This weekend as you are grilling out or going to picnics and headed over to friends and families I want you to do one thing. Be grateful! I know this is not what I normally write about and typically I am trying to get you to either eat or not eat something but this week and hopefully longer I want you to be really grateful for the food you have. We live in a country where even the poorest of poor have access to food at least some of the time and they normally are not shamed because they need help(although they may feel it). This week as I was cutting up apples and pears to take with us to the park as a snack I dropped a piece and asked my son to throw it away for me. We have a dog in the house and so it's quite normal for me to throw away food that has fallen on the floor although the kids don't feel the same way=) It really hit me that to throw away a piece of food is a luxury!!! How many people in this world would never ever dream of throwing away a piece of food not because it's wasteful or because it's still ok but because of necessity! They can not afford to throw away food that is possibly their only nourishment! So this weekend when you are eating your food that I would probably not approve of=) I want you to be thankful to live in a country of plenty. Sure I know some of you think we consume too much and America is greedy etc. that is not the point the point is we have access to good food and even the poorest of people can find help. No matter what you are eating be grateful it's the best seasoning there is.
Happy Fourth all
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
When hard times come
So what do you do when you lose your job, your weekly budget is really tight, or your air conditioner broke and you don't have enough to fix it? Well most people need to cut back on food spending in this case. Now if there are other areas to cut back on such as eating out, cable, games etc then do that first please. However if you have already done all that and you still need to cut back that's ok.
Now if you simply can not afford any organic fruit or veggies I still want you to buy fruit and veggies conventionally raised is much better than none at all! Bread(good bread) can be expensive so instead of opting for the super cheap white bread think about getting brown rice and cooking it yourself it's super cheap and super filling serve with a simple salad or some leftover fruit and veggies for lunch and you just saved a lot. Now when you really have to cut back and the ten cents you save buying white pasta instead of wheat really matters do not feel bad. Everyone has or will be there sometime! You do what you can when you can. The important thing is to get creative use your leftovers or freeze them if you are not going to eat them use the same amount of meat but twice the amount of spaghetti sauce and use it twice. Check the store out for mark downs this can be really helpful. If you find marked down bread with a sell by date of today buy it and freeze it! When you are ready for it just lay it out to thaw that morning. If you have to really cut back and fresh fruit and veggies are not at all in the budget please do think you can't have them at all. The frozen vegetables are often really inexpensive and are just as good if not better sometimes for you than fresh because they are picked and frozen immediately instead of being transported and sitting on a shelf.
Now if you find yourself in a situation where you are using WIC or are recieving donations from a food pantry I want you to know there is no shame in that! Everyone needs help in some way at some time. You are doing your best to feed your family and if that means can green beans and instant mashed potatoes that's what you have to do. One tip I do have is to rinse off your can vegetables and fruits so you take some of the sodium and sugar off of it!
When you get back on your feet(like I know you will) then you can start worrying about going back to where you were. It will be ok this slump will not ruin you nor will it ruin your children's eating habits.
I would like to challange you to not start eating out at fast food restaurants thinking you are saving money. You can cook food at home just as cheap or cheaper and you will remain fuller because your body has the nutrients it needs. If you fill up on junk your body still needs nutrients and will signal that you are hungry even if you had a ton of calories. Then you will eat more and buy more. Try to still eat real food lots of produce(fresh, frozen, or can) whole grains(rice, etc) and protien(think beans for super cheap).
For any questions on this please email me!
Remember you can do this!! You and your family are worth it!!
Now if you simply can not afford any organic fruit or veggies I still want you to buy fruit and veggies conventionally raised is much better than none at all! Bread(good bread) can be expensive so instead of opting for the super cheap white bread think about getting brown rice and cooking it yourself it's super cheap and super filling serve with a simple salad or some leftover fruit and veggies for lunch and you just saved a lot. Now when you really have to cut back and the ten cents you save buying white pasta instead of wheat really matters do not feel bad. Everyone has or will be there sometime! You do what you can when you can. The important thing is to get creative use your leftovers or freeze them if you are not going to eat them use the same amount of meat but twice the amount of spaghetti sauce and use it twice. Check the store out for mark downs this can be really helpful. If you find marked down bread with a sell by date of today buy it and freeze it! When you are ready for it just lay it out to thaw that morning. If you have to really cut back and fresh fruit and veggies are not at all in the budget please do think you can't have them at all. The frozen vegetables are often really inexpensive and are just as good if not better sometimes for you than fresh because they are picked and frozen immediately instead of being transported and sitting on a shelf.
Now if you find yourself in a situation where you are using WIC or are recieving donations from a food pantry I want you to know there is no shame in that! Everyone needs help in some way at some time. You are doing your best to feed your family and if that means can green beans and instant mashed potatoes that's what you have to do. One tip I do have is to rinse off your can vegetables and fruits so you take some of the sodium and sugar off of it!
When you get back on your feet(like I know you will) then you can start worrying about going back to where you were. It will be ok this slump will not ruin you nor will it ruin your children's eating habits.
I would like to challange you to not start eating out at fast food restaurants thinking you are saving money. You can cook food at home just as cheap or cheaper and you will remain fuller because your body has the nutrients it needs. If you fill up on junk your body still needs nutrients and will signal that you are hungry even if you had a ton of calories. Then you will eat more and buy more. Try to still eat real food lots of produce(fresh, frozen, or can) whole grains(rice, etc) and protien(think beans for super cheap).
For any questions on this please email me!
Remember you can do this!! You and your family are worth it!!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The comparing game
So this week is all about comparing yourself to those around you. You know what I'm talking about you look at your sister, your best friend, your neighbor and you size yourself up based upon what you see in them. Today I want to specifically talk about how negatively this can affect your nutrition.
If you are doing great and reading labels and eating tons of fresh raw produce you may start to get a little proud and look around at all the crap everyone else is eating and say wow look at me and what a great job I'm doing feeding my family. While I know you need a pat on the back and some good old fashioned encouragement sometimes this can lead to laziness. Yes you heard me right laziness. You start to think I'm doing so great it's OK if I slide this once. It's OK if we eat one or two candy bars and while this is true and it's OK to splurge it can lead to more and more splurges and they eventually become normal. Not to mention how will you ever help anyone else that is not as far on this journey as you if you are mean and prideful about it.
Now the other extreme in comparing is saying how you could never do that good. You can't afford organic and the produce in your area is expensive, you can't cook well and you just don't know what to do. So you don't do anything. This is not at all the right way to go about things. Everyone has to start somewhere and your time could be now. Make some small goals and stick to them. Do not look at what everyone else is doing look at your improvement.
If you are just really competitive and need a good challenge then I want you to set goals no matter how well you are doing and track your progress. Compare how well you are doing compared to how you were doing last week or month instead of how much better or worse you are doing than those around you.
Remember you can do this! You and your family are worth it!!!
If you are doing great and reading labels and eating tons of fresh raw produce you may start to get a little proud and look around at all the crap everyone else is eating and say wow look at me and what a great job I'm doing feeding my family. While I know you need a pat on the back and some good old fashioned encouragement sometimes this can lead to laziness. Yes you heard me right laziness. You start to think I'm doing so great it's OK if I slide this once. It's OK if we eat one or two candy bars and while this is true and it's OK to splurge it can lead to more and more splurges and they eventually become normal. Not to mention how will you ever help anyone else that is not as far on this journey as you if you are mean and prideful about it.
Now the other extreme in comparing is saying how you could never do that good. You can't afford organic and the produce in your area is expensive, you can't cook well and you just don't know what to do. So you don't do anything. This is not at all the right way to go about things. Everyone has to start somewhere and your time could be now. Make some small goals and stick to them. Do not look at what everyone else is doing look at your improvement.
If you are just really competitive and need a good challenge then I want you to set goals no matter how well you are doing and track your progress. Compare how well you are doing compared to how you were doing last week or month instead of how much better or worse you are doing than those around you.
Remember you can do this! You and your family are worth it!!!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Beware the unhealthy "health" food
So this may sound strange but not all "health" food is healthy. Now for the most part the people I know that shop at health food store and people that follow a vegetarian/vegan diet are thin, fit people. However have you ever met that one person that seems they should be healthy but they are not? I know I have and I have often wondered why that is. Part of this could be chalked up to genetics but I don't think much of it is as I feel health is more about nutrition and less about family history. It could be food allergies or intolerance that goes unfound. There is also one more possibility. Unhealthy health food. Now before you go freaking out about if you have been eating unhealthy health food if you have been following my guidelines you probably are not. The freezer section and the prepared section are the two biggest places that really get overlooked. If it's a veggie burger it must be good for you right? Wrong that veggie burger could have way more sodium than you need in a burger and if not organic could have GMO soy(but we will leave that for another day.) Look at those labels just because it's "health" food or vegetarian doesn't mean you need to eat it and you are not exempt from reading the label on it. The prepared section is great for every once in a while but this is not stuff that needs to be eaten every day. Now fortunately at Whole Foods where I do a lot of shopping they have a hot deli bar section and have all the ingredients listed so I know exactly what I'm getting so sometimes we will go and shop and then have a quick lunch before heading home.
Also I know I have mentioned it before but just because something is organic does not give you free range to eat as much as you want. A cookie is a cookie whether organic or not!
I really want to stress fresh foods as much as possible you should be spending the bulk of your time and money in the produce department!!! Much of this should be eaten raw ie salads etc.
Be aware of everything you put in your body it's well worth it in the end.
Yes I know this is not about the price of eating healthy perhaps next week=)
Rememeber you can do this! You and your family are worth it!
Also I know I have mentioned it before but just because something is organic does not give you free range to eat as much as you want. A cookie is a cookie whether organic or not!
I really want to stress fresh foods as much as possible you should be spending the bulk of your time and money in the produce department!!! Much of this should be eaten raw ie salads etc.
Be aware of everything you put in your body it's well worth it in the end.
Yes I know this is not about the price of eating healthy perhaps next week=)
Rememeber you can do this! You and your family are worth it!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Confused on what to eat?
There is so much information out there about what is good for you and what is not. So many people have so much to gain or loose based on what you put in your body. Who do you trust? Who can you listen to for good solid information? Well I will tell you who not to listen to and that is the food industry. I think it's pretty obvious they want to make as much money off you as possible and that means producing cheap food and keeping you eating as much of it as possible.
Now my philosophy on food for the past few years has been to eat your food as close to the way God intended it as possible!
Recently I have been really thinking about what that means to me and to the food we all eat on a regular basis.
Now some things are obvious to stay away from but others that I previously thought were ok I'm starting to rethink. I know to stay away from ingredients I can't pronounce(even though even I do get the occasional convenience food.) I know that processed meats(bacon, lunch meat etc) are not good for you.
However what if you start to look more closely at the food industry. If eating as close to the way God intended includes how it is grown prepared and made, then most of the food we eat should not be eaten. Do you think God intended chemical fertilizers and pesticides to be sprayed on our foods? If so why would He have had natural solutions to these problems from the beginning? Do you think He meant for livestock to be crowded, mistreated and fed an unnatural diet?
When you go against the laws of nature and against what God intended there are serious consequences the biggest one being either loss of nutrients or down right harmful results.
So what does this mean? What can we eat? Well ideally you would grow your own food but most of us have many factors in the way of that although I feel everyone can at least plant a couple of veggies and some herbs. If you can not grow your own the next step is to buy the bulk of your foods from local farmers that do not use chemicals in the growing of their food. Meat should be free from antibiotics, hormones and should be fed a natural diet(cows were not meant to eat corn they were meant to eat grass) chickens should also have access to grass and just because it says free range does not mean that they do. Free range only means they have limited access to outside which could be as little as a dirt yard! Once again if you are buying local you can ask them or even go and see for yourself. If not buy pastured eggs and chicken yes they are more expensive and yes it is worth it.
Unfortunately not all areas have good availability. In that case you must be very careful in choosing your grocery store and just because it is a health food store does not mean everything they have is good for you. If you have the money to buy organic buy it as often as possible! If you have a limited organic budget stick to buying the dirty dozen organic. If you simply can not afford organic or the availability in your area is bad wash very well and peel the items on the dirty dozen list when possible. As far as meat good quality meat that is healthy is expensive. Buy quality meat if you eat meat and just eat less of it. This is your health and the health of your family the fact that you like burgers should not play into this. Yes you can still have burgers but beware of the meat you are buying. Again ideally you would buy local but if you can not make sure it is hormone, and antibiotic free and all red meat should be grass fed! I eat very little to no meat during most weeks now and am thinking about cutting down even more.
Now I do not think it is wrong to eat meat 1 Timothy 4:4 tells me that everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
so meat in and of itself is not wrong to consume however I just don't trust the people producing the meat so I'm choosing not to eat it unless I know where it is coming from and what is in it.
All this can get very confusing some times and it's hard if everyone in the family is not on board. Keep trying it is a process and a journey for you and your family.
I have been so proud of my husband. He used to have to have meat with almost every meal and dinner was not dinner without it! He over the past month has eaten meat maybe three times and feels great!! He is mostly eating vegetables and has some whole grains to go with it.
Next week I will talk about the cost of eating healthy vs the cost of not eating healthy if you have any input or stories you would like added to it please let me know. ie if you have diabetes let me know how much you spend per month on meds doctors etc
Now my philosophy on food for the past few years has been to eat your food as close to the way God intended it as possible!
Recently I have been really thinking about what that means to me and to the food we all eat on a regular basis.
Now some things are obvious to stay away from but others that I previously thought were ok I'm starting to rethink. I know to stay away from ingredients I can't pronounce(even though even I do get the occasional convenience food.) I know that processed meats(bacon, lunch meat etc) are not good for you.
However what if you start to look more closely at the food industry. If eating as close to the way God intended includes how it is grown prepared and made, then most of the food we eat should not be eaten. Do you think God intended chemical fertilizers and pesticides to be sprayed on our foods? If so why would He have had natural solutions to these problems from the beginning? Do you think He meant for livestock to be crowded, mistreated and fed an unnatural diet?
When you go against the laws of nature and against what God intended there are serious consequences the biggest one being either loss of nutrients or down right harmful results.
So what does this mean? What can we eat? Well ideally you would grow your own food but most of us have many factors in the way of that although I feel everyone can at least plant a couple of veggies and some herbs. If you can not grow your own the next step is to buy the bulk of your foods from local farmers that do not use chemicals in the growing of their food. Meat should be free from antibiotics, hormones and should be fed a natural diet(cows were not meant to eat corn they were meant to eat grass) chickens should also have access to grass and just because it says free range does not mean that they do. Free range only means they have limited access to outside which could be as little as a dirt yard! Once again if you are buying local you can ask them or even go and see for yourself. If not buy pastured eggs and chicken yes they are more expensive and yes it is worth it.
Unfortunately not all areas have good availability. In that case you must be very careful in choosing your grocery store and just because it is a health food store does not mean everything they have is good for you. If you have the money to buy organic buy it as often as possible! If you have a limited organic budget stick to buying the dirty dozen organic. If you simply can not afford organic or the availability in your area is bad wash very well and peel the items on the dirty dozen list when possible. As far as meat good quality meat that is healthy is expensive. Buy quality meat if you eat meat and just eat less of it. This is your health and the health of your family the fact that you like burgers should not play into this. Yes you can still have burgers but beware of the meat you are buying. Again ideally you would buy local but if you can not make sure it is hormone, and antibiotic free and all red meat should be grass fed! I eat very little to no meat during most weeks now and am thinking about cutting down even more.
Now I do not think it is wrong to eat meat 1 Timothy 4:4 tells me that everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
so meat in and of itself is not wrong to consume however I just don't trust the people producing the meat so I'm choosing not to eat it unless I know where it is coming from and what is in it.
All this can get very confusing some times and it's hard if everyone in the family is not on board. Keep trying it is a process and a journey for you and your family.
I have been so proud of my husband. He used to have to have meat with almost every meal and dinner was not dinner without it! He over the past month has eaten meat maybe three times and feels great!! He is mostly eating vegetables and has some whole grains to go with it.
Next week I will talk about the cost of eating healthy vs the cost of not eating healthy if you have any input or stories you would like added to it please let me know. ie if you have diabetes let me know how much you spend per month on meds doctors etc
Weekend Challenge
OK this weeks challenge will likely be difficult for some of you but I really want you to get into it!
Here is the challenge go to your produce department and pick something you have never eaten before. I'm sure there is something there you have always seen but never thought about getting because you have never had it. If you need to pick something out and then buy it the next time you go so you can find out how to prepare it first. Or if you already have something in mind that you have been wanting to try, find a recipe for it and get it when you grocery shop.
I think I'm going to get rhubarb at the farmer's market this week. I've never had it and the kids want to try it so if anyone has suggestions on what to do with it let me know!
Let me know what you get!
Happy shopping=)
Here is the challenge go to your produce department and pick something you have never eaten before. I'm sure there is something there you have always seen but never thought about getting because you have never had it. If you need to pick something out and then buy it the next time you go so you can find out how to prepare it first. Or if you already have something in mind that you have been wanting to try, find a recipe for it and get it when you grocery shop.
I think I'm going to get rhubarb at the farmer's market this week. I've never had it and the kids want to try it so if anyone has suggestions on what to do with it let me know!
Let me know what you get!
Happy shopping=)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Weekend Challange
So this weekend challenge is all about farmer's markets. If you have not made it to your local farmer's market this is the week to do it. If you have just go again anyway=) When you go take the time to talk to the people you meet. Ask them about how they grow things and what their practices are. Many local farmers use organic methods but just haven't gone through the process of being labeled organic(it can be pricey.)
Farmer's markets are a great source of real food. It is beneficial in many ways to shop at a farmer's market. It will cost a little more sometimes but it is well worth it when you realize the benefits and other times it's cheaper depending on what you get.
1. Nutrition- The fresher the food the more nutrients and vitamins that are still intact. So if the food is from down the street as apposed to say Mexico you are getting much more out of the food you are eating. Who doesn't want that?
2. Social economics- You are helping local farmer's to continue their business. This is good for everyone involved. I don't know about you but I rather be helping keep farmer Joe who practices good sustainable farming than giant corporation A who does nothing but ruin the food and the environment!
3.Environment- It takes a lot to prepare, pack, and transport that food hundreds of miles. If it's coming from the farmer down the street this is greatly reduced.
4. Taste- It taste a whole lot better when it's this fresh and grown well!
5. Sense of connection- The whole family can get a sense of conection with where their food is coming from when you can look the farmer in the eye and shake his hand. This is a great way to teach your children about where food comes from and the importance of filling our bodies with good nutritional food. You may learn something as well!
If you do not know where a farmer's market is in your area check out local harvest it is a great resource for finding local farms and farmer's markets. They also have listings for CSA's (community supported agriculture) which is where you buy a share and you get a box of various produce and other things every week.
There are many benifits to shopping at the farmer's market so what are you waiting for?
Farmer's markets are a great source of real food. It is beneficial in many ways to shop at a farmer's market. It will cost a little more sometimes but it is well worth it when you realize the benefits and other times it's cheaper depending on what you get.
1. Nutrition- The fresher the food the more nutrients and vitamins that are still intact. So if the food is from down the street as apposed to say Mexico you are getting much more out of the food you are eating. Who doesn't want that?
2. Social economics- You are helping local farmer's to continue their business. This is good for everyone involved. I don't know about you but I rather be helping keep farmer Joe who practices good sustainable farming than giant corporation A who does nothing but ruin the food and the environment!
3.Environment- It takes a lot to prepare, pack, and transport that food hundreds of miles. If it's coming from the farmer down the street this is greatly reduced.
4. Taste- It taste a whole lot better when it's this fresh and grown well!
5. Sense of connection- The whole family can get a sense of conection with where their food is coming from when you can look the farmer in the eye and shake his hand. This is a great way to teach your children about where food comes from and the importance of filling our bodies with good nutritional food. You may learn something as well!
If you do not know where a farmer's market is in your area check out local harvest it is a great resource for finding local farms and farmer's markets. They also have listings for CSA's (community supported agriculture) which is where you buy a share and you get a box of various produce and other things every week.
There are many benifits to shopping at the farmer's market so what are you waiting for?
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