What's on your 10?

Ryan & I were having fun the other night thinking of the ten "grocery store" processed foods we just can't live without- and if we were moving to fresh-food-only island (serviced by fresh direct, of course), would just have to pack in our bags. What's your 10? Our goal is to try and phase out all other processed foods- yup, hopefully soon we will make our own dressings, breads, pastas, marinades, etc, but these 10 are forever in our hearts (and bellies!)


1. Aunt Jemima's Maple Syrup
AKA pure High Fructose Corn Syrup!! We both agree that we've been spoiled by the fake stuff, and find the real stuff just not sweet enough- and a little medicine-y. Call us low-class pancake eaters if you will, but Aunt J isn't going anywhere.




2. Ryan & I split on the one soda we would bring- He went for classic coke, and I opted for Mr. Pibb. Although both of us prefer fountain soda to cans and bottles anyway, We'd just have to make do...



3. Candy



Again, we couldn't quite agree, so I went with Reese's and Ry chose snickers.



4. Peanut Butter!
Despite trying several other nut butters and the stuff that tastes like peanut cardboard, we still stick by skippy. Though we now like and buy their "All Natural" brand, I still suspect there is some chemical goodness at work in this jar....



5. Pillsbury Cinnamon Buns
Requires almost no description, though I was tempted to go with pillsbury frosting- but since I'm not bringing the cupcake mix, seemed silly. Buns it is.



6. Heinz
Yup, I like my ketchup with sugar in it too, and just can't seem to get a taste for homemade styles.



7. Donuts
These bad boys are our all-time favs, Call us Homer.... Should be banned from the state, quite frankly.



8. Fluff
How can anyone drink hot cocoa without it? Fluff 'n nutters are just soooo good, couldn't leave this total non-food behind.



9. Oreo's
So what if there are no identifiable ingredients? These cookies just feel good, and taste great. I like to dip them in my tea....



10. So far, all other items we both consume, but perhaps share a stronger preference for one brand over the other. But for our tenth items- there is no overlap. We're both pretty grossed out by the other's choice...

Sugary Cereal (All Ryan)


Coconut candies (allllll me)




And last but not least, a shout out to Instant Mashed Potatoes, which makes shepherd's pie taste oh-so-good, but just didn't quite make the boat. Alas, like unicorns, Hungry Jack must be left behind to drown in the sea of processed foods...

What do we tell our daughters?

An interesting article in this week's times magazine (one of many- the entire issue is devoted to health & wellness, with food and exercise featured) asked how we handle the paradox of telling our daughters both that they are beautiful the way they are, and that they need to "watch their size" for their health?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18fob-wwln-t.html?ref=magazine

I don't have a daughter of my own, but as a teacher (and wellness.... advocate?) I have thought about this a lot in regards to my female students. 40% of our girls in grades 1-5 report being on some type of diet- these are girls between the ages of 6 and 10- and they are dieting, and this trend continues right into adulthood, when today, 50% of American women are on a diet at all times.

As disturbing as this is, it is perhaps even more so to realize that depending on race, between 30-40% of our girls under 19 are overweight. 17% are obese.

To say our food habits with our children- and ourselves-are disordered is an understatement.

I don't have easy answers- but I think it might start by telling our girls the following messages:

1. You don't need a thinner body, you need a healthier, stronger body. And we can ALL, forever, work toward that goal, regardless of where we begin.

2. You do not need to go on a diet, you need to change your diet, and be aware of what you eat and how it makes you feel.

These are the new rules I've been living by, and these are rules that I do not feel conflict. When I eat well, I feel good about myself. When I work out, I feel healthy and strong. I might always have some wobbly bits- that's just who I am. I am never going to be 5'11 and weigh 117 lbs (the average model height and weight)- but then again, neither will the other 98% of all women. Short of being stretched on a rack, those extra 7 inches in height just aren't coming my way. But I can do pushups, I can run for about 10 minutes straight- and I can twist myself into one sexy little pretzel. I'd like to do more. I want our daughters and students to see role models living in a new reality, where healthy is beautiful. I want moms, and friends, and aunties- to sell a new message of womanhood.

CSA: Community Supported Agriculture

We joined the Williamsburg-Greenpoint CSA!! What is so exciting about this? We will now get farm-fresh, picked-that-morning vegetables, fruit, eggs, and flowers every other week for the next 6 months! Beginning in mid-june and going all the way to Thanksgiving, we will be feasting on fresh foods. And all for only $22 a week. I am sooo excited! I am dreaming of produce :)

Check ours out at:
http://www.greenpoint williamsburgcsa.org/newsignup.php