Dear Mom (and Dad): Should Food Be a Sign of Affection?

A couple weeks ago, we posed the question to our mothers out there: ? Now, we want to know: does food equal love in your household?

It's a common (and often true) notion that in large Italian households, grandma wants to make sure you've had your fill before you leave the table. If you only had one plate of spaghetti and meatballs, she might ask, "are you alright?"

But, even in non-Italian families (like mine), food can be more than just sustenance: it can be a sign of affection. Our father has long made large meals, even now that most of us are moved out of the house. And, if we don't go for a second bowl of beef stew, he might ask, "are you alright?"

In this age of high obesity rates, especially among our youth, does this food = love mentality make for stronger families, or just larger waistlines? Our question of the week:

When is love (food) too much love?

Feel free to chime in below.

Every weekday, 8:30 a.m. is "Mom's Time" on Patch, when we aim to bring you a feature useful to mothers and families overall. Monday is Moms Talk, when we pose questions about the issues facing moms in our community. Tuesday is the Grab & Go Kids planner, to help you find the best avenues for family fun nearby. Wednesday is Frugal Family, in which we hunt down deals to help you make the most of your family budget. On Thursdays, Great Escape offers local suggestions for how to get away from the day-to-day stresses of managing a family, even if just for a little bit. On Friday, we feature our Whiz Kids, showing off the great accomplishments of kids in our community (got a suggestion for Whiz Kids? See .)