Submitted Photo People enjoy the comfort of enjoying foods or beverages with others because it creates a connection with those people. (Pixabay Photo)

When I was young, a homemade meal coordinated by the local “ladies’ aid” was a monthly event. We all looked forward to the food and fellowship at our small church. The delicious aroma filled the room and drew dozens of participants.

I especially liked the meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, homemade beet or bread and butter pickles, buttered bread and frosted cake.

Cinnamon-swirl or rye bread topped with cheese spread and sliced green olives was sometimes served. Maybe that was a small Midwestern town delicacy.

Think for a moment of events where food is the centerpiece. Weddings, funerals, graduation receptions, birthday parties and anniversary celebrations almost always feature food. What’s a Super Bowl party without a variety of foods? Can you imagine Thanksgiving with no food?

March is National Nutrition Month, and the 2025 theme is “Food Connects Us.” Connecting over a meal or a cup of coffee or tea is nothing new worldwide.

Sometimes the food traditions are linked with your family ancestry. Being of Scandinavian descent, I probably inherited my liking for a coffee break with a little food.

Sweden is known for its fika (pronounced “fee-ka”) tradition of a sweet treat served with coffee.

“Hygge” (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a Danish concept of togetherness and slowing down, perhaps with a comforting food such as pancake balls rolled in powdered sugar.

The word “gezellig” (pronounced “ga-zellich”) comes from the Dutch tradition of gathering for a family dinner to create lasting connections and a sense of coziness. It also can mean gathering in a pub for a beer.

Other countries have similar traditions with different names.

People enjoy the comfort of enjoying foods or beverages with others because it creates a connection with those people. Enjoying food together feeds the body and the soul.

Humans are social creatures; most of us do not want to live in isolation. Eating together can improve your overall well-being because people tend to eat better when they eat together.

As we begin a month-long national promotion of nutrition, consider setting a goal. Make it specific, actionable and time-bound, such as “I plan to eat a whole piece of fruit for a snack every day starting today.”

Is there a food group that you know you are shortchanging your body? Do you eat two to three cups of vegetables per day? Do you make half of your grain choices whole grains? Do you have a couple of servings of beans a week?

Consider eating more vegetables, whole grains or beans as the basis of a goal.

You could set a “connecting with food” goal, such as teaching a relative how to make food from your heritage. For examples, see the “Exploring North Dakota Foodways” publications, “Scandinavian Cuisine (Past and Present)” and “Germans from Russia.” In these publications, we reduced sodium and fat in some traditional favorites while keeping the recipes true to the original flavors.

Or, explore cooking food from another culture with friends, such as Thai, Mexican or Indian cuisine.

This recipe, which contains no whole eggs, came from a community church cookbook in New Hampshire. Be sure to use regular mayonnaise, not salad dressing. The mayonnaise provides richness and a little “zing” from its acid ingredients.

This would be tasty with a hot cup of coffee or tea with a friend.

Chocolate Cake (with a Secret Ingredient)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup cold water

1 cup mayonnaise

Powdered sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Mix the first four ingredients together. Beat water and mayonnaise together, then add to the dry ingredients. Pour into a 9- by 11-inch cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes or until the center springs back. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.

Makes 24 snack-sized servings. Each serving has 150 calories, 8 grams (g) fat, 1 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber and 135 milligrams sodium.