Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Grocery List and Day #1


{Preface}

As a preface to this rather expensive-looking grocery list/pile I feel it necessary to go over once again why I'm making the choices I'm making. I think I've gotten ahead of myself there.

I explained how I had been feeling unwell and unhungry. I explained that changes in my diet have changed how I feel so dramatically that I'm willing to go out and preach my newfound food beliefs. I have linked to other informative sites and I have talked to many of you personally. HOWEVER, what I have not done is answer plainly a few very important questions.

Q: What is "real" food?
A: Food that nourishes - gives you all the bang for your buck. Real food is food whose nutrients are readily accessible for absorption, food that is not diluted, processed or altered, and, very importantly, food that is prepared in a way that scientifically maximizes it's known benefit(s). 

Q: Why is grass-fed meat more "real" than caged or grain fed meat?
A: I know it's expensive, but it really is worth it. It's even worth eating less meat - if you know the meat you do eat comes from animals who were 1) humanely treated, and 2) not fed or injected with harmful chemicals that decrease the quality of the meat and thus the benefit to your body. I encourage you to research this. I was a hardened "cheap meat" fan until I did some serious reading. {When I find the article that officially persuaded me to buck up and buy grass-fed, I will link it here.}

Q: Why buy raw dairy instead of pasteurized/homogenized?
A: This is HUGE. I cannot begin to answer this massive question. It's a case of absorption again. It's a case of living food as opposed to killed food. It's a case of vital enzymes. If you're not yet convinced to buy raw dairy, please read everything you can. The information is particularly accessible right now because we the people are shouting out to the legislatures across North America to legalize this god-given food in not some, but all the states and provinces. {Plus it tastes better} ;)

Q: Finally, why {oh why??} spend more $$ on less food?
A: Because it's REAL food. Hypothetically, a handful of properly prepared nuts and one slice of raw cheese will give you the same nutrients {and in a far more absorbable form, no less} than three bowls of breakfast cereal with pasteurized milk. Another example: a piece of naturally soured bread with pastured butter is a filling and highly nutritious snack, whereas three pieces of cheeper white bread with a butter substitute might be casually added to the side of a big dinner, but - sadly - add nothing in either satisfaction or nutrition. I want every bite to count. It's about fueling the cells AND pleasing the pallet, not just the latter. 


Now I have a question for you: Would you rather your dollars be spent on inexpensive foods that you eat a lot of and get little benefit from, or would you rather they be spent on carefully selected REAL foods - 100% of which are proven, life-supporting, energy-giving super foods? 




I guess it's public now what I've chosen!  ;)






Grocery List for Meal Plan #1




Cultured pasture butter                             Cabbage                                 Uncured bacon
Cultured cream cheese                            Cantaloupe                             Uncured sandwich meat
Raw cheddar                                              Pears                                       Beef bones for stock
2 dozen eggs                                              Shallots                                  Ground veal
Parmesan block                                         Huge bag of carrots              Chicken sausages
Mixed fresh nuts                                         Cilantro                                   Smoked salmon piece
2 loaves of sourdough                              Spinach                                   2lbs stew beef
Olive oil                                                       Onions                                   Canned tuna {no soy}
Organic raw honey                                    Raisins                                    Coconut milk
Slivered almonds                                      Apricot/coconut sticks               
Recycled aluminum foil                           Yukon gold potatoes                BULK:
Recycled sponges                                                                                    Popcorn
Borax                                                                                                      Yellow split peas
Scrumpy's hard cider                                                                                Black/white beans


GRAND TOTAL SPENT: $150.95






In addition to the foods I bought today I have the basket pictured below which is full of seasonal goodies that I picked up over the last few weeks whenever I found a good sale. I'll be using a lot of these this week. Also, please refer to this post if you'd like to know more about the staples that make cooking simple and nutritious - whether you have potatoes or lamb on hand! 


2 comments:

  1. Yes, I want to eat real food. The problem for me is finding the time and developing the skills to prepare the gorgeous ingredients you've pictured here. It's just too easy for me to pour a bowl of cereal, but perhaps you can inspire me to make time to cook better!

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  2. Brianna!! Good to 'see' you here. Well, it sounds like you may have a similar situation to my best friend. I talk to her about this blog almost every day and I just keep telling her how desperately I don't want to pressure people to eat how I eat. Inspiring is good, but overwhelming is not. Feel free to keep reading as I explore this rather extreme lifestyle - if you pick up one new habit that you love, I'll feel successful.

    As for finding time and developing skills, that IS the problem, isn't it?! Honestly I hardly have time to write because I LIVE in the kitchen. It's getting better though! That's the good news. It's a sharp learning curve, but when you conquer all the new habits, life gets simple again. <3

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