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Born Again Minimalist

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Some thoughts on food

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by

Caitlin

in

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As we minimize the clutter in our spaces and minds, shouldn’t we also minimize the clutter in our food?

I’m pretty much over eating anything I can’t pronounce.

I had heard about these “GMOs” that have had people up in arms in recent months and years, but only recently have I done more digging and come up with the conclusion that I’d like to lead an organic lifestyle.  Genetically modified foods and pesticides on conventional produce terrify me.  It may be more expensive to buy some foods organically but for me personally, the peace of mind that I’m not eating a vegetable with pesticides written into its DNA is worth it.

On that note, apparently 86% of corn in the US is genetically modified (as of 2010. Forgive me for citing Wikipedia).  Yikes! Corn is in so much of the food we eat, and we don’t even think about it.  Canola and soy are also huge GM crops, and they are also in basically everything.  I can’t even imagine having a corn or soy allergy, but more and more people do as GMOs become more prevalent.

I will be instilling some minimalist virtues into my new eating habits.

  1. One in, one out – Technically this one is going to be reversed.  As I finish a non-organic/GMO/non-pronounceable food item in my kitchen, it will be replaced with a whole-food, organic/non-GMO alternative.
  2. No clutter – Buying fresh produce means less packaging, and it also means I can’t stock up on things because they will expire faster when they’re not full of preservatives.  I will only buy what I plan to eat in the next week or so.
  3. Quality over quantity – I will be paying more for a healthy food option over spending the same amount on several unhealthy food items.  Junk doesn’t have a place in my kitchen or my stomach anymore!

I’m already nearly vegan, so this is just one more way to make my friends and family dread entertaining with me!  Sorry, family. I love you very much.

A perk to this new plan of mine is that I’m seriously turned off by junk food.  If I don’t know what’s in it, I am very wary.  I am not perfect, however, and succumbed to the will of a doughnut in a work meeting recently.  For shame.

One issue I foresee is that of eating out at restaurants.  I’m not sure how I will handle that, besides not eating out at all.  Who knows what they put in their food?  I know Chipotle Mexican Grill sources organic and local ingredients when they can but I am not sure about other restaurants.  There’s probably corn and soy products all over the place!   If anyone has a good source for finding restaurants that use local/organic ingredients let me know in the comments.

Do you follow a particular diet?

Also, here’s a great source for more info on GMOs: http://www.nongmoproject.org/

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12 responses to “Some thoughts on food”

  1. Brandi Avatar
    Brandi

    Recently I discovered I have gluten insensitivity so I’ve often wondered if it has anything to do with GMOs. Luckily I can still eat corn or soy, but since they’re genetically modified that is worrisome too. Right now a lot of my diet is brown rice, but now there’s a ton of articles lately about arsenic levels found in rice. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57515656/reported-arsenic-levels-in-rice-prompt-concern/

    I’ve always tried to stay away from white rice because it has no nutrition, but apparently it doesn’t have as many arsenic levels. Sigh, it seems we can never win nowadays.

    Reply
    1. Caitlin Avatar
      Caitlin

      I feel the same! Like everything is a risk. I have heard about the arsenic in rice too, and that’s worrisome. I just ordered some organic canola oil so at least my home cooking can be controlled as I transition to a non-GMO kitchen. Thanks for reading and thank you for the article about rice!

      Reply
  2. jessreed7 Avatar
    jessreed7

    We will never be able to eat out again. Oh well. You can make me delicious vegan treats when I visit. Also, Christmas dinner should be fun.

    Reply
    1. Caitlin Avatar
      Caitlin

      Christmas dinner will be AWESOME. And I think I will eat out sometimes. Especially Chipotle, because they at least make an effort, right? Also I just bought a Groupon for an organic restaurant in Berea. Let me check the expiration date and maybe we can go when you are home 🙂

      Reply
    2. Caitlin Avatar
      Caitlin

      Also I think you and I have volunteered to make Christmas dinner because we’re fussy. I’m more fussy. But you a little bit.

      Reply
      1. jessreed7 Avatar
        jessreed7

        Sweet! Let’s make a secretly almost completely vegan dinner! Minus the whole ham thing mom and Joe just *need.*

      2. Caitlin Avatar
        Caitlin

        THEY NEED TWO, JESS. THEY NEED TWO.

      3. jessreed7 Avatar
        jessreed7

        FOR SIX PEOPLE!

      4. jessreed7 Avatar
        jessreed7

        FOR SIX PEOPLE!

        But really. That’s some good ham.

      5. Caitlin Avatar
        Caitlin

        I know, right? No more piggies for me though. Sad piggies.

  3. JMK Avatar
    JMK

    Can someone explain to me the downside of genetically modified food? I’m mot being a smart ass, I’m serious. I hear people say they want to avoid it, but I’ve yet to hear what is actually wrong with it? If two strains of corn which are less suseptible to desease are cross pollinated to create a strain which is super resistant (and therefore doesn’t need chemical spraying) isn’t that a good thing? What am I missing?

    Reply
    1. Caitlin Avatar
      Caitlin

      The pesticides are in the corn’s DNA and can cause health problems. The pesticides are designed to explode the stomach of insects, and so people are getting food allergies from leaky intestines from the pesticides, when their immune system attacks the food that leaks out because the pesticides are damaging their organs. That is my lay-person’s understanding of it, I admit that I have not done extensive research, but that’s scary enough for me to take a step back from GMO foods!

      Reply

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