Food changes

In the past year we have changed a lot of our eating habits.  While researching what to do about Jaelyn's dairy intolerance, I have learned so much about the quality of what we consume.  And now, I can not un-learn it.  So we make changes.  We still have plenty of distance to go, but I am proud of what we have accomplished so far, and I wanted to share with you that it is do-able!

1. We have switched to nearly all organic produce.  Occasionally we will get conventional citrus or bananas, but that's about it. For those of you who think that is a waste of money, or that it is silly because you grew up on conventional produce... read this.  What you ate twenty years ago is NOT what you are eating now.
2. We try to eat only grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken and eggs, and wild-caught fish (that have been tested for mercury levels).
3. We avoid GMO's, soy anything, and chemicals.
4. We drink water, organic coffee, and tea.  That's all. 
5. We stopped eating 90% of any processed foods. We still occasionally eat crackers or tortillas chips, but I buy the kind with less than ten ingredients (of which I know what they all are, and they have no big offenders!).
6. We starting seeing sugar and starch as what builds fat, not edible fat. 
7. Greatly reduced the number of times we eat out.  When we do, we try to support restaurants that make healthy food choices (my personal favorite CHAIN: Chipotle. And no, McDonald's does not have any investment in them anymore!).
8. We started seeing our plate as 50% plant food (or more), 25% healthy protein, 25% "starch" (preferably whole grain).
9. We started vegan Thursdays, most weeks we don't eat any animal products on one day out of the week.  Justin will be on this week, but not the rest of us.
10. We have learned to love vegetable juices (this was huge for me, I am rather picky), and my current goal is to make sure we have two a week.
11. We've switched all our oils over to three - coconut, olive, and butter.

And I have many, many goals left:

1. Get a reverse-osmosis system for drinking water (and liquid minerals to add to that drinking water since it will be stripped).
2. Find a new produce co-op since mine shut down.  :(
3. Reduce amount/frequency that we eat wheat and other grains.  And sugars.  Always reducing sugars!
4. Veggie juices at least twice a week.  I need to get in a better habit of when I make them.
5. Only consume raw dairy products.
6. Learn to make water-kefir and drink bi-weekly.
7. Buy locally-grown produce that is in season.
8. Stop eating processed meats (lunch meats and bacon).
9. Find a local source for healthy free-range pork products.
10. And on a personal level -- figure out how to work regular exercise into my crazy days.

I am sure there are more that I am not listing, and this is just about food!  There is a loooooong list of product changes I want to make in our home.  But, it is working.  Our kids have a better attitude toward food - they crave healthy things, and though they still want their sweet treat after dinner - sometimes they are okay with fruit, or two small pieces of REAL licorice. We are getting there, and we really feel better!  The other nice thing is knowing that we are voting with our dollars, telling the big corporations that we no longer want their chemical-laden products and that it is time for a change!

And we are feeling pretty good about that!