I've been thinking a lot recently about health. For my bookgroup we've been reading Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma which talks about US food production systems and some of the problems associated with the industrial agriculture our society depends on. It has been such a great reminder about so many of the things I have long believed.
We must eat mindfully. How often do we just grab something to stuff into our mouths as we head off somewhere? How many of the things in our cupboards are enriched with nutrients and therefore "healthy" though they are certainly not whole? How many of the things we eat do we know the origins of? How often do we even question the health claims that substantiate the fads all around us?
So I've started thinking about better planning and utilizing our garden this summer. We're thinking about converting some of the flower beds to garden space as well. We've even talked about a greenhouse, but I think that may not be the best solution.
I've done some research on buying meat and poultry from local pasture-fed ranch/farms. I'm thinking about our milk and eggs also. I've learned that labels are often deceiving.
I need to find a way to capture the kids attention on the garden--to involve them and teach them about the work that goes into growing and preparing food.
I need to take better control of our menu planning so I don't end up scrambling every night. It takes a lot of the pleasure out of cooking when you are trying to make something fast without any of the right ingredients.
I want to learn from my foodie friends. I'm not sure how to do this without being a bother.
The hard part about this is it takes time to be mindful of what you're eating. The past week or so our breakfast has mostly consisted of Costco muffins and yogurt smoothies we just discovered (also at Costco). I personally have too much trouble getting up on time to spend time worrying about where my food comes from. I guess that is the whole problem.
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