Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Dietary Confessions

  • Motivated primarily by my sweet tooth, lack of groceries, and a low level of motivation, I made peanut butter and chocolate chip scones for supper one night this week. My justification: Protein and antioxidants are good for you, right?


  • In trying to present balanced meals to my family, I sometimes allow myself to count popcorn as a vegetable.


  • I really admire friends who abide by strict dietary restrictions.


  • I sometimes wonder if certain dietary restrictions would benefit any of my family members, but I'm scared to really pursue what that might look like.


  • I have not become proficient in cooking either Ukrainian or Ethiopian dishes.


  • I believe half of our family would be quite happy as vegetarians (and part of me would really like to try it, for various reasons), but I can't imagine that the other half of the family would be too excited about giving up regular and substantial servings of meat.


  • I often crave a "texture" of food.


  • I have no idea how I will keep food in my house when my children are teenagers.


  • I often think about the food the boys ate before they came to our family, and I feel humbled. I think about what people eat around the world, and I feel a strange mix of gratefulness and grief.


  • Meal prep is often exhausting and solitary work. I don't enjoy that. Meal prep is often creative and sacrificial work. I love that. I'm not sure what makes the difference.


  • I really wrestle to maintain the balances between the creative and the practical, the nutritious and the efficient, the special and the simple, feasting and fasting. And I know food can easily be an idol. In one of my favorite books of all time, Your God is Too Safe (I'm re-reading it right now), Buchanan writes, "I don't just like food; I love food. And our culture loves food. I am a man of stuffed lips, and I live among a people of stuffed lips." I identify with that.

If any of the above resonate with you, and you've found a way to feel more satisfied with your approach to diet, I'd love to hear what worked for you! Thanks!

2 comments:

Sarah P said...

Hey Kristy -- I can finally access your blog! (our connection was too slow in SL) we are planning to really restrict our meat intake when we get back and continue with our Kamakwie diet of pulses. Look forward to chatting more about food and other things. I also found that chicken flakes that you can get in a tin (looks like tuna) make a great substitute for ground beef in spaghetti sauces etc. don't know if it's as healthy but maybe cheaper......

Laurie said...

Hi Kristy.
I was on your blog today getting my daily fix of the Tapper family (I miss you all so much - I cry every time I visit). I thought I would share a website that I found yeterday. Not sure if it meets your needs (I, myself, found it helpful cause I live with a southern and need to make him feel like he's home every now and then), but there are some healthy food tips as well as other helpful tips. Take care and please give the children hugs for me.

God bless
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/