- Buy local. Be a locavore. This means purchasing from local farmers as well as supporting local business owners. In buying from local farmers, I am "voting against" the industrial food system. (See more about the macro benefits of local in the Food Politics page). Fundamentally, I want my dollars to reinvest in my community through the local taxes paid by local businesses. I am fortunate that my primary grocery chain is a locally owned business. However, I really only need to go there between Saturdays (public market days) or if there's something I can't buy at the market, so I rarely have to visit there because....
- Eat food. Real food. Not food products. As Michael Pollan says it, eat food, not food like substances. His mantra developed in In Defense of Food, is "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Mark Bittman similarly suggests in his recent Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating, eliminate junk foods, reduce process foods, increase plant food intake and decrease animal products intake. I rarely need grocery store items because compared I don't buy very much that isn't fresh or locally bought. My produce is (mostly) purchased at the market; I buy very little frozen vegetables and typically freeze my own (when I am unable to eat everything I've purchased at the market before it spoils). My meats are purchased from grass-fed organic farmers from the region who see their products at the market. My breads, deli meats, and cheeses are (mostly) bought from the market vendors or other local bakeries and delis. I buy a lot in bulk (nuts, granola, beans, rice, pasta, baking supplies). I don't buy boxes of cereal, microwave dinners, or snack foods; I do buy crackers (for cheese-and-crackers) and my snack food weakness is kettle cooked salt and vinegar potato chips--everyone needs an indulgence and I don't feel guilty at all for it (neither should you!). My grocery purchases tend to consist of things like oil, vinegar, Asian sauces, spices, tortillas or pitas, condiments, etc. I used to eat a lot of healthyish granola bars, and recently I stopped buying them because they are still high in sodium and sugar.
- Share. Food isn't just for nutrition; there is a social function to food. I get much personal pleasure out of cooking, and sharing what I've cooked with others, whether it's having friends over for dinner or just bringing them a container of leftovers. I think food is the best social lubricant. Both food and sociality nourish the whole being, as well as the community (buy local). I identify with the cook Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten), whose cooking shows always have a social subtext, whether she's cooking a special meal for her spouse or helping her neighbor host a dinner party.
What's the point of my eating and food buying practices? It's not to lose weight, although eating this way would typically yield that is you already eat a significant amount of packaged and processed foods (and I think people eat a but more of those than you think).
My food habits have been changing in small ways over the last 5 years, so when I began making decisive changes to the way I ate about a year ago, it wasn't so much of a change to affect my weight. About 5 years ago, I lost 10 pounds through a very simple method: exercise 3-4x a week, less bread, smaller meat portions, more veggie portions, wine and cheese on weekends only (again, everyone needs moderate indulgences). I lost 10 pounds in 4 months. A lot of those habits stuck with me since then. I generally still eat less cheese than I used to (which was huge, because I LOVE cheese), and eat very little processed snack-wise. I have always emphasized fresh produce over packaged, and in the last couple years have just done this significantly more so.
It's really about being a healthier person, but not in a health-nut nutrient and supplement crazy kind of way. It's about connecting more to the earth, which is something I've lost since I no longer have gardening space like I used to; while I used to do perennial and herb gardening, in my eating I still feel a connection by using the earth's resources--food--for whole person nourishment. It's about connecting to the local community, both through supporting it and being a part of it--it's the beef farmer and cheese merchant who knows your name, and it's getting teary at the sight of all the people doing the same on a sunny Saturday in chilly western NY. It's about putting politics into practice by seeking out and supporting local alternatives to industrial food production and conglomerate food corporations.
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