What does Eating Naturally mean to you? What does it mean to your friends and family? Inevitably, the answer will be different for each of us because the answer comes from our own level of exposure and experience around eating. Our eating habits are deeply personal, and are very much both a part and a reflection of ourselves.
For mothering Mother®, “eating naturally” is defined as eating food as close as possible to the way that Nature delivered it. When shopping, we often buy the more nutritious packaged foods because we think that we are buying a smarter option. In reality, by choosing packaged foods we are eating a food that has already been altered in some way. In the grocery store, we must ask ourselves the question, ”What could I eat without packaging?”
Ideas for Awareness Eating
- Choose foods that make you feel good before, during and after the eating experience. Take the time to consider what the impact is of what you eat on yourself as well as the environment.
- Become aware of the volume of garbage that you are adding to the landfill or incinerator each week. Be honest with yourself and see what comes to your attention, and what is possible to change.
- Look at the recycling bin, and see what types of items are in the bin! What can you do without, or source differently?
- Use mothering Mother® bags regularly. Buying fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds (from bulk bins if possible), are all earth purchases, free of plastic and processing.
Be good to yourself and take the realistic approach. It took years to come to develop the habits that you have now, and it will take practice and time to replace them with healthier alternatives.