I'm only one week in to my CSA share, but I can tell you that the experience has me thinking more about what I'm eating, and where it's coming from. Not only that, but, my digestive system seems a little more happy this week by virtue of eating a whole lot more veggies and whole grains and less processed/manufactured "food". In essence, I think I'm finally understanding that eating healthy has nothing to do with counting calories or points. Our ancestors didn't pull out a scale every time they ate. What's the difference between our (great)grandparent's generation (which isn't so far away) and our own? I'd have to stay that would be the advent of convenience foods. TV dinners, Mac & Cheese in a box, etc. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not going out into the streets and damning people for giving their kids cookies or chips as snack food. Snack food is a whole different subject (which really shouldn't be an issue when served in moderation). I'm talking about food that we feed ourselves and our kids as actual meals that are required to function throughout the day.
The more I think about it, the more freaked I get about all the crap that is in these packaged foods. Sodium being a big one. Weird-ass preservatives is another. Do you know, I was eating wheat thins yesterday and looked on the box and the label stated, "box treated with BHA to preserve freshness". WTF is BHA you ask?
According to Wikipedia, Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an antioxidant consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds, 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. It is prepared from 4-methoxyphenol and isobutylene. It is a waxy solid used in certain amounts as a food additive with the E number E320. The primary use for BHA is as an antioxidant and preservative in food, food packaging, animal feed, and cosmetics, and in rubber and petroleum products.Sounds DELISH!
I grew up in a family that relies heavily on pre-packaged food. We were a rice-a-roni, hamburger helper, suddenly salad, stove top loving group. Vegetables were pretty limited to broccoli, carrots (occasionally), corn and potatoes (the later not being vegetables at all!). I'm trying to break out of this mold.
I LOVE to cook. Absolutely love it and, with the help of my CSA share coming every week, I hope to A) continue eating more veggies and grains, B) eat less of the convenient "side dish in a box" and C) see some changes in my energy, digestive tract and waistline. Sure, it takes more time (it took me probably 20 mins or so to wash/dry and wrap/store a head of romaine lettuce last weekend) but mentally, I feel really good about it. I don't think I EVER EVER EVER recall my grandmother making ANYTHING out of a box. Sure, I'm sure she used canned tomatoes to make gravy but I don't remember stovetop in her house. Things were not necessarily convenient, but they were simple.
So here's hoping for my return to a more "simple" kind of life. One where adding almonds and sprouts to a salad beefs it up and makes it more interesting. One where a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt is all you need to dress up a piece of fish. One where quinoa isn't so foreign and scary.
Week 2 begins...
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