I once read that most people think their diet is more varied than they think. We fall back on what we like more often than we think. As a corollary, we tend to see others’ diets as less varied.
(I couldn’t find the research on diet variety, but Most people think their diet is healthier than it is: U.S. adults commonly overestimate the quality of their diet, study shows, which found “Out of over 9,700 participants, about 8,000 (roughly 85%) inaccurately assessed their diet quality. Of those, almost all (99%) overrated the healthfulness of their diet.”)
Yesterday someone asked me if I get bored of my stews. To my discredit, I talk about stews and salads as single things, but they vary from batch to batch.
Below are ingredients I’ve eaten in the last twenty-four hours, at least that I remember, all whole, no fiber removed. It wasn’t a special twenty-four hours. This amount of ingredients is typical, I’d say, though the mix changes from month to month depending on what’s in season.
I’m curious how others’ compare. Since I count prepared things like bread, tamari sauce, and paprika as one ingredient, I suggest counting a dish at a restaurant as one ingredient. I think those ingredients were the only prepared ones I used, unless you count the flours. As usual, no refined oils or sugar.
I don’t have time or money to order takeout or buy prepackaged dishes or eat out. For some reason people think ordering out or eating out saves time or money, mainly rich people who spend more time and money on food than I do and project their privilege everywhere they can. Not knowing how to cook does.
spinach
broccoli
celery
black beans
pinto beans
red lentils
potatoes
sweet potatoes
avocado
grapes, green and red
apple
lemon
turmeric
black pepper
green peppers
jalapeno peppers
blackberries
banana
chickpea flour
buckwheat flour
whole wheat sourdough bread
hazel nuts
peanuts
almond
pumpkin seeds
squash seeds
zucchini
salt
cumin
kelp
nutritional yeast
chutney, home made from orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit
ginger
avocado seed
strawberry
water
paprika
bok choy
onion
garlic
macadamia nuts
cashews
wheat gluten flour
seitan (home made)
defatted peanut flour
tamari sauce
cacao powder
chia seeds
flax seeds
cacao nibs
apple cider vinegar, home made
apply kombucha, home made
oats
bulgar wheat
Within the next day, I expect to add cabbage sauerkraut (home made), kale sauerkraut (home made), orange, basil (home grown), and probably a few more things I haven’t thought of.
wow that’s a lot of ingredients in 24 hours, good on you. I just finished reading the book The Peace Diet by tuttle, it was quite clear in it’s evaluation of the true costs of our omnivore diet, particularly in the current reality of industrial agriculture and the cruelty and planetary degradation which is necessary to feed the world in this way. Simplicity in our meal traditions and practices is a doable and necessary step in building a regenerative future for Life. mich
Thank you. Most of all, the food is delicious, nutritious, affordable, sustainable, and shopping for it it helps reverse the trend of decreasing accessibility for others.
I hadn’t heard of the book, which looks like it’s The World Peace Diet, or Dr. Tuttle. I downloaded a few videos of his presentations to learn more. Thank you for telling me about them. I suspect I’m living a lot of it already, but like learning more.
What is ‘avocado seed’, is the pit of an avocado edible?
I really wish we had more bulk buying options in northern New Jersey… Whole Foods is shrinking its selection all the time, especially since the chain got bought by Amazon. Even the Mom’s Organic Market that just opened in Paramus has very little package free choices. Nuts Factory has nice snacks, though.
[By the way, the dek of this post should say: I once read that most people think their diet is *less* varied than they think, not *more*.]
It’s the avocado pit. I’ve read reports in both directions of it being more healthy and more dangerous. With such mixed reports, I’m erring on reducing food waste and eating it. I like the challenge of making something not immediately delicious part of a delicious dish.
If we simply accept what’s offered, the entrenched power and regulatory capture doof industries and even food industries that pollute with less healthy offerings will exacerbate the trend of reducing accessibility. They’ve already squeezed farmers markets, CSAs, and coops from many poor neighborhoods and will accelerate to increasingly rich neighborhoods.
That’s why I choose not merely to passively watch but actively change.
In your case, organizing a food coop or farmers market may take time and effort, but the more difficult you anticipate it, the more rewarding the results. It’s hard to start for people who feel they don’t have time or have other priorities, but it’s how to create time for top priorities, contrary to what our culture says.