--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I talk about the food issue, I'm really…" description: "\"I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from pre-White House times, when I was a working mother with a busy husband, a very demanding job ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg" --- # I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from… ![“I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from pre-White House times, when I was a working mother with a busy husband, a very demanding job and two little kids to feed… I had to learn what it means to feed and care for your kids in a country where fast food is abundant, where time is a…” quote by Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg) > “I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from pre-White House times, when I was a working mother with a busy husband, a very demanding job and two little kids to feed… I had to learn what it means to feed and care for your kids in a country where fast food is abundant, where time is a rarity, where eating out is a trend, because families are so busy… Yes, I'm First Lady, but I know the struggles.” [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing a demanding career and family life while ensuring healthy meals is challenging in a fast‑food‑centric society. **In simple terms:** Busy families struggle to eat healthily. Key Takeaway Prioritize planning and simple nutrition. Themes family health work‑life balance nutrition policy parenting Mood determined empathetic Type motivational policy-oriented When to use this quote - school lunch planning - meal prepping - healthy snack ideas Key Concepts time scarcity fast‑food culture public health maternal experience Questions to Reflect On - What small habit can improve family meals? - How can workplaces support healthier eating? A Different Perspective advocacy;community programs ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Fast food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-food/) [First lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-lady/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Little kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-kid/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Rarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rarity/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [In modern America, food is abundant everywhere except aboard commercial airplanes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-modern-america-food-is-abundant-everywhere-except-aboard/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Food is one issue that cannot be solved person by person. We have to stand together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josette-sheeran/food-is-one-issue-that-cannot-be-solved-person-by-person-we-have-to/) [Josette Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josette-sheeran/) > [The entire trendy foodie world - food writing, food television, celebrated restaurants - is all about food for the rich. But the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-entire-trendy-foodie-world-food-writing-food-television/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [I've always been interested in the industrialization of our food; it's been an issue for me from an environmental and animal rights and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-the-industrialization-of-our-food-it-s/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [“Magically modified food is a serious issue," Rosabella said. "We don't know the long-term effects on our bodies." She grabbed her ever-present picket sign.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-selfors/magically-modified-food-is-a-serious-issue-rosabella-said-we-don-t/) [Suzanne Selfors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-selfors/) > [People need help to change the way they eat... this is what government is for in my opinion… We should make food an issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bittman/people-need-help-to-change-the-way-they-eat-this-is-what-government/) [Mark Bittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bittman/) > [One of the powerful things about the food issue is that people feel empowered by it. There are so many areas of our life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/one-of-the-powerful-things-about-the-food-issue-is-that-people-feel/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“You know, that was what we missed most. Not our beds, not our homes, not even our mothers. We would talk about food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-know-that-was-what-we-missed-most-not-our-beds-not-our-homes-not/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [We are not really privy to all that crazy stuff that goes on in the show. I go to work, eat, and talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/we-are-not-really-privy-to-all-that-crazy-stuff-that-goes-on-in-the/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [I have a theory that I'm always hungry when I do interviews, as I always talk about food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rege-jean-page/i-have-a-theory-that-i-m-always-hungry-when-i-do-interviews-as-i/) [Rege-Jean Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rege-jean-page/) > [My children are enthusiastic about food, it's great when you see them with girlfriends or boyfriends and they talk about food in a knowledgable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/my-children-are-enthusiastic-about-food-it-s-great-when-you-see-them/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [If you talk about sous-vide, then you have to talk about food safety, and microbiology, and heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/if-you-talk-about-sous-vide-then-you-have-to-talk-about-food-safety/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [We still need to learn how to talk about food and education, because they haven't been talked about together, really. Education depends on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-still-need-to-learn-how-to-talk-about-food-and-education-because/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I talk a lot about women in my act, 'cause let's face it -- if I was hungry, I would talk about food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferrara/i-talk-a-lot-about-women-in-my-act-cause-let-s-face-it-if-i-was/) [Adam Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferrara/) > [Do not be afraid to talk about food. Food which is worth eating is worth discussing. And there is the occult power of words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-boulestin/do-not-be-afraid-to-talk-about-food-food-which-is-worth-eating-is/) [Marcel Boulestin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-boulestin/) ## More by Michelle Obama > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You work hard for what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-work-hard-for-what-you-want-in-life/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward my husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-must-once-again-come-together-and-stand-together-for-the-man-we/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're starting to see, as the economy improves, that the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses - we're seeing some improvement in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-starting-to-see-as-the-economy-improves-that-the-unemployment/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [There's so much going on in the healthcare system that makes it difficult for women to really have a strong economic hold if insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/there-s-so-much-going-on-in-the-healthcare-system-that-makes-it/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/what-i-admire-most-about-hillary-is-that-she-never-buckles-under/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [A lot of young people think they're invincible, but the truth is young people are knuckleheads... Now young people can get insurance for as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/a-lot-of-young-people-think-they-re-invincible-but-the-truth-is-young/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-lessons-that-i-grew-up-with-was-to-always-stay-true-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman. But I am constantly thinking about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-have-never-felt-more-confident-in-myself-more-clear-on-who-i-am-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs \[of PTSD\], because, you know, when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-got-a-commitment-that-3-million-nurses-are-going-to-be-trained-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're our kids' first and best role models. So the first question is, what are you as a mom or a dad doing every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-our-kids-first-and-best-role-models-so-the-first-question-is/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I've always tried to make sure that what I do really connects with the broader agenda of what my husband is trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-ve-always-tried-to-make-sure-that-what-i-do-really-connects-with/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-know-from-experience-that-if-i-truly-want-to-leave-a-better-world/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) [Explore all 504 Michelle Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from pre-White House times, when I was a working mother with a busy husband, a very demanding job and two little kids to feed… I had to learn what it means to feed and care for your kids in a country where fast food is abundant, where time is a rarity, where eating out is a trend, because families are so busy… Yes, I'm First Lady, but I know the struggles.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-coming-at-it-from-pre-white/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-coming-at-it-from-pre-white/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/michelle-obama-518_busy_i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-c_1433471.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I talk about the food issue, I'm really coming at it from pre-White House times, when I was a working mother…” — Michelle Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michelle Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I talk about the food issue,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-coming-at-it-from-pre-white/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-talk-about-the-food-issue-i-m-really-coming-at-it-from-pre-white/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```