29 June 2026

I spend a lot of time thinking about - and suffering from - the attention economy. Whether we’re on social media, watching tv or walking through a store, someone is always trying to hijack our cognitive focus for their personal gain.

Now think about food.

The food industry introduces about 20,000 new products each year, all vying for our attention. Broccoli doesn’t stand a chance!

Research shows that hyper-palatable foods - certain combinations of fat and salt, fat and sugar or carbs and salt - can make us eat 30% more than other foods. You know how it goes…once you pop, you can’t stop!

I don’t mean to imply that every innovation in food is bad. Food companies may refine their recipe - often a result of customer demands - to increase sustainability or health. Processing can make healthy foods more accessible and convenient for the consumer. But, if we’re honest, most new foods are competing to get us to eat more and more (and it’s literally the “hunger games” now with GLP-1 users eating so much less).

The success of GLP-1 drugs in weight loss has highlighted a conversation about food noise, a preoccupation with food where satiety is in short supply. But our food noise is generally directed toward these hyper-palatable or ultra processed foods, not the whole, fiber-full foods, like vegetables, fruits, legumes and [unprocessed] whole grains.

I think about how I feel compelled to check my email or social media - even though I know I don’t really want to - because of dopamine. Maybe it’s the same with food. We don’t want to eat that [insert craving] but we’ve been conditioned to need that “hit” and nothing else will satisfy. Resistance is futile. The more we think about not eating that food, the more we want it. It may not even be a specific food - it may just be one (or all!) of those three hyper-palatable categories.

We know there’s a physiological mechanism. Blood sugar fluctuations, and the types of bacteria that inhabit our gut, both impact our drive to consume. But the psychological part…in most cases, that’s just conditioning. Also…variety! The more choices we have, the more we eat.

So what can we do? Well, one way I get away from the technology compulsion is by spending time in nature. It calms my mind and the general awe I have for the natural world is a great distraction from those smartphone attention-seekers.

With food, nature can be the answer too. Getting closer to the source of our food - whole foods and plant based - can sometimes break the cycle of food noise. Spending time with others helps too. When I’m home by myself, I absolutely think about food far more frequently than when I’m out with friends or family.

At our DIG Farm Plant Based Potluck this weekend, it took us over an hour to get to the food; we were having so much fun learning about the farm and seeing the amazing ecosystem that Farmer Allison Turcan has cultivated. The food was delicious, but the company was even better - including a friendly 220 pound pig called Kooney Kooney who stopped in for a visit.

Anyway, I thought I’d share the Vegan Caesar Salad recipe that gets raves at every potluck (you don’t even have to tell anyone it’s plant based). If you want my recipe for quick and easy homemade vegan mayo (because it’s pretty expensive in the store), reach out!