Thoughts on Food - June Challenge
It's June! We've officially made it through half of 2022. Kind of mind blowing isn't it!?! During 2022 Home in the Hollow is encouraging readers to participate in monthly challenges. This month our theme is food. Be sure to check out the links at the end of this post for additional resources related to food and nutrition.
I love learning about where food comes from and how it is produced. If you're anything like me, it's easy to eat a meal without giving a second thought to how that food actually got to my plate. For this month's challenge we're going to dive into where food really comes from - How it's grown or produced, family traditions and recipes, whole foods, seasonal living and more. Want to join in?
To participate in the June Food Challenge there's only one thing to do: think about your food. I'm asking that for three meals per week, you commit to naming the foods on your plate and asking yourself a few questions:
What ingredients are in my food?
Where did my meal come from?
Is there a story or family tradition tied with this meal?
What flavors am I able to pick out?
What do I like about this meal and what do I dislike?
Why does it matter?
You might be wondering "why bother?" Well, there are 5 reasons why I think focusing on our food can help us grow:
1. For starters, food helps us to cultivate a grateful attitude towards the bounty we have on our plates. When we stop to consider juicy strawberries or fresh eggs from our neighbor, it reminds us that we have so very much to be thankful for.
2. Food allows us to be active participants in one of the most basic needs of life. When we know what we're eating, it empowers us to make choices that can impact our health, our happiness, and our community. For instance, when you know the farmer who grows leeks, it not only gives you access to the freshest leeks, but it also includes you in the process of supporting your local farming community. And who knows, you might even have a new friend!
3. Food helps us to make healthier choices. When we understand how food is processed, the ingredients it's made of, and where it comes from, it helps us to make healthier choices for ourselves and our loved ones.
4. Food helps to pass on traditions and memories. How many of your fond memories are centered around family recipes or stories told at the dinner table?
5. Food can help to encourage seasonal living. In the spring we enjoy rhubarb and asparagus. In the summer there are loads of fresh berries and zucchini. In the fall we crave apples and pumpkin pie. And winter lends itself to the foods we've preserved throughout the season. When we understand the seasons and the gifts each one gives us, it helps us to live in the moment and enjoy the time we have.
Have I convinced you to join the challenge? I hope so! Food does so much more for us than simply providing energy. It brings us together and helps us live life to the fullest.
Leave me a comment with your thoughts on food! I love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading,
Abby
Additional Resources:
True Food TV - How Does It Grow?
This is one of my favorite YouTube series and I've learned so much from these videos. They've done episodes on all kinds of plants ranging from chickpeas to strawberries. I would highly recommend watching them all!
Meghan Livingstone -
Meghan has lots of great videos related to health and nutrition. In the video below she does a great job of explaining the basics of nutrition especially in relation to processed foods. It's super helpful!
The Elliott Homestead -
I really enjoyed this blog post by Shaye Elliott. I love how she so eloquently discusses food as different for each person and how it offers "a taste of home." Check out the post at the link below.
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