EP 156 - Food = Power: On Nutrition, Culture, and Real Wellness in the Digital Age

EP 156 - Food = Power: On Nutrition, Culture, and Real Wellness in the Digital Age

From The Real Dish by Chef Mareya, The Fit Foodie

March 15, 2026 · 57 min · Episode 156

About this episode

Chef Mareya discusses the power of food and nutrition in relation to culture and personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of real wellness in the digital age.

I've spent over 30 years in the food industry, but my relationship with what's on my plate started long before that, in the markets of Alexandria, Egypt. In this special episode, I'm sharing a conversation I had with Abby of One Potato, where we peel back the layers on something I believe in with my whole heart: food is agency, power, and responsibility. We get real about the moment my father's cancer diagnosis made food safety personal, and why my husband's health journey connected the dots back to the pesticides we accept as normal. For National Nutrition Month, we're cutting through the noise of fear-based diet culture to talk about what truly nourishes us. We discuss reclaiming carbs without guilt, the "racist" undertones of America's food rules, and how to raise kids who cook without turning mealtime into a battle. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the grocery store or wondered how to thrive in midlife instead of just shrinking, this is the conversation you need to hear. Let's dig in. 0:00 – Intro: Why This Conversation Matters for National Nutrition Month 2:48 – Growing Up in Egypt: The Rhythm of Daily Markets and Family Tables 3:11 – Immigrating to the US: The Culture…

People in this episode

Host: Chef Mareya

Guest: Abby

Topics covered

  • nutrition
  • food culture
  • wellness
  • diet culture
  • parenting
  • food safety

Keywords

  • food power
  • nutrition
  • cancer
  • pesticides
  • diet culture
  • clean eating
  • parenting
  • grocery shopping

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: One Potato

Places: Alexandria, Egypt

More episodes of The Real Dish

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Real Dish podcast page.