This is long...I am a recovered food snob

I've come to realize something. It's rather humbling, but hindsight is 20/20...


I used to be a food/nutrition snob. Yeah.


What do I mean by that? Well, I was a snob because I patted myself on the back for everything I was doing 'right' and comparing myself to others. For instance, someone might think they're doing a great job of healthy cooking by making their own whole wheat bread and cooking oatmeal for breakfast daily, yet I would notice that they did not SOAK their oats properly or make SOURDOUGH bread, thus they weren't in the 'know' and just weren't benefiting from proper nutrition.

That's the thing about accruing knowledge- it is easy to judge and look down on others who do not have the same knowledge as you. I felt I was doing everyone a favor by telling them how they should be eating and cooking...hmmm...was I a bit of a know- it-all maybe?

I fully support the Nourishing Traditions way of living. More and more people are jumping on the 'bandwagon' so to speak, which is great. But as I read more people's blogs about cooking and special diets and health problems etc. I realize that it can become an idol. It becomes the majority of what you think about.

For a long time, I really felt that I couldn't in good conscience abandon the traditional ways of cooking as in, fermented foods, organic, soaked whole grains, lots of good fats etc., lots of stock...Plus, I needed to do that for us to eat well on a strict budget when we lived in our other house. It was very valuable and we were healthy.

But, just about all of that took a backseat after Christmas. My preggo self couldn't devote so much time to it. I felt guilty some, but now I feel freed. No longer do I feel so staunch about what we can and cannot eat. What did Jesus say?

"Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. " Matthew 15:17-18

Now, that doesn't mean we should be ignorant and eat junk food all the time. God has opened our understanding in this time regarding food and health, and rightly so! Look at all the weird stuff going around. I have been sick more the last few months than in the last few years combined! But still, I glorify the Lord, because He has been there and encouraged us to keep the faith and not give in. He is our source, not perfect food in a perfect environment.

This is what I think we as knowledgeable Christians should do.

1. We all know how to eat right. We need lots of good quality fruits and vegetables, both cooked and raw. Cooked veggies are better utilized in the body with good fat and sea salt applied to them. (like butter,mmm.) Raw veggies are easily assimilated with a high enzyme dressing, such as one made with real apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice and good olive oil.

2. Fresh, farm raised meats, eggs and dairy are obviously better for us, so we should pursue that route. However, it's not worth getting stressed out over. Ask the Lord to lead you, and if it means going to the regular grocery store and buy their meat, then trust Him.

3. Sugar- white death! Healthy sweets are raw honey, stevia, natural sugars and maple syrup. These are pricey, especially when baking. Try to cut down on the amount of regular sugar, or use some of both to stretch the healthier stuff. Some is better than none!

4. Whole grains are nutrient dense foods and cheaper than high quality meats. When I can, I buy organic, because it is still cost effective. I love brown rice plain, weird! I mix whole wheat flour with some unbleached to make bread, cookies, whatever. I try to always soak our Scottish oatmeal, but if I don't, I have instant oatmeal packets on hand.

This is what is in my home now. I have a hard time getting up in the morning to make breakfast in time for the ones leaving the house. So, they usually eat cereal (honey cheerios or Life), instant oatmeal, have toast with peanut butter and syrup, or sometimes I buy microwavable sausage biscuits. Yes, processed food in my house :) However, if I can, I fry some eggs in coconut oil and serve it with whole wheat cinnamon honey toast.

I buy graham crackers, goldfish, peanut butter sandwich crackers for snacks, also the Dora yogurt and applesauce. (all regular applesauce has high fructose corn syrup in it, what gives?) My children eat loads of banans and apples during the week too. They drink apple and orange juice, water, iced tea and sometimes milk.

Dinner is always from scratch and served with lots of veggies, either raw or cooked or both. I have been buying a brand of pasta that is supposed to be high fiber but it looks like white pasta, or one that is a blend of white and whole wheat flour. (the whole wheat kind tastes weird) I cook beans every once in awhile- we got beaned out! We've been eating lots of potatoes and pasta lately. Rambling, rambling, rambling....

Soooo, what I'm getting at is I've learned my lesson. There is a good way, a better way, and a perfect way. The perfect way is doing what God is telling you to do, and leave others alone unless they ask :) Just for kicks this is what I ate yesterday and today:
Breakfast yesterday- bowl of cereal, one poached egg, glass of juice with vitamin C drink in it
Lunch- salad and pizza and soda
Dinner- 1 slice of pizza, soda, some chicken soup, bowl of cereal before bed

Today's breakfast- two fried eggs, some fried potatoes (in coconut oil, very healthy) orange juice
Lunch- coke and Jack-in-the-Box Burger
Dinner- not sure yet, either potato soup and salad or Poor Man's Meal (fried potatoes with onions and hot dogs)
I haven't eaten any snacks yet...we have been very out of sync with our normal schedule because Leiah got sick last night and I had to go to the doctor in another town today, and yesterday we had drama practice at church and ordered pizza there. I plan to work hard on getting the junk out this week before the big Easter candy weekend...