Food For Thought

In the grocery store today, I thought a lot about what I put into my body. I came armed with a list and a cookbook for ideas. For the most part, I only shopped the perimeter of the store, collecting fresh food in its various forms, and I have my reasons for this.

I’m training for a marathon. I’m also learning to cook. This combination allows me to be very intentional about what I eat and how I eat. Grocery store aisles cause can cause mental strife as I ponder every food’s value. Because I run a lot right now, I want quality food in my body for energy, along with food that lasts awhile so I’m not hungry all the time. Food is quite an investment, in more ways than one.

A while back, I decided I wouldn’t eat anything I couldn’t pronounce. I can probably thank Food, Inc and Omnivore’s Dilemma for my issues. Knowing exactly what is in my food became very important to me. I started reading labels and nutritional values. When realized I was pulling out my rudimentary high school chemistry to decode ingredients, I realized I shouldn’t eat those things. I don’t want chemistry lab products in my body. I want natural things.

As a result, I am becoming more and more of a food purist. I make what I eat from scratch, so nothing comes pre-made or from a box. It’s actually less expensive to cook with fresh vegetables and ingredients since I often have enough food for a few meals from one cooking. I don’t eat out much anymore because it’s more enjoyable to chop my garlic and sizzle the ginger myself, and I can do it in my comfy sweatpants.

I do still buy spaghetti sauce, though. That’s my easy go-to meal for lazy cooking nights. On fancy nights, I make my own sauce. Did you know that Alfredo sauce is deceptively easy?

That doesn’t mean I’m a saint. I still snatch up a candy bar and enjoy every last bite. At the store, I did break my perimeter rule and toss Easter M&Ms in the cart … and ate some right when I got home. I followed my M&Ms with a shrimp and tomato curry over rice, perfect comfort food for a cool, rainy April night.