How to Feed Your Feelings After Divorce

Food serves as a profound medium for emotional expression and self-discovery, particularly during major life transitions. Chef and cookbook author Carla Lalli explores this connection in her memoir-cookbook, *Food Is a Feeling*, which chronicles her journey following the end of a 24-year marriage. After years of prioritizing service and others' preferences in her professional and family life, Lalli shifted her focus toward personal cravings and the tactile pleasure of cooking for herself. This transition involved reclaiming ingredients like raw tomatoes and simple, comforting dishes like buttered rice, which symbolize a newfound autonomy. By moving away from the pressures of social media performance and the rigid expectations of family meal planning, Lalli highlights how cooking functions as a vital tool for self-care and emotional honesty, proving that even during difficult times, the act of nourishing oneself remains a powerful, life-affirming practice.