Thanks for reading and for such a thought-provoking comment. I agree that eating well in Italy is easier, as you can usually trust that the food is, well, food, while in the USA you need to read every label and go out of your way to choose real ingredients. However, I think it's possible to eat this way in the USA too! In fact, my Italian partner and I lived together in the States in our twenties (i.e. on a very, very limited budget) and still managed to eat just as we do now in Italy. Buying raw ingredients and cooking from scratch (we were fortunate to have a Costco and a Trader Joe's, allowing us to get some staple ingredients without breaking the bank), and eating together at the table each evening, without the TV or computer. We also ate with appreciation and love, dedicating time each day to simply enjoying what we prepared. Just doing that can be a total game-changer, no?