Baby steps, right? Sounds like you're doing it your way, which is always the right way ;)
Yeah, it's so true about the food = love thing. I come from a big Italian family, as does my husband, and they're actually a lot cooler with my eating than I thought they would be, but in the beginning they were all mystified. Luckily, they saw the changes in me, physically and mentally (my well-being), and accepted that the food I was eating caused those changes. I just wish they'd take a page from my book and try eating more fresh foods!