Want to Meet Your Neighbors? Start a Supper Club!

Our little supper club has been an interesting experiment!

We've nearly finished five of our six Tuesday night gatherings of the Redlands Village Supper Club, and the outcomes have been interesting. Just a handful responded, and it turns out that has been perfect. Everyone who's been there has been interested in good food and delving into and sharing various nutritional benefits.

We've met people we didn't know, the conversation has been positive and supportive, and the food has been absolutely delicious!

Last week one neighbor brought gluten-free chicken enchiladas seasoned with a scrumptious tomatillo sauce straight from her garden. Someone else contributed fresh tomatoes sprinkled with basil, and my donation was a red leaf romaine salad with sliced fennel and red onion, tossed with a homemade dressing of parsley, mint, olive oil, paprika, garlic and soy sauce.

The flavors were delicious in and of themselves, but I'm convinced there is the added alchemy of dining among friends that enhances the whole mix.

The other component was to walk 30 minutes five days a week with someone, to meet individual health goals.

One person shared a desire to loose weight and lower her high blood pressure, and so she and I have partnered over the past weeks at 6:30 am every weekday morning to walk a mile and a half through the neighborhood.

Last week she shared that she's lost nearly 10 pounds and her blood pressure is hovering in the normal range.

Food is medicine, to be sure, but encouragement and support are also essential for lasting health changes.

Try dining together with a few neighbors, partner for some walks, and see if that isn't the case!