Find time for travel, food and memories without leaving home

Staying on a healthy eating plan, one that keeps a person from gaining weight, is a challenge for the bereaved. You must have a method that doesn't include sweet desserts or lots of hamburgers and pizza, and you may need to be creative.

I do that by experimenting with various international foods and recipes. Most of my ideas came from the fun traveling my dear Baheej and I did together.

I have tried making many recipes we enjoyed abroad and some have become my favorites. I go in waves, on and off, trying foods of various countries.

And one of the interesting aspects of food from other cultures is that there are also unique ways of serving them using different tableware - different from the typical American Midwestern place settings, presentations of food and shapes of serving plates, cups and bowls.

For instance, I've been to Japan many times and learned to love Japanese food. And not just the famous sushi, which I like but do not know how to make properly (that takes a specially trained sushi chef or experienced Japanese home cook). There are many other meals I make. I've even bought some pretty Japanese bento boxes that are lacquered trays with several compartments. They are used in some restaurants instead of plates and bowls, and used for travel or picnics. They also are used for meals sold on trains.

In each compartment there is a special treat: smoked fish or meat, eggs, rice or soba noodles, cucumber and seaweed salad, various pickles and sauces. So a noodles are made of buckwheat flour. Delicious.

Many dishes, except Japanese soups such as miso, are served at room temperature. In a restaurant, you may have some warm, fresh, fried tempura shrimp and vegetables. Except for the tempura, all dishes in modest proportions are very good for the waistline.

Scandinavian food is another favorite of mine as the result of many trips and enjoying the food in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. There's lots of herring of many varieties, and cheeses, pâtés, meats, potatoes, salads. And of course, the famous Swedish meatballs with their tasty sauce and lingonberries, boiled new potatoes and sliced beets on the side.

Another benefit of cooking international food is that it helps one revisit memories when you were in an interesting country or place with your beloved, or your friend who is no longer here.

It doesn't have to be international. There are plenty of different regional foods right here in the U.S. We have such a big country. There are lots of unique recipes East, West, South and North. They are usually related to patterns of immigration from various other countries over the years.

It's fun. They cook rattle snake in Arizona, gumbo in the South, Southern fried chicken from farm-style cooking in Oklahoma, and on and on.

The point is: It is so important to develop some positive hobbies and activities in grief. Creating different international meals that are delicious, enjoyable and healthy is one of mine.

This also re-creates happy memories. In my case, I like to cook so this is fun for me. Not everyone likes to cook, especially not just for themselves.

These days, when we are spending most of our time at home, and there's no eating in restaurants for now, experimenting with new recipes can be fun and appreciated.

Fortunately, many restaurants are still doing pick-up/take-out service or home delivery; that's great and it's important to support our local restaurants.

Furthermore, there are many activities and interests learned through travel in which one may find entertainment and satisfaction: CD and streamed movies, listening to music, TV travelogues, reading novels from various countries, many of which are translated into English. We've brought novels home from Japan, China, Morocco and many places.

It's worth thinking about at this time to avoid overeating. You will find a soothing activity that works for you.

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@comcast.net or see her blog longtermgrief.tumblr.com. See previous columns at www.dailyherald.com/topics/Anderson-Kleif-Susan.