Do you wake up in the morning dreaming of what’s for dinner, or in my case, dessert? Wait, perhaps I should have started this post differently; you know, talked about the weather or the latest news. But I’ve done that before, at least about the weather anyways. All kidding aside, I am asking that very question. For me, food is ALWAYS at the forefront of my thoughts!
What is hard for me to understand, is why? I was most likely what you would have considered a picky eater in my younger, formative years, so it’s not like this was a love affair of sorts that started in my youth? There are still some things I just don’t like, for instance, raw
tomatoes. I can’t do it, and I promise, I’ve tried! I’ve even grown my own
thinking that’s where the mystery lies!
So, is it all about how food is prepared? Perhaps, but I think it also comes down to having experiences with food. If you haven’t been exposed to some things, I think you don’t know what you’re missing. How’s that for a saying you’ve heard before and even still, it brings about an audible eye roll you can hear a mile away! I say that sarcastic sentence because I am
pretty sure my husband has said that to me at least a half dozen times about eating raw tomatoes! Still, I can’t eat raw tomatoes!
The name of this blog was chosen specifically because I am obsessed with crafting the perfect food or cup of drink. From biscuits and homemade croissants, strawberry pie and gooey brownies, to chai tea and an amazing brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso, if you can create it, I’m down with making it!
I get excited about getting the ingredients for whatever I’m making, because I understand the importance of each ingredient I am using. Hunting those ingredients in a small town however, has led me to a very real understanding of what is now called a “food desert.” The dictionary defines it as “an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable good-quality fresh food,” and it is very evident in small towns across America. People no longer grow their own food, and small family farms are disappearing for various reasons.
Last year, my husband and I completed a bucket list trip traveling to Italy and spent some glorious days surrounded by the architecture and food of a region that still calls to me. Italy has some of my favorite food, not so much for its al dente pasta and wild boar ragu, but for all the things their food doesn’t contain, such as preservatives and packages.
If you journey to the COOP, their grocery store, (yes, I said store, not stores) you will find a small store with very limited items compared to any major grocer in the U.S. Small shops dot the town’s streets selling fresh bread, cheeses, and meats, even carefully crafted pastries, gelato, and cappuccinos. Italians do not live on prepackaged foods full of ingredients you cannot pronounce, and the country no longer allows the use of pesticides and toxic ingredients in their
farming. Let me tell you, you physically can feel the difference, even after only spending a short amount of time there. They take their food, and what it means to have good ingredients to heart, and it shows (they also relish slowing down and enjoying a meal, but that’s for another blog!).
So, what’s my point? My point is this, we are slowly killing ourselves by eating the foods we find in our grocery stores and fast-food and restaurant chains today. Americans are notorious for our fast-food consumption, to the point where we no longer consume the things our body needs.
In a study by Drive Research, these statistics touch on an ever-growing trend that seems to
show no signs of slowing down. “2 in 3 people consume fast food at least once a week. Males are nearly three times more likely than females to eat fast food daily. On average, people spend $148 on fast food each month.” The list goes on!
We haven’t even started to touch the topic of not eating from the inside aisles of a grocery store! Food allergies and intolerance to certain foods have far more to do with how the food is
grown and packaged for a longer shelf life than the actual food itself.
So, what do we do about it? We eat real food. Sounds simple, and a bit rudimentary, but it is about as true a statement as anyone could make! If you’re doing all you can to eat well, your body will feel it, and the transformation can be an amazing one. For me, just focusing on eating real food, sweets and treats I prepared with my own hands, and not eating from a package, has made all the difference.
Since our eye-opening experience in Italy, I have dropped 20 pounds, and have managed to keep it off. Does that mean I am cursed if I drive through Chik-fil-A once in a while? Absolutely not! However, it will ensure that I have more days of feeling strong and energetic than before.
My obsession with food lead me all the way to Italy, and what I discovered is far more valuable than I ever could have imagined! Take some time and make some changes in your food
routine. Start one step at a time, or go all in, but start somewhere because it all comes back to the food!
by Michelle Parsley
