So, life here in the states has becoming increasingly green. Everywhere you look, it’s all about "saving the planet" "go green" "reduce, reuse, recycle" "buy organic"….it can all be so overwhelming AND EXPENSIVE when for so much of your life was about convenience and a budget. We are making baby steps here at the Nelson house. Of course, we always recycle, occasionally I remember to take along our own "shopping bag" to save the plastic ones from our landfills…but, the big changes have come with what we eat. I have begun making homemade bread. The response from the kids and Tony was amazing. It’s DELICIOUS and FRESH. And, the best part, I know exactly what is in it…I can read all the ingredients and PROUNOUNCE all the ingredients. I rest knowing there are no artificial preservatives going into it or their bodies. I attempted yogurt. I can’t say that one was a success. The taste was great, but the texture was retched and "curdle-like." I also made homemade granola…YUM! And, I’m attempting graham crackers tomorrow. I’m learning that this can be do-able and cost effective for a family of 5…it will just take time to budget it all, get into the routine and put in that little extra time and TLC. But, to me, it is so worth it.
Apparently kids (one of my co-workers’ kids specifically) are having "panic attacks" because the "green crusade" has them thinking there will be NO PLANET EARTH when they are old. Pretty scary really. Another friend of mine, a teacher said the girls in her class are "abnormally shaped." They have tiny bodies, and these huge bellies…it just doesn’t look right. Could it be from added hormones in milk and meat? Why is autism on the rise? Affecting one in five children. How high are cancer rates…every single person I KNOW has been effected either directly or indirectly through cancer. Couldn’t there quite possibly be a correlation between how drastically we’ve preserved our food, added hormones, prescribed all of our children to be on some medication and used plastics? Don’t even get me started on microwaves…that’s a whole separate blog!
My point is, YES, change is hard. I’m proud to say that my kids are responding well. They’ve never even tasted "white" bread, so the bread thing hasn’t been a huge adjustment. My hope is that through all this they just won’t know any different…they will learn good eating habits and looking after our planet because that’s ALL THEY’VE EVER KNOWN. It will just be a lifestyle they have always known.
DISCLOSURE- I am not saying that those with cancer have not led healthy lives. I am simply stating that it is obviously on the rise…there must be something we have changed in the last one hundred years to contribute to those numbers.
I'm all for green ideas...I'm in the "baby step" stage but would love to hear your ideas. Post 'em up!!
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Yeah Becky! I'm so glad your bread turned out! There is something so satisfying about your hubby and kiddos raving about your cooking when you also know it is SOO good for them! Jeremy tells me that the only competition to my sandwiches are the seven dollar ones you'd buy fresh at a bread shop. :)
As for the yogurt...hmmm. Now mine looks a bit bumpy on top when I open the lid but it stirs up very smooth and creamy. When did you add the powdered milk? I'm wondering if it didn't get it fully blended in because that is the "thickening" agent.
DON'T throw it away though - just make the kids smoothies or even milkshakes (add a bit of ice cream). My first two batches were definitely sub-par but I tweaked a little something each time.
Another thing - I HEAR you on the milk/hormones thing. One of the changes we made a few years ago was to buy milk hormone/antibiotic free. I don't want my two girls starting their periods at ten! :) (Which is probably an exaggeration but maybe not!) The cheapest place we've found for Hfree and Antfree milk has been Costco. You can't get nonfat there but we get 1%.
Have you thought about the deotorant? One of the ladies that hosts our Titus 2 women's group here in Collierville had a breast cancer scare last week and she was SOOO interested in the homemade deotorant. When you think about it - we women just slather all these chemicals on our armpits which is also considered breast tissue (ever had a plugged milk duct in your pit? Feels lovely!) and also where our lymph nodes reside. Again, not sounding the fire alarms, but just wondering why we wouldn't use an alternative if we have one. And FYI Jeremy is started using it and it has been plenty strong enough for him.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post. (oh and for the grocery bags, I've told Averi and Halle it is their "job" to remember and carry them. They are soooo good about remembering! I would never remember if it wasn't for them! :)
Hey Becky - I am so with you on this subject. I was on a kick there for a while making my own bread...that was..before baby Justice! Life has become more hectic and I know, sometimes convenience wins out. I want to restart, though. YOu guys are inspiring me! I, like you am concerned myself about health risks from food and products..I SO want to do what's right for our family...it feels so overwhelming, though. I am just asking God that he'll show me what I need to change and how I can do it. Thanks for the topic!
Love, Angela
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