Lately I have been spending a good amount of time thinking about food and eating and nourishment. Surely it is the Spring fever and the ever (im)patient waiting until the farmer's market opens. Over the years my feelings and attitudes towards food have been a bit tumultuous. I'm sure there are many who have followed this path right along with me to find a healthy relationship with food while struggling with their self image.
To do that I've developed some general food guidelines for my kitchen:
- I buy unprocessed foods and prepare them into meals that I can eat for lunches and dinners
- Meals are focused around fruits and vegetables (preferably raw)
- I try my best to avoid artificial food colorings, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners
- I keep fruits and vegetables washed and ready to eat in the fridge. I find if they are 'ready-to-go' I am much more likely to grab them
- I buy local and in season produce as much as possible and consider organic for these items
- I use a variety of whole grains in my meals (quinoa, bulgar wheat, and brown rice are my favorites)
- I generally feel as though I would rather buy good food than cheap food and allocate my budget that way
- I keep a running folder of new recipes I want to try. New meals keeps eating interesting and preparing a new recipe is exciting. When food gets boring or uninspiring I'm more likely to reach something less desirable.
- Along that line, I am always open to trying new foods. As an adult I have discovered I love asparagus, brussel sprouts, spinach, fennel, avocado, and parsnips.
- I bake my own desserts as opposed to buying. This way I can bake cookies a bit healthier if a want and if I want a cookie there is much more work involved than just opening a bag.
Most importantly I try to listen to my body and how it feels (as well as my mind). If my body is craving a certain item, I eat it. I haven't found that restricting certain foods works well for me. If it is a dessert or something less healthy I try to eat a smaller portion and really savor the treat. Right now my body is craving green smoothies so I've been making them for breakfasts and after workout snacks.
Next up- what I keep in my fridge and pantry for go-to meals during the busy week.
If you have any thoughts on nourishment or guidelines for your kitchen feel free to share!
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Jessica,
I don't have much to share but I am on a similar path to you and I thank you for sharing yours. I would love to hear more about how you've included more whole grains in your diet. I'm not sure how to do that in a flavorful, appealing way.
It sounds like we're on exactly the same page here, Jessica. If only I could get into the habit of having the fruits and veggies always stocked and cleaned...I agree that is key! It's hard to keep this up with a family, but I'm lucky that my husband, although he wasn't exposed to much variety of food growing up, is a good sport. And I just keep putting stuff on the table for my boys and they slowly have learned to like a lot of different things. How do you cook your brussel sprouts? I tried them from the farmer's market last year and I liked them but my family really hated them. Any recipes?
all sounds delicious to me xxx
Those sound like wonderful guidelines for a healthy diet. Your food always looks so delicious, Jessica!
we are working on adding more healthy foods to our kitchen . . . over the past few years i have really changed the way i cook - and it is good. it is so helpful to read what others are doing and adding and eating . . . thanks for sharing.
p.s. i have learned to love avacados, too. :)
yes! to those guidelines. these are the qualities that i am trying to teach my children and my students and that i hope they, at least partially, take on for themselves.
i also stop before eating something and send thanks and love to the farmers who grew the food. if you're having a hard time having a direct link back to the farmers, chances are it's over processed. xoxo
my thoughts exactly.
I have just started green smoothies today still questionable but I have struggled with self image for along time and I am trying to make a change so we'll see
It sounds like you are on the perfect plan here!
I am looking forward to getting back into cooking more once school has finished. Since I've been on my health kick, I haven't gotten sick at all (previously I would get a fall/spring cold). Yay immune system. I think it's rewarding me for treating it well :)
I appreciated reading this Jessica. I think we have similar food philosophies, although I need to work a little harder on cooking more from scratch. I've been trying to lose weight, unsuccessfully, and I have I feeling the problem lies in this area.
I love to cook from scratch. I try to always have a healthy balanced meal for the family-- but sometimes we do just have hot dogs and chips!
hope you don't mind, but i copied off your list. it is similar to what i do, but it includes a couple of additions. i am going to place it on the refrigerator as a reminder!
great post!
Thanks for sharing these simple guidelines... I'm really struggling with food these days, waiting impatiently for the farmer's market to rescue us from the dismal produce selection and the processed snacks we turn to in a pinch... I can't wait for your go-to meals!
Your guidelines really are spot-on. I've been trying to follow similar guidelines, with mixed success. The balance of wholesome, tasty, affordable, and not-too-complicated-and-time-consuming gets a bit tricky for us sometimes. But farmers market season sure makes it easier, so I can't wait for ours to return for the year!
Great post... Since January I have been "eating clean"... I love it, but have to admit old habits are hard to break at times.
i adore you jessica. i'd love to come cook in the schoolhouse with you. xo
These are great, great guidelines! I think our relationship to food if of basic, crucial importance.
i agree with every word you said...making mindful choices foor our health is really so important.
I'm trying to lean more in this direction too. It should be easy with the summer season around the corner.
Thanks for sharing your guidelines, Jessica. I found them very helpful!
I totally get what you saying...I am doing a lot of green smoothies, and using my juicer a lot. Trying to eat mostly vegetables, and *trying* to focus on health instead of body image.
Enjoy the weather on TH!
I just love food Jessica!! Lets talk about it some more!
Seriously though, I've been trying to cook more at home (although not always healthy, probably healthier than eating out twice/day). I have one cookbook in particular called 'Simply Colorado' that I've been using more often and it's fantastic. The last thing I made was lentil spaghetti sauce, it was awesome! So what is the lentil salad you have pictured? It looks awesome! Aren't lentils the best?
Great guide to live by.
I'm also trying to follow Michael Pollan's rule about eating junk food--but only if I make it myself!
what an inspirirational post-can't wait for the next one, you'll have us all eating healthily before the month is out! I find that you base a lot of your meals around raw fruit and veg particularly interesting.
One thing I find that inspires healthy eating is growing your own fruit veg and salad. It's so easy (no matter how little space) and tastes so much better than shop bought!)
x
yes, yes, yes....and yes. to all of the above!!
and bravo to Cate for teaching her students, not all kids get the message.
i'm working with you on the listening to my body part. in both directions, like when i need a cookie and also, when it's saying maybe you shouldn't eat!
I can't agree more about your mention of "nourishment," which I think encompasses so much more than food. While I follow somewhat similar guidelines, I have yet to write them down. This is obviously a sign. =)
We signed up for a CSA share and trying to use up the bounty before it spoils has really challenged me to cook better food. It's been wonderful.
Goodness, there is so much resonance here, for me. I am still amazed that at 37, having grown up surrounded by garden-produce and homemade bread, I am still learning to feed myself, and my family. All you list, grains and whole foods and DIY desserts and produce galore, have been key hallmarks for me, also. As well as making most of our food, just the process, the involvement, the smells and feels. Sometimes I think half the nourishment we gain from a meal comes from the before and after of it.
Cheers,
Molly
Did you write this or did you shake my brain out?! ;) Yes yes yes to all of it!
About budgeting for healthier foods...I have found that once I got into a pattern of buying healthier foods, just as with less healthy ones, I figured out how/when/where to buy and my spending leveled back out again.
Nicola
Agreed! & I think we have more of an appreciation and admiration for food when we eat fresh, mostly fruits and veggies, and take time preparing our meals. When the process is slow, we are more apt to savor every bite and stop when we are satisfied. This inevitably leads to a healthy weight and positive self-image. It's taken me years to get this (I'm 30), but I am finally at a healthy weight and of course still learning.
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