My Approach to Food

Right now, at this point in my life, I am an Ethical Omnivore.  Long time ago I was a vegetarian for a few years, but being married to a meat eater and pregnancy changed that.  I still think being a vegetarian who watches refined carbs and eats some animal fat in dairy or eggs can be very healthy.  I think that can be an ideal way to go.

I don't have a problem with vegans either.  But I seriously doubt that all people can be vegan.  I don't think it is a universal solution to what ails us environmentally or even in our treatment of animals.  I think we need to really reform our food systems we have now, but I don't think that calls for everybody becoming vegan.  Though if more people were vegan, those who could hack it that is, it might very well be a good thing for the planet.  However, I think it takes so much planning and energy to be vegan and I think it may cause long term health problems too.  And a lot of urban veganism is based on eating lots of not local and highly processed foods.  But I think sprinkling in some fast days once in a while when one eats like a vegan is a very good thing to do.

This is all my personal opinion.  I believe there is a wide gamut within Catholic Church teaching in how you choose to intentionally nourish your body.  After much thought and much effort to try and eat according to my own values, I've come up with my own personal approach to food.  Much of it is based on the Institute for Functional Medicine's Core Food Plan.

So I have 16 ideal guiding principles right now, which are these:

• I try to eat locally, humanely produced meat, eggs and dairy
• I try to eat seasonal vegetables.  I want to begin preserving more food.
• I try to source staples that aren't local from ethical companies
• I would like to be completely meatless on Mondays and Fridays
• I think one meal a day should be meatless
• I think meat should be most often served in dishes where you can really stretch it
• I think portion size is important.  The protein should be no more than the size of your palm
• I think half your (dinner) plate should be veggies, then 1/4 complex carb and 1/4 protein.
• It's not a bad thing to fast and/or go vegan once in a while
• Sugar should just be an occasional treat - like when you are celebrating a birthday or holiday
• I try to get most of my sugar from eating whole fruits, 1-3 servings a day
• Controlled portions of maple syrup or honey are okay but go very lightly!
• I'm gluten free and I really do think it helps with my arthritis.  I won't go back.
• I also tend to avoid cow dairy because it is known to be inflammatory
• I also avoid soy - my daughter was taken off soy for her thyroid issues.  Most soy is GMO, industrially farmed, and probably isn't really good for the environment or our health.  
• I try to avoid processed foods.

I am a work in progress.  I'm pretty good on the avoiding sugar thing except it is summer and occasionally I've given in to ice cream for no reason at all except I was craving it!

For the last few years I have bought meat and eggs from a local farm.  Other meats I have gotten from a local organic grocery store chain that only buys locally.  I get my goat cheese and sheep yogurt there.  

Buying meat and dairy (except for the cow milk I get for other members of the family - that comes in a returnable glass milk bottle) means I'm not zero waste.  They all come in plastic.  Therefore I try to really reduce any plastic in all other areas as much as possible.  Gluten free stuff also is often packaged in plastic.  But since I buy very little processed stuff, I don't really bring in a lot of plastic packaging that way.  I do bring in some though.  For instance, gluten free crackers are something I buy and they all come in plastic liners inside the box.

Most zero waste cooking blogs or youtube channels are by single urban vegans.  I think they have a lot to offer but it doesn't translate well into cooking for larger families who aren't vegan.  I myself have been cooking for seven for years now.  If you are buying organic, pastured, grass fed meat, eggs and dairy, it is very costly.  In this blog, I hope to explore how to cook for many in a healthy way that honors the animals who provide such good nourishment for us.  To me it is better to buy less meat, etc that is humanely produced and make that work by stretching it.  Moms of many probably already know this but I'll go ahead and just briefly list ways to do this.

• Make chili, stews and soups
• Stir fry
• Casseroles
• Use up leftovers
• Use bones to make broth
• Meat salads: lots of greens, salad toppings, leftover meat or some crisp bacon crumbles

Meatless, nourishing, frugal meals for large families:

• Vegetarian chili
• Vegetable soups
• Stuffed baked potatoes
• Frittatas (especially good for using up leftover rice, noodles or potatoes)
• Salad with lots of hearty toppings, cheese, nuts and seeds, sliced hard boiled egg

Of course, one way to ensure access to good food is to grow your own!  That's out of reach for many, but perhaps slightly more accessible than many realize.  Any little thing you grow yourself helps!  Even if it is just an herb garden on your window sill or a tomato plant in a pot on your patio.  And if you can have your own chickens to provide eggs!  Well, that's wonderful!

To me, in my journey, I think to be aligned with my Catholic faith, I need to produce more and consume less and what I do consume I need to do thoughtfully and intentionally.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas or practices you've developed to answer all the questions that come up when food buying and providing nourishment for your family.