Putting Thought Into It

Today G and I drove to the butchers and left with 117 lbs of beef in our trunk.  We looked upon it knowing this winter will be a good one.  We still have a lot of pork left, which we're incorporating into my meal planning every week (made a quiche last night).  Our freezer is now full, and we should make it an entire year without having to purchase beef, and hopefully until this summer without having to purchase bacon. 

The meat was not cheap, but it was far cheaper than we were paying for comparable things at the store.  We made the decision when we first got married to cut out as much hormones in our food as possible, but in England that sort of meat was not available at the store on base.  Once we moved back to the U.S. we made the switch completely, and went the further bit to not buy into the organic lie and just buy organic (which often is raised exactly the same, just with organic food...still in tight cramped spaces), but to also make a point to purchase pastured, grass fed, meat and eggs from local people.  But before linking up with this farmer, our beef was from Whole Foods and the price was ridiculous. 

The choice has been one we've never regretted or blinked an eye at.  Our eggs during the summer (when grass is lush) have deep yellow orange yolks.  The meat is delicious, and since I occasionally like to take a bite raw, I feel much safer about it.  The chickens we like to get are lean, long limbed birds who spent their lives roaming fields.  From a moral standpoint I'm happy, and from a taste standpoint I am pleased as punch.

We eat smaller portions of meat because of the cost and because both of us love veggies.  I'm glad I married someone who over time has really become just as passionate about the thought put into our food as I am.  I don't believe in gluttony as a way of life.  I believe that that way only ends up with less money in your budget, and more chances for poor health.  To counteract the natural desire to gorge, we choose quality foods, full of flavors and textures that delight the senses.  Real whipped cream, hand whipped into light as air deliciousness to top our chocolate pudding.  Pork coupled with a maple and brown sugar and mustard glaze (so odd, but out of this world amazing).  Portobello mushrooms sauteed in golden yellow Irish butter. 

I truly believe that in order for the U.S. to begin to battle obesity and heart disease that more thought needs to go into what we put into our bodies.  That we need to toss the stupid low fat concept out the window and begin to eat more full fat foods, which have been proven time and again to actually not hurt your health.  And as for weight issues, low fat satisfies no one.  We need to focus on getting more fiber, more naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and getting all of this from real food. 

I've noticed that the majority of people don't want to know what is in their foods, because if they did, they wouldn't want to eat it.  As a quote I pinned on pinterest says, "Ignorance is not bliss, it's ignorance."  The consequences will catch up to you.  So today I'm urging you to use this year to really begin to think about what you put into your body, and ask yourself if you deserve better.  I'm not perfect, I indulge occasionally in crap food.  But you deserve for crap food to be the exception to the rule, rather than the norm.