Cultivating Food and Gratitude
How healthy mindfulness practices enrich mealtime
Approximately 40% of food in the US is thrown away. According to the FDA, food waste produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas ten times more potent than carbon dioxide. Considering how many Americans live in poverty or food deserts, it is important to be mindful of the food we buy and consume to become better stewards of the environment as well as improve our own individual relationship with food.
In every other country in the world, food is considered sacred, nourishing for both the body and mind. Here in America, many often take food for granted, and many don't realize just how valuable food is to their well-being. Given cheaper prices for higher caloric intake, subsidized grain and dairy industries, and the convenience of readily available fast, fried food, the system is not in favor of healthy eating.
Changing these systemically inflicted patterns may sound too time consuming with an above average amount of conscious effort, but any habit can start to come undone or regenerated with intentional practice.
A simple first step that doesn’t require much time is to be consciously thankful for any food eaten. In many cultures, it is customary to say a prayer of gratitude for the food about to be shared. Regardless of religion or spiritual belief, a meditational thank you before a meal can remind us to be grateful for how the food has been seeded, grown, raised, transported, processed, and cooked to get into our bellies. Being grateful for the nourishment of the Earth helps us be connected to her fruits. A prayer can be as simple as “thank you for this food we are about to eat.” It can involve a minute or two of meditation, a positive mantra, or even a statement of gratitude to the universe for the present moment of the meal. It's entirely up to you.
Similarly, taking our time and practicing conscious eating is a healthy habit that improves our relationship with food. Asian countries adopted the method of chopsticks where food is prepared into bite size portions to prevent overindulgence. Meals are traditionally eaten throughout human history with a focused intensity. It is customary to take a break from the work of the day to come together with family to share with each other. The Spanish are famous for their after lunch Siesta. As it is the biggest meal of the day, it is enjoyed with family and friends. Afterwards, a small 20 minute relaxation ensues to help digest the food.
In the US, the convenience of fast food and drive throughs are coupled with our endlessly busy lifestyles. I myself prefer to be productive while I eat. Whether it be sitting in traffic or on my laptop, these distractions aren’t healthy for my body. While breaking this habit isn't always practical, I can be mindful of when it is, remembering to take special care for my meditation practice of eating with gratitude.
One of the most impactful ways we can reconnect with the food we eat is to get back in the kitchen. Cooking doesn't have to be a chore if we change our mindset on it. Going into the mindset to craft meals can seem intimidating at first, so it’s important to make it personal to you.
Reading enticing food blogs with new recipes is one way to get excited about cooking. Trying new culinary creations with detailed instructions can be less intimidating to novice chefs. Even as a foodie who regularly cooks for myself, I always make sure to read blogs with helpful tips and tricks to ensure I get detailed explanations. Some of my go-to food blogs are “Love and Lemons”, “Scrappy Cooking”, and “Pinch of Yum”.
Making the process fun while keeping it simple is key. Shopping for your favorite ingredients, say, a good quality parmesan cheese, can get you excited about the meatballs you’re going to make. Utilizing some shortcuts is also a plus for a busy lifestyle. There's nothing wrong with frozen veggies, as they are a cheaper, more convenient, yet still nutrient rich alternative to prepping fresh. Seasoned with a little love, anything can get the job done. There are plenty of staple recipes that can be made out of what's on hand. A quick stir fry can be made from any leftover protein and veggies already in the fridge, all that's additionally needed are some noodles from the pantry with your favorite stir-fry sauce in the fridge. Utilizing what's already in your fridge saves money, time, and the environment. The possibilities are endless if you put your mind to it. There are even great websites such as “Super Cook” or “Pick Up Limes”, two zero waste recipe generator, to help you find a recipe with what's in your fridge.
In order to reduce food waste one of the best things we can do is to compost our food. By composting you can turn your food waste into nutrient-rich soil. Composting these wastes creates a product that can be used to help improve soils, grow the next generation of crops, and improve water quality.Gardeners and farmers add compost to soil to improve its physical properties. They may even use compost instead of soil to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell.
Compost is created by:
Combining organic wastes, such as wasted food, yard trimmings, and manures, in the right ratios into piles, rows, or vessels.
Adding bulking agents such as wood chips, as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and
Allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process.
There are so many benefits to composting. Here are a few of the benefits:
Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.
Compost reduces and in some cases eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers.
Compost promotes higher yields of agricultural crops.
Compost can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by improving contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
Compost can be used to remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste in a cost effective manner.
Compost can provide cost savings over conventional soil, water and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable.
Compost enhances water retention in soils.
Compost provides carbon sequestration.
A great resource for composting in St. Petersburg, FL is an organization called Make Soil. Check out their website and find nearby soil makers and give them your food scraps!
For more information on recycling and composting in St. Petersburg click here
Rebuilding a mindful relationship with food doesn't have to feel intimidating. We as humans have a strong relationship to food. It is the substance of all life. Working on our mental relationship with food has a direct impact on our mental health. Our wellbeing is impacted by food immensely, so cultivating mindfulness practices into our meals reminds us to have an attitude of gratitude.
Happy eating and happy composting!
