HOW TO EAT GREEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT

Image Courtesy of The Daily Green

Eating “green” is something that is new to me. I started learning about the food industry and such right before I got pregnant. When I was preggo, nothing healthy satisfied my cravings. Baby wanted chicken nuggets and french fries!!! Of course, now I’m paying for that, but that’s a different story.

TRUTH: IT’S HARD TO EAT GREEN.

Let’s be honest: grabbing fast food is SO much easier than seeking out earth-friendly food sources every day. I would be lying if I said that I was able to avoid the pitfalls. I DON’T. Because, hey guess what? I’m not perfect and neither are you! BUT, if you feel like you want to change what you eat just a smidge, here are a few things you can do:

1.) BUY LOCAL-the best thing you can do for your community, the earth and the food industry is to buy local. Seek out your local farmer’s market. Some grocery stores will even label locally grown or produced foods. Not only are you supporting local business but you are telling the suppliers that you value the proximity and with less transportation comes less pollution.

2.) EAT ORGANIC-Look for foods labeled organic (not natural. There is a difference!). The USDA actually provides a certification that can be found on many products. Foods grown organically don’t use harmful fertilizers and pesticides. I like to think of it as a return to the way food used to be grown.

3.) EAT UNPROCESSED FOODS- This one is so hard. I know! We did so good at the beginning of our Vegan journey and have fallen back into pretty much only eating processed foods. Processed foods, even when organic, require factories and lots of moving parts. Eating natural foods reduces this carbon footprint (maybe in the smallest way). It’s also SO good for your body! I lost weight immediately upon doing this.

4.) PLAN AHEAD- Again, easier said than done. If you do start going green, cook basics ahead such as rice and beans and store them in the refrigerator so when that urge to stop and grab a burger comes on, you’ve got something to fall back on (or you can just find a burger joint that buys local meat. Just sayin’). Just don’t waste too much food.

5.) GO MEATLESS- Ahhhh! You say “no meat?” Ok, ok. I’m not saying become vegan. Just try a Meatless Monday or something. Growing and harvesting meat is one of the most UN-earthfriendly processes in the world. I won’t go on my soapbox but trust me.

Now listen, these are just suggestions and picking just ONE of these things makes a difference. Here are a couple things to check out that explain some of these things further:

Food Inc.- This is a great documentary on the food industry and the changes that need to be made.
100 Days of Real Food- A great blog about a family’s journey to eating natural. Lots of suggestions and recipes.

And remember, no step is too small. Buy your celery local and that’s one step in the right direction.

Share and Enjoy