Because you had to be high when you thought it was a good idea to write this. Then again, you had to be out of your fucking mind stoned to even consider actually posting this.

Some of us eat pulled pork and salad and yogurt parfait (though probably not all in the same meal).

Anyone else reminded of the episode of Dr. Katz where he brings his guitar to work on a nostalgia trip?

"Come on, just once, say 'I'm Koppleman, he's Katz.'"

It's 2009, why are we still gendering food?

Furthermore, does this make those of us who may enjoy noshing on rice cakes or yogurt unwitting pawns of the patriarchy?

Radishes. Are spicy. And tickle your nose when you bite into them. Delish!

Snow Peapods, fresh, yum, crunchier and better than any potato chip.

Baby tomatoes!

Apple a day. It's old fashioned and all.

Pepperocini oh, just one, and then the baby tomatoes!

Take a peach, cut it up, put some cottage cheese and some cinnamon on it. mmmmmmmmmmm.....

Grapes!

Clementines!

Edamame!

Yum! Yum! Yum!

I'm sushi man myself, and before I was married ethnically there was nothing I wouldn't at least lick.

Phyllis McGinley and Ogden Nash evidently never would be allowed online, for all the flaming they'd get. Way too many comments on Keillor when he leaves essay and approaches tall tale, and now those who allergically react to Traister's lovely froth of verse, show their writers have no appreciation or even sense of hyperbole or indirection, in the service of wit.

What causes this paranoid literalness? Incompent English teachers? The increasing presumption that what one reads HAS to be true -- or else -- seems to come from fear. But of what?

My dad is a retired Marine infantry officer, a self-taught carpenter, a former college football player. He's 6'6" and can do more pullups at the age of 56 than I've been able to do in my entire life.

And Diet Coke is the only thing he drinks. Other than water.

"Manly" is a way of life, not a beverage.

I appreciate your take on women and food. I am guilty of looking at your photos online. I don't know what this really has anything to do with your blog, but you are surely not heavy and appear closer to "athletic". I do agree that there is a serious problem with woman devoting so so so much time and consciousness to being "skinny" at the expense of developing other faculties such as those you have developed :-)

The first sentence of the cited blog post:

"If you’ll indulge me in a little gender stereotyping here, most men are total trash compactors when it comes to food ..."

Anyone who tries to blow off such a baldly inaccurate statement with an apology for its existence shouldn't be writing. Lazy, men-are-from-mars-women-love-shoes stuff.

And I say that as one of those men who's a trash-compactor for food.

When the server brings our entrees to the table, he or she almost always sits the salmon salad in front of me, and the pulled pork sandwich (with fries!) in front of the boyfriend. Naturally, it's the other way around.

The piece was meant to be light, but it does bring up a point. Many women (more than men in my experience) have removed the pleasure from eating. Sure, you can eat with gusto and passion and still eat really healthily, but the fact that we moralize about "bad" foods is fairly strange, and not something I ever hear men do.

There are no foods that are morally corrupt. Just eat a variety, and indulge occasionally. You won't have to eat those rice cakes if you don't want to, and you won't go to Hell for eating a slice of cake.

Dear Broadsheet,

As a middle-aged widower, I heartily enjoyed the lovely Seussian effort of Ms. Traister. My dearly departed would periodically get into the "all these calories are dangerous" thing when pondering food. And then sanity would prevail, and we'd share a large slab of tiramisu. Or beef spare ribs. Or ravioli.

The point is: life is to be enjoyed, and food-- real food-- is essential to that enjoyment. I'm not talking about sitting in front of the TV with a gallon of ice cream; I'm saying that savoring responsible portions of a variety of foods makes life worth living.

BTW-- the smile following a good meal makes any woman look sexy.

...shilling food which preys on people's (especially women's) insecurity about their bodies. Just check out the latest- a sparkly, pink-wrapped, low-cal chocolate bar being marketed as an "indulgence" for women:

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2009/02/finally-candy-makers-market-directly-women-food-issues

Christ.

"On Second Thought, I'll Stick with my Diet Coke . . .": an ode to diet crap, and a response to (our) Rebecca Traister

What I crave are taste and crunch.

So I'm havin' good pizza, I'm havin' some sushi;

I'm eating cheeseburger and growing like "John Belushi."

I'm now no stick--there's no resolvin' it,

So gimme your our Cake--no fork, I'll shovel it!"

"On Second Thought, I'll Stick with my Diet Coke . . .": an ode to diet crap, and a response to (our) Rebecca Traister

What I crave are taste and munch.

So I'm havin' good pizza, I'm havin' some sushi;

I'm eating cheeseburger and growing like John Belushi.

I'm now no stick--there's no resolvin' it,

So gimme your Cake--no fork, I'll shovel it!

The article engaged in gender stereotyping then complains about it.

No sympathy from this big muscled man who drinks yogurt, loves salad and fights with his wife over who gets the last BBQ pork spare rib.

Most of us just eat what we like...go hunt for some real gender issues. This one's a little trumped up.

Let's see: Adam's apple? Check. Hairy chest with pointless nipples? Check. Mr. Happy and the Chuckleheads? Check, check, and check. Looks like I qualify to write this ode.

Durian's Joe's Ode to Manly Manly Man Food

For breakfast I eat berries with muesli

Mixed with yogurt made from soy (hey, it fools me!)

I always eat salad for lunch

And devour arugula by the bunch

My snacks are almonds and fruit

And maybe some coffee to boot

Life's not about how much I weigh

But in good shape I vow I will stay

Still, I'll throw back some bourbon and beer

With veggie babe Hayden Panettiere

But for dinner I'm a sinner

Pasta with pesto, it's a winner

I'm a guy there, there's no doubt of it

But Coke, Diet or Reg, keep me out of it

'Cause I'm not a dumb twit

And I won't drink that shit.