Rebel with a Cause, Cont.

Continued from last time...


We can't deny that our food choices are deeply personal as it really should be. We're all born into food cultures, shaped by our heritage, location, and socio-economic status which incluences the way we view food (favorite foods, comfort foods, holiday meal traditions, ingredient/meal preparations, taboo foods, etc). Who am I to say my food choices are "better" than yours or you tell me that my choices are inferior to yours? Doing so offends us at our core and no one will win that game.


I do think we're taking the easy way out as a society when processed and/or fast food becomes the norm. We've pushed a lot of our food choices out into the world for the lowest bidder to come along and provide us the illusion of cheap options (microwaved meals, fast food burgers, instant noodles we can buy for $2 or less). Cheap, quick, and easy today doesn't necessarily translate to health and vitality tomorrow. And it certainly doesn't translate to self-sufficiency. I believe we all need the fundamental knowledge and skills to prepare our own meals without being drained of too much time, money, or energy. Here are some tips of my own tips:

1. Learn to cook real food! Home cooked foods don't have to be elaborate, time consuming, or expensive to be nutritious and filling. Learn new skills and recipes from family and friends, enroll in a local cooking class, check out a cookbook or blog, or watch tutorials online.
2. Shop smarter at the grocery store! Groceries are generally less expensive when you buy pantry staples in bulk (think rice, grains, dried beans, spices, etc) and produce when in season. Most grocery stores now post their ads online so you can check out the specials ahead of time. Get the lowest price by checking the price per ounce/pound/unit when comparing bulk and prepackaged items or packaged items of different sizes (you might be surprised!). Stock up on meats when on sale and freeze individual portions.
3. Keep quick meal staples in the pantry, fridge, and freezer! You have limitless possibilities with rice/grains, frozen vegetables, and beans (pre-cooked or canned) or meat. Stir-fry, fried rice, and beans and rice are just a few simple ideas that can be served humbly with minimal seasoning or dressed up with spices and sauces. Always having at least one "pantry ready" meal helps with those nights when you're low on energy or not feeling creative. Let's face it--this happens to all of us.
4. Plan meals around like ingredients! Cook up larger portions of protein staples like meat and beans to be used across multiple meals throughout the week. Shredded chicken/beef/pork can go into tacos, burritos, quesadillas, rice bowls, or salad. I like to do this with greens and lettuces too, for salads, sauteed greens, and also chopped up into noodle or rice bowls.
5. Don't be afraid to experiment and make mistakes! Try new cooking techniques, ingredients, and recipes. If it turns out, you've got something new in your arsenal and if not, most of those "mistakes" are probably still edible ;)

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