Food Rules.

A wonderful book has fallen into my hands.  It, for the most part, sums up all the food "rules" that we try to abide by on the homestead.  This book puts it simply:  how to eat and what to eat.

Eat Food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.

So there ya have it.

It lays it all out there.  It is a small lil thing, but it packs some seriously good pointers.  I snapped a few pics of my favs to share with ya - because I'm just generous like that.

Some food for thought for the weekend.  Let's start with this one:

I liked how he called out soy-based mock meats on this one.  Soy, trying to be a hot dog?  No thanks.   A food is what it is and that's what it should be.  Amen. 

This one is pretty self explanatory, but it's a neat test to run on a product before you buy it.  Unless your third grader reads at a sophomore level, in which case, this rule will not help you at all.

Read the first line of the paragraph before you get angry:  "Not because high-fructose corn syrup is any worse for you than sugar, but because it is, like many of the other unfamiliar ingredients in packaged foods, a reliable marker for a food product that has been highly processed."  If it has HFCS, you can be assured that what you are eating is not a whole food.  And we like whole foods. 

Xanthan gum is a rough one:  tons of organic or "natural" products use it.  Do you cook with it?  Do you know what is it?  Then you probably shouldn't be eating it.  I like to think whole foods.  In moderation.  Not that there is anything wrong with eatin' some down-right-junk-food once in a great while, but portion control is very important. 

This rule is funny because it contrary to everything the food industry strives for.  While they aim for extended shelf life on all products (even veggies are bred for this!), in reality, fresh food should rot.  That's the way it goes - that is the way it supposed to go!  Shop more often so that your veggies and fruits stay fresh.  Don't be worried about shelf life.  Your food should go bad!  It means that it's alive and that's what you want!

Homesteads have grandmas.  Grandmas know best.  Their generations rocks.  The end.

(I have pretty sophisticated reasons, don't I?)

Read this paragraph.  I think he says it pretty well.  Analyze the plate:  What exactly is on here?  Do I even know all the things on here?  Can I name all the products?  Where am I? 

Ummm...hello!  I love this guy!  Any book that has demands in a rule that you have a glass of wine with dinner is my new favorite book.  Plus, there's like, so much medical evidence to support this claim.  Really.  Truly.  It's good for you.

Kombucha, anyone?  Y'all thought I was crazy - and now my mom and sisters are all brewing batches in their basement.  They have joined the moonshine/kombucha revival.  Have you?  Fermented foods are back, baby.

After working raising beef for mucho years, I take this one very personally.  I want to care for the animals that God has given us dominion over.  I want to handle that responsibility...well, responsibly.  There I go, bein' all smart and well spoken again.

Portion, people.  More fruits and veggies than other food.  Crazy concept, I know.  Balance.

Frankly, I only put this in here because I though it was a pretty picture of a fork.  Do you find yourself enjoying looking at this photo?  I did.  It makes me hungry.  Imagine.

Love, love, love this one.  Eating is a privilege.  It's a pass time.  It's a joy.  Why can't we savor it!  Eat slowly and intentionally.  I hate it when I spend an hour and a half cooking a nice meal, only to have it demolished in fifteen minutes.  Poo on that, I say!  I worked hard for it, and dang it, I want to enjoy it.  What a great time for fellowship, even if it's only with your spouse and children.  It's important to time spent together.

Which leads me to this one.  Meals are a time for fellowship.  Let's treat them that way!

These aren't foolproof, but I think they are a good start!  I would recommend flippin' through it if you have the chance.  It's so easy to chase after the next fad diet, or get totally overwhelmed with even knowing where to begin!  Eating healthy doesn't have to be a science.  Eat whole foods that God designed. 

Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.