Brunch is more than food, it is therapy
Brunch today is the equivalent of what teppanyaki was ten years ago, kind of a big deal. Although being trendy and getting the perfect Instagram shot of your food is still very much important, brunch has become so much more for my generation z and millennials.
It is an excuse we all use to detach and unwind. To let go of the stresses and strains of our lives and let loose with our friends. To really enjoy each other’s company and use it as an excuse to eat a nice meal with the ones we love. Brunch is a social experience worth having, and the benefits of communal eating are unmatched.
In her article in Brain World Magazine, Nicole Visnic says that “ The dining table provides an opportunity for conversation, storytelling and reconnection. When you bond with others and experience a sense of connection, endogenous opioids and oxytocin are released that stimulate pleasant feelings. The neurochemical changes lead to improved well-being and contentedness.”
Not only do you get to reconnect with those closest to you, you also get to enjoy a damn good meal. Many of us are constantly busy during the weekdays and can barely find time to eat a cooked meal, let alone, eat at all. We all turn to the comfort of fast food to get us through the week and end up eating our food on the way home in the solitude of our cars. I contest, next time you’re free, ask that friend and go get brunch.
Eating alone can take a toll on a person’s mental and physical health. Writer for the Food Network, Amy Reiter, reported a study that found dining alone increases a person’s risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This leaves a person vulnerable to a higher likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes, a large midline and overall poorer health.
Taking time and making it a precedent to eat at least one meal with just one person can provide so many benefits. Not only for your physical health but also your mental. It means so much more than just one of the three, or maybe two meals we eat a day. According to research from the University of Oxford, people who eat socially have a higher chance of feeling better about themselves and have a broader social network providing a greater social and emotional support system.
Brunch, especially for young adults, has turned into more than just an environment to enjoy food, but a boozy one. Who said Friday or Saturday night has to end just because the sun came back up? No one. Kaeli Silva, a CSU student, gave insight on the amazing location off of Elizabeth, Butters A.M. Eatery. This establishment offers bottomless mimosas at a great price and is the dream for all college students just shy of the 21-year mark.
“There is nothing better than enjoying a delicious waffle and a tall mimosa with your closest friends. It is always the stress relief I am looking for after a long week of juggling school and work,” Silva said.
It allows us to slow down from the hustle and bustle of normal life and start the week off on a good foot. People are constantly in a hurry, it’s like driving down a highway in Southern California fighting for a lane change. Not easy and absolutely exhausting. That is one of the biggest appeals to eating brunch. It allows everyone involved to just relax.
Server Taylor Miller can attest to the appeal of going out to eat. “People enjoy eating in a restaurant because it’s a less stressful experience. The food is great, there’s no dishes to clean and no food to cook! In a way it feels like you’re pampering yourself and your family by choosing to eat out versus staying in,” Miller says. “You could tell through serving how much people enjoyed the company of others.”
The downfall of making brunch a weekly adventure is because more often than not, it ends up being a pricey meal. From the added price of coffee or cocktail, the entrees are not as cheap as a McDonald’s or Taco Bell breakfast. Many college kids don’t have the disposable income available and for big families the bill can get high.
Harry Bradford in his article, “Deep down,” he complains that the price of brunch is outrageous and half the time not as good. Explaining that for consumers, on average, an egg costs $0.17 compared to a restaurant that marks up the price to $3 sometimes $6.
Although brunch can be a pricey option for most, that doesn’t mean you have to immediately cross it off from your next weekend outing. There are several spots around Fort Collins that provide the same brunch experience for low, affordable prices. One example is, The Fort Collins Breakfast Club, whose food is locals favorites and the prices are hard to beat.
When asked about whether or not the price of brunch is worth it, Devon McMullen, a CSU student, says, “I think it’s worth the price, because it’s the best time to eat out if you’re going to anyways. It’s more worth it in the morning when you have last nights events to unpack. Also, at brunch places you usually get a lot of food, and there’s coffee so what more would you want.”
Brunch is a must have on anyones weekend to-do list. It offers more than just an omelet, waffle or whatever your preferred breakfast food may be. It is a time to gather with friends and work through all that you are dealing with. If you think the price is too high just also call it therapy and you will without a doubt be getting your money’s worth.
As someone who just recently tested positive for the plague, other wise known as COVID-19, I sincerely miss my weekly brunches with my best friend. Not being able to share meals with my favorite people has made me go a little crazy. Which is why I know sharing meals with loved ones just makes everything a little better, and when it is brunch, a lot better. It is my safe haven and boy am I dying for it right now.
We always skip on the opportunities that don’t seem to have the obvious benefits. Most of us would easily pass up on a pricey brunch when we can eat by ourselves in the comfort of our rooms or cars, but think of the benefits eating brunch provides. Not only are you going to be eating good food, but you’ll feel connected to those in your life that matter most. Call your friend and enjoy the experience brunch has to offer.
