The Eater’s 5 Responsibilities
We have so many food options available to us that the grocery store has become an overwhelming chore for many. A mind numbing experience of walking in like a zombie grabbing something that can be prepared quickly. Anything to get home and be done with this chore. It has become almost as automatic as I need to mow the lawn. It just has to be done and the sooner it is over the faster we can get on to the fun stuff.
As an eater of food, you have a responsibility to put more effort and knowledge into the deciding what to put in your body. There isn’t a more important decision in the day. Sound excessive? It isn’t. What you decide to buy at the store shapes every action that comes after.
Here is a little story about Bob. Bob goes to the store and picks out his meals for the next day. He grabs cereal, milk, bread, lunchmeat, and a frozen pasta dinner with veggies and Alfredo sauce. Almost everything Bob bought has been conveniently made and pre-packaged for him. Minimal output is needed by Bob to eat for the next day. Seems harmless, but look what happens if Bob continues to eat this way.
- his sodium intake goes through the roof causing high blood pressure
- he adds more sugar to his diet causing heart issues
- he adds more plastic to the trash contributing to the landfills
- he encourages eating on the quick and doesn’t sit down and connect with family or friends over a meal only to find himself feeling distant and removed
- he gets next to zero fruits and vegetables in his diet making him feel sluggish and prone to weight gain
- he teaches his kids that this is how dinner is done and never gives them skills to take care of themselves
- never learns to pass on his great-grandma’s famous pumpkin pie which ends a family tradition
- he spends more money than he needs leaving little extra for the fun stuff he wanted to do
It isn’t just about putting calories in your body to get you through the day. It has a larger impact on you, your family and the community around you. You owe it to yourself and the rest of us to take your responsibility as an eater seriously.
There are 4 things you need to do as an eater: Choose to eat real food, learn to cook your own food, teach someone else to cook and share meals with others.
Choose to eat real food.
Choosing real food is simpler than it sounds. Stick to the edges of the store and you are likely to have mostly real food in your cart. This is assuming you skip the bakery with the chocolate chip cookies and the deli with its fried chicken. The edges of the store or the perimeter are where you will find the meats, produce, dairy, and the least processed foods in the entire store.
Learn to cook
The only way to know what is going into the food you are eating is to make it yourself. You don’t have to learn how to be a gourmet chef, but there are some essential recipes you should learn to make for yourself. Roast a chicken, homemade pasta sauce, soup, and a variety of vegetables are a good place to start.
Teach someone to cook
Don’t look down on someone that eats fast food or doesn’t yet eat real food. That used to be you not so long ago. So get off your high horse and teach them how to cook. Give them the tools that someone gave you. Pass on the knowledge so everyone can make better choices. If you have a trick that gets dinner on the table quickly without sacrificing real food it is imperative that you pay it forward.
Share meals with others
Few things in life are as satisfying as a shared meal. Sharing a meal with someone has long been thought as a special bonding experience. Studies now show that the psychological effects of shared meals are profoundly positive for the people at the table and the strength of the relationships. Make it a point to share a meal, without phones, with friends or family a couple times a week.
These four responsibilities are not only doable they are essential to creating the world we all want to live in. Don’t be like Bob, cook your own dinner tonight and sit down at the table and share it with someone. Better yet cook it together.