Does your schedule leave time for local eating?
I'm passionate about local eating, and I've written before about a second passion I have: Living Simply. I follow a blog called "Becoming Minimalist" and a recent post included "Minimalism Quotes...Through the Centuries." I found the following thought provoking:
"But I deal with this by meditating and by understanding I’ve been put on the planet to serve humanity. I have to remind myself to live simply and not overindulge, which is a constant battle in a material world.” Sandra Cisneros, 1954
Sandra Cisneros recognized the risk of a complicated life and the potential for it to distract her from what is really important. Her quote focuses on serving humanity, but we can think about how our choices distract us from using locally sourced foods as well.
For example: Your kids play soccer Monday night, have gymnastics Tuesday night, karate Wednesday, Boy scouts Thursday and by Friday night you're all exhausted. But rest up, because Saturday morning is basketball at the YMCA, a birthday party at noon, and shopping until 7 when you head home for Netflix movie. Or, you're single, yet have a similarly packed activities schedule for yourself.
With the frenzy, where does local eating fit in? Could it be possible that saying no to some activities would give you the extra time to start a family garden and teach your kids more important lessons than soccer or karate? Kids who grow their vegetables actually eat more of them (and adults too). Could visiting the local farmers' market Saturday morning impact your health in more important ways than basketball? 'Tis the season...to eat more locally!
I can relate to this 100%. On those "complicated" weeks, I'm doing good to just have time to *prepare* real meals (as opposed to fast food), much less go out to procure local food! But it's important, and planning is the key. Real food doesn't come prepackaged, ready to pop in the microwave. But the act of organizing ones life and simplifying wherever you can will make the whole process easier. The greatest thing I've found in trying to simplify is that it really is easier than it sounds. I can make a whole dinner of fresh local salad greens and leftover chicken from dinner the night before, or quick wraps with black beans I cooked in the crock pot over the weekend. Weekends, crock pots, and my freezer are the greatest simplifiers in my life. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right, it comes down to planning and making local eating and fueling ourselves well priorities. I love crock pot black beans too...yum...and totally agree with your last sentence, so true!
ReplyDeleteSee "Parenting by the Book," a book on parenting Biblically that touches on how activities - too many, at least - impact our children, and their FIRST, most IMPORTANT team: their family. It would tie in nicely with this thought of yours!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book recommendation, Wendy. I'll have to add it to my list of future reads. What a neat way to think about family...as an important "team."
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