Whether we're locavores, omnivores, pescatarian, flexitarian, or we subsist primarily on TV dinners and Ding-Dongs, we all have our own reasons for choosing the foods that we do. I had a friend in high school who made a point to eliminate all fat, a friend in college who cut out sugar and a friend today who won't even look at a carb.
My food philosophy runs counter to that. Nothing is off limits. I am an equal opportunity food lover and I have the UN of taste buds. If I had to align my food philosophy with anyone, it would be Michael Pollan: Eat food, mostly plants, not too much. He eats whole, natural foods for the bulk of his meals, but he also eats meat and cheese and the occasional french fry. That's my kinda guy and my kinda diet.
On a positive note, I eat a lot of vegetables. A lot. They are (luckily) my favorite thing to eat, and the foods that make me feel lean, light and clean.
I also eat plenty of fresh fish,
tons of whole grains,
ripe, juicy fruits...
and the occasional very well-balanced breakfast.
That said, from time to time I also allow myself to indulge. Not everyday and never very much, but the following treats will never be blackballed from my diet...
Fried calamari...
Delectable donuts...
Juicy steaks...
and warm crusty bread.
So that's my food philosophy in a nutshell. Eat mostly veggies, grains and fruits during the week, but live your life and eat some deliciously sugary or fatty foods every once in a while to liven things up. So far it's served me pretty well and I have no plans to change it any time soon, barring any unexpected health reason that would force me to make an adaptation.
What's your food philosophy? How do you eat, and why?
I'm an equal opportunity eater, as well. Although, I'm not quite as disciplined as you are... I need to buckle down, though, because I'm discovering you ca only eat mac n' cheese so often once you hit your thirties :-)
ReplyDeleteI stopped eating meat as a child because I felt bad for the animals. I re-try fish every year but I don't like it (every year). I don't have any strong feelings about meat, it is just my preference. I eat mostly salads, cottage cheese, and whole grains but I indulge in sweets everyday. I can't help it. I have an insatiable sweet tooth :)
ReplyDeleteJamie
www.HandlingWithGrace.blogspot.com
I'm a big poultry eater, but I eat a lot of veggies, too. I'm trying to work in whole grains, though, and more whole foods as I know it would help my diet. I'm not at my healthiest, and I've decided to work on that.
ReplyDeleteLove your pics and agree with your food philosophy! I am an equal opportunist too- no foods are off limits! I tend to stick to lots of veggies, wholegrains, lean sources of protein, grains, dairy, fruits, and healthy fats most of the time but there's always room for some chocolate :)!
ReplyDeleteI read the title and was thinking, hmmm, I eat absolutely everything, don't like wasting food, love the fresh stuff, eat copious amounts of naughty food (doughnuts, chocolate, candy, cake, icecream) balanced with healthy stuff, have fresh fish at least once a week if possible, hmmm what else? Well, I just love to eat, so that is kind of a problem in itself!
ReplyDeleteSince my move to Greece I've been eating much better, there's more of the GM free fruit & veg/organic produce here and I like to cook everything from scratch most of the time too.
x.o.x.o
pollan really changed my life and i became a vegetarian for the pure reason of opening my options to more veggies- i have since come up with so many other reasons to stay vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally in sync with what you said! I try to be as healthy as I can, but I can't do that all the time. I think it's healthier to have a varied diet..yes, that includes a donut or two!
ReplyDeleteAll things is moderation! There's no such thing as an off-limits food, but sometimes I skip eat healthier on one end of the meal and/or day so that I can indulge on the other!
ReplyDeleteWe're totally on the same plane, mi amiga! Pollan has it so right, and if everyone sought out similar balance, we'd probably all be happier BUT I digress...
ReplyDeleteAll I know is the next time I get a chance to visit The City, you and I must grub together!
I eat mostly pescatarian, but I'm not opposed to eating meat if it's raised locally and sustainably. Whenever I find a farmer who raises and butchers their own mean, I generally buy it. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen very often. I'm always jealous of people who have access to meat CSAs!
ReplyDeleteI´m hungry now!
ReplyDeleteI like so much your blog. Come and check out out mine.
http://paquetevistasbien.blogspot.com
drooling over here- this is like food porn for me! seriously!
ReplyDeletemy man and i generally like to try to stick to healthier foods- but we love exploring different types and going places we've never been. i want to go to all of the places that were on Man V Food in my area at some point as well. its definitely not to say that we don't eat un-healthy stuff because i indulge. lots. :)
your dinner party looks like it was awesome- you did a great job!!
sharde @ the style projects
Mmm. I'm with you - nothing's off limits - and I am diabetic! It's about balance. If I try to eat fat and carbs in small amounts at a time to avoid spikes in my blood sugar. I also feel like eating lots of vegetables makes me just feel good and not all heavy and yuck. But there is certainly a place in my diet for treats - life's too short to eliminate the good stuff! Pooh on that! This whole post made my mouth water!
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