If you are what you eat, and you eat a lot of processed, chemical laden and synthetic foods, what does that make you? I don't know either, but I do know that I am always working to reduce the amount of fakery in my food.
Readers, I invite you to think about the percentage of food you eat on a regular basis that is heavily processed. I'd love to hear what you come up with!
I cook as much as I can from scratch and have cut processed foods out almost completely. We still buy potato chips once in a blue moon when my husband wants them, but just about everything else from "cream of" soups to taco seasoning, whole wheat cheez-its, granola bars...the list goes on, but I make just about everything we eat from scratch nowadays. I still give in to convenience on occasion, but not often. I also can the veggies from my garden.
ReplyDeleteThe area I struggle with is white flour and sugar. I am taking baby steps in that area, but am just having a hard time with the full transition.
That's great!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I gave up sugar this year it eliminated the majority of processed foods. I still buy no sugar organic tomato sauce, unsweetened organic jelly, unsweetened Almond Breeze (I can't tolerate milk), and Newman's light Italian dressing (no sugar in there [at this time], either). And yes, I also buy the occasional bag of chips or other sugar-free ready made treat. I'd say those things make up only a small percentage of what I eat.
White flour, I hear you. To me that is harder to stay away from than sugar! There's a local bakery that makes crusty no sugar added sourdough bread. Problem is I want to eat the whole loaf when I buy it! Even if weight isn't an issue the rush of simple carbs and following crash isn't worth the price to me. Or so I try to remind myself. ; )
Well maybe it will be like it was when I gave up processed junk food. It was hard at first and now I actually prefer real food, fruits and veggies or a homemade granola bar over everything else. My husband and I recently went on an overnight trip that was provided by his company along with some of the other supervisor's and their wives. We went to a baseball game and had a suite. In the suite on the table were a bunch of Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookies that were individually wrapped. All of the other ladies were squealing over them and stuffing them in their purses, so I thought I'd try one. It literally had very little taste to me at all.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that over time the sugar/flour thing will be that way too. I actually really like things made with whole wheat (well most things) but the rest of the fam isn't on board there. Yet.
I was wheat-free in my 20's so I did a lot of baking and cooking with barley and oat flours. I still love them. The great thing about giving something up is that you discover many other options, some of which you appreciate more as you describe.
ReplyDeleteI'm slow to comment--I've been taking care of sick (elderly) relatives who eat processed foods almost exclusively because they are so easy for them to prepare (just nuke it and it's done!).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've prepared about half of the meals from scratch during my time here, the other half has been prepared food. One thing I've discovered is that my body doesn't like processed food. There were several days when I, too, was not feeling well. I could function but my entire system was rebelling against all of the chemicals and faux foods.
I am looking forward to going home in a few days so I can have real food again!
DrJulieAnn they must relish your home cooking!
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