"OMG, this kale is so amazing. It's so good. And it's so good for you, too."
Tired of hearing about the wonders of kale? Even people who like kale are getting a little tired of hearing the high praises of kale.
Kale does have a lot going for it, but I confess I find kale to be, well, too high-maintenance.
Dealing with kale feels like an attractive woman who is unapproachable. She looks ideal, but you don't know how to approach her. So you tend to think that she isn't worth the hype.
Spinach is every bit as pretty as kale, but you feel like you can approach spinach and start a nice conversation. Maybe spinach isn't as "attractive" as kale but as the conversation goes along, you find that spinach is prettier on the inside than kale and a lot more fun.
You find spinach is comfortable everywhere you go with it. Go to a party, sit at home and watch a film: spinach fits in well everywhere.
Kale will get more attention but spinach makes you happier.
Romaine lettuce is the girl next door. Familiar, easy to get along. Quality but sometimes gets overlooked, underappreciated. Nothing is wrong with romaine lettuce.
Iceberg lettuce is like the woman who wears too much makeup who is trying way too hard to not go home alone for the night. Better than no lettuce at all, iceberg takes up time and space and offers very little else. Finding iceberg lettuce is very, very easy. Tempting and indulgent every once in awhile but not at the quality level of romaine or spinach.
Women have enough of a time these days with public and private harassment that being compared to salad greens would seem rather insulting. Though they aren't being compared to pieces of meat.
This analogy isn't as much about gender as it is about dating. You can certainly substitute men for women in this analogy.
For the record, I ran this analogy past 3 female dietitians in their 20s who laughed at all the right parts and didn't take offense.
Some foods aren't as approachable as others, depending on someone's comfort level. Spinach will intimidate some while others find spinach is too common. Romaine satisfies a large amount of the population but others are afraid to go beyond iceberg.
Someone can make a kale salad and you can like that salad, but still feel like in your situation, kale would be too difficult to handle.
Making the jump from romaine to spinach might require some confidence. They might think spinach is only for sauteeing and don't like the consistency. They might need to learn to sneak spinach in a romaine salad to make spinach less intimidating.
I eat mostly romaine but know how to incorporate spinach into my diet, especially spinach at a farmers market. I've learned to snack on raw spinach by itself. I don't saute much spinach anymore because I find raw spinach fits more in my comfort zone.
Comfort zones are important in food and relationships. There are times when we shouldn't settle but instead to explore the next level up. Maybe the pretty unapproachable woman is shy but comes across as stuck up because she's shy. If you could find a way to make kale more viable, you wouldn't be as afraid to try kale.
The key is to have confidence in yourself. Be comfortable and self-assured but don't be afraid to take risks. You deserve something as nutritious as kale, but you can also be happy with spinach and romaine.
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