guys, this is really exciting! thank you for all the awesome feedback yesterday. it's so fun to be on the same page, but all in different places. (literally and figuratively.) i can't wait to talk more! maybe we can compare notes? for starters, here are some things i've observed while transitioning to real food, and i'd love to hear your findings too. (oh, and i'm reserving Animal, Vegetable, Miracle at my library! thank you!!)
good, good stuff.
1. i feel better eating this way! mentally, physically, emotionally- healthy eating affects it all.
2. less processed junk means less sugar in my body! always a good thing.
3. i get full faster and am more satisfied after meals.
4. i don't crave junk food as much.
5. meals are simpler. i've learned that keeping things healthy means keeping things super basic!
6. i look forward to being creative and resourceful with our meals. good food makes me want to make the most of everything.
7. i am taking advantage of the seasons. fall really feels like fall when you have all the signature fruits and vegetables in your house.
8. my tastes are changing. i like so many new things now.. things that are good for you! things that i never would have given a chance before, but now i love to make.
and some things to be aware of.
1. it's expensive to buy good food! but not impossible. it all depends on how you prioritize. you and your husband have to decide what's important and fitting for your family. managing a grocery budget wisely is, of course, something you'll want to do! here are some things we're doing: cutting out the snacky not-good stuff (obviously): fruit snacks, sugary granola bars, frozen pizza, etc. / buying less meat, because it's hard to find the good stuff / only eating homemade bread -- flour is really affordable! / only drinking water, which is what we like anyway. have you ever thought about how much money could be saved and how much healthier we would be if we all just drank water?! it's amazing to think about / shopping at the farmers market is always a bargain, so we set aside extra cash to load up on fresh produce during the harvest season.
2. seeking out real food can be overwhelming and confusing at times. it's easy to get caught up trying to understand and follow the laws of eating naturally (or organically) and trying to do absolutely everything right. but everybody has to draw the line somewhere. to put it simply: you have to use discretion and you must live within your means. meaning: do what you can afford to do without putting a strain on your ability to be generous and hospitable as God calls us to be. (asking Him for wisdom is important, too!)
3. it can make you slightly paranoid. sometimes i find myself starting to wonder whether things are inherently good or bad, or feeling like i might be breaking a rule by buying something. then i have to stop and remember my motivation for eating this way: to glorify God. what would please Him more: letting legalism creep in and worry me, or to trust in His wisdom? no matter what i am eating, He is in control, He knows the number of my days, and i cannot change that. i'm so glad!
{but that doesn't mean we should eat recklessly. i also believe God commands us to be wise. Proverbs 27:12 says, "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." so if i know that a way of eating is dangerous or harmful to our bodies, should i keep going with it? probably not. a simple prayer of "Lord, help me to eat wisely today" is a great idea!}
i loved this post, if you care to read:
can natural living become an idol? by lindsay.
more soon! can't wait to talk meal ideas. happy tues.
13 comments:
This is so wonderful, Summer. You are an inspiration!
I belong to a local-food produce co-op. We get a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies and our goal is to make it through it during the week. (Only $15, too!) With so much produce, we rarely have room to each junk. It is a wonderful way to motivate whole and natural foods.
I also strongly believe in hormone, naturally fed meats. I hate Walmart, but they actually have a great selection of them. Sunflower Market is another great place to buy meat.
I can't wait for your meal ideas!!!
This has been such a fine place to visit these last few days, the dedication in which you are writing and sharing about your journey in finding pure food, its very infectious and appreciated:P
M
I really like making food with fresh and wholesome ingredients! I don't get to do it too often though. I live in a college dorm and have to eat the food here. But when I go home, I love it.
Good thoughts. Thank you.
where i started with switching over to organic foods,because it is pricey and overwhelming, is with foods that have the most pesticides/chemicals used on them, i.e. peppers, lettuce, strawberries. Basically, anything that has a peel that won't be eaten, I don't bother to buy organic (bananas, mangoes, avocados,oranges etc.)
Here's a list of the dirty dozen foods to avoid and buy organic.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods
So glad you're exploring this!
I'm lucky because I grew up with only real food. I mean, we had indulgent food sometimes, but it was always real and homemade.
The expense is the question I get asked about the most. For me, it's all balance. I know that wanting sustainably raised meat means that I can only afford to eat it every once in a while. So we eat lots of beans, which are cheap to buy dried and good once you learn to cook them. We try to eat simply, and splurge when we want to, but on the good stuff.
LOVE this post...i'm a food nazi, so to say. i only buy local food, and i read every label (even on the local food, i.e. pesto or hummus). i think i wish i could serve a food mission of sorts ;)
@ everyone.. i am LOVING all the comments and ideas. thank you, thank you!
@ rachel.. yes! "splurge on the good stuff." i love it. and "indulgent food" but it was always real and homemade-- my thoughts exactly.
@ heidi.. heidi, thank you for bringing that up! such a good place to start!
I can feel your excitement over this jumping off the page and I have to say it is contagious! It's so much easier to do this when you know there are others out there doing it also.
I feel so much better when I stop eating processed foods and also just stick to water. Sometimes I fall off the wagon and end up feeling terrible. I always feel so dumb when I do that because I'm doing it to myself. So I'm back on the wagon and also on the working out wagon and feeling so great!
Thanks for the motivation that you provide!
I am LOVING reading about this topic here, Summer! I try so hard to cook healthy for myself and my husband but I don't know much about it. This is helping so much :)
summer, this is so good! it's hard for me to budget & eat healthy now-in dorm life. usually when i buy the good stuff, it goes bad before i get to eat it-with my crazy schedule i never know when i'm going to actually be home, for a meal.
that dirty-dozen list was quite the eye opener..we think we're eating healthy and yet we're still eating all that crap!
summer, i appreciate how you pray about it-i am encouraged that you take all matters to God first-even things like eating healthy for the day. (yeah proverbs!)
not always the cheapest option - but we've started growing a lot of our own fruit and veggies. it makes you really appreciate the food that's in season.
this chap in the uk is famous for trying to encourage better eating habits
http://www.jamieoliver.com/
I came across the article you linked a few weeks ago-loved it! We try to eat mostly "real" foods, but I try to be careful not to let that pursuit become who I am or some sort of platform that pushes others away from me.
After being in Ethiopia in February (and preparing to go back in a couple months) and seeing first hand the devastation caused by lack of food, my views on food consumption have dramatically changed and I continue to be challenged.
I am excited to see what new recipes you will share!