I think that this aspect of reducing (overconsumption and) waste is one of the main aims of the Slow Food Movement, which I have been really enjoying reading about lately. I absolutely love the European (particulary the French) customs regarding food; they seldom if ever eat alone, they eat small portions (quality over quantity) of freshly prepared food; and take their time eating it.
I've read time and time again about the social and emotional benefits of eating dinner at the table - with the whole family - each night, and in the past year I have worked on extending that concept to include simple, freshly prepared food as often as possible, which has to have health benefits for us all as well.
It seems so logical then to extend this concept to all of our meals. It would be difficult, and probably unrealistic, to eat every meal together sitting at a table, but that doesn't mean that we can't be far more mindful of what we are eating, particularly snacks. Instead of eating in front of the telly, or the computer in my case, we could and should, sit down quietly to appreciate what we are eating and how much we are consuming.
To that end, although it isn't really the crux of Crunchy's challenge, I am going to point blank refuse to buy drive-through anything ever again! It's all rubbish anyway, and we rarely do it now, but there always seems to be the odd occaison when we are caught short and the kids are thirsty etc etc. From now on we will stop and eat something if that is required, and I need to work more on having healthy snacks prepared ahead of time. I always have sultanas in my bag (and always grab their Sigg water bottles as we leave the house), but they don't last long if the hunger pangs really strike the kids, LOL. I wouldn't like to contemplate how many calories I must have consumed in the car over the past decade *shudder*.
In regards to reducing our food waste for the challenge though, I honestly don't know if I can get any better when I have three little kids? Organic fruit and veg is so much more expensive (plus the work that goes into home grown produce) that I am pretty careful about not wasting any of it, but tonight for instance, I was cringing throwing out (into the dog's dinner) the beautiful, ripe, just-picked cherry tomatoes that one of the kids decided not to eat tonight (who knows why, she normally loves them), and I must have thrown out the equivalent of two bananas during the day because they leave bits in the bottom of the skins or break off sections that look dodgy to them. Bah! What can you do about that?
Making: French bread vienna-style loaves... one of which the dogs promptly ate when the kids let them inside while I was checking the mailbox. *Sigh*
Picking: Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes. Discovering that something/ someone has snapped the top out of one of my two capsicums (sweet peppers) and I've lost nine capsicums to sunburn and wilt as a result :-( Meep!
Dinner: Wholewheat Hokkien noodle salad with marinated kangaroo fillet.
Reading: Your Money or Your Life, Dominguez & Robin.
Utility Averages: Gas 28.8 MJ/day; water 410 L/day; electricity 11.3 kWh/day. I had to water some of the garden again on Sunday, with mains water. And wow, what an impact that had on our water use average :-( We also turned on the air conditioner for two hours on the same day, and it blew our electricity average out by 2 kWh as well! Talk about a bad day...
Contemplating: A thrift store shop tomorrow, for old men's shirts to refashion into kids dresses.
7 comments:
I have been reading your blog for a while now and really love it. One idea on your children wasting food might be to try to salvage what you can. For example unless the banana was really gross I might put the pieces in the freezer to use in banana bread or muffins. Maybe the tomatoes could be saved and used in a sauce. I would think that cooking would kill whatever germs might be there plus if it was from my own family I wouldn't be too worried. Just a thought.
Margaret
Awesome that you are giving up fast food - better for your health, the environment, your budget, etc.
I love the ideas behind the Slow Food Movement. My husband and I have enjoyed our food so much more now that we've been growing and preparing our own meals!
I would also just throw those cherry tomatoes into some tomato sauce and use the bananas in some pancakes or freeze them for banana bread later.
I read about the Slow Food Movement awhile ago and like what they suggest/say!
I should join the Project no Waste ~ I've been reading Crunchy Chickens blog for a few months now.
I'm trying to decide which challenges to join: no waste, three gifts, eat local. Have to pick a path and stick to it and overdo it as then I may not do it at all well. Step by step.
The bread looks delicious!
Have tagged you for a meme, go check out my blog
Cheers
Robin
One thing I love that Peter and I do is to eat dinner together every night at the table. Very occasionally we eat in front of the tv but it's not often. Most of the time we prepare dinner together or one person prepares while the other person sets the table. We often eat outside on the patio then lie on the couch afterwards talking while our tummies settle.
I think I've told this story on my blog before but I have a friend, she used to live with her boyfriend and his best friend. She normally made dinner then she'd eat in her sitting room watching her tv and they'd eat in their sitting room watching their tv - and it was often the same show! I've had dinner with them twice and each time I can't get over it. She and her man moved up north (he's in the police) and I'm not sure what they do now, if it's just the two of them if they eat together.
In Belgium in two of my three families we ate breakfast together at least once on the weekend and often both days. Boiled eggs, petit pain (little breadrolls), fresh orange juice and coffee or tea at the first family. Petit pain, sliced cheeses and cold meats, crepes, juice (not fresh) and coffee at the second. It is such a nice custom and one Peter and I occasionally follow although we have more Aussie foods.
Great post, for many years I have been a fan of slow food and mindful eating from a health/weight loss perspective and of course it has many environmental and social benefits.
Don't stress - its worm food right!?
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