.

 

 

 

As they gear up for their first REBOOT FOOD Retreat in June 2019 with Stefanie,  please be sure to contact them for further information and tell them WBM sent you.

 

 

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