Interview · People · Healthy
Grace Okafor on Eating Well Without the Math
A cookbook author on stepping away from tracking, counting, and the language of nutrition.
Grace Okafor's new book has no calorie counts in it at all — a deliberate choice, she says, after years of watching numbers crowd out actual cooking. We asked her about that decision.
Why leave the numbers out entirely?
Because I watched people get so focused on the math that they stopped tasting their food. A meal isn't just its nutritional total. It's also whether you actually enjoyed eating it.
Does that mean nutrition doesn't matter to you?
It matters a great deal, just not as a spreadsheet. A plate with color, some protein, something crunchy, something warm — that usually gets you most of the way there without a single number.
What's a habit you'd recommend instead of tracking?
Cooking one more vegetable than you think you need. It's a small rule, but it does more for a week of eating than most calorie targets I've seen.
What do you wish people understood about eating well?
That it's supposed to feel good, not just look correct on paper. If the plan makes you dread dinner, it's not actually working, whatever the numbers say.
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