Last week, as I was reveling in the good vibes I was getting from my Veggie Challenge (eating a veggie-based meal every day for a week to reacclimate my tastebuds) I realized something really cool: I had only opened a small handful of packages in order to eat. My wraps come in a package, as does my yogurt and a slice of sandwich bread, but everything else was straight from the earth. Berries, veggies, eggs, crackers, etc. It was an awesome feeling and it made me wonder if I could open even fewer packages the next day and eat even closer to the ground.
So here's my challenge: three days of tracking package usage and three days of reducing package usage. Six days total, starting today. I'm going to keep it really simple:
Days 1, 2, and 3: Write down the packages you open in order to eat. This includes boxes, wrappers, packets, vacuum seals, plastic lids, etc. No judgment here, we're just collecting information. At the end of Day 3, take a look at your list and ask yourself whether there are any packages you could eliminate. Taking the food out of the package does not count! LOL The goal is to reduce the amount of food you eat that originated in a package of some sort.
I am not including unwrapping meat, as I don't think any of us are raising our own livestock, or peeling stickers off of fruit. The focus is reducing the amount of food processed to increase its flavor, shelf-life, or appearance.
Days 4, 5, and 6: Each day, work on removing those packaged items from your list. This may be difficult, as so much of our daily nutrition revolves around convenience. But remember, you can always do more than you think. Be creative and try new foods! At the end of Day 6, take a look at the progress you made.
The goal here is awareness, and a side benefit would be some actual change. We may find that after three days of not eating that packaged food, we don't even miss it! I'm looking forward to the challenge and I hope you will join me!
I'll be tracking it on my Facebook fan page so check for updates! Now get out there and get healthy!
2 comments:
Great challenge, I posted this on my facebook page so hopefully you'll have quite a few people join in with you. I already eat very clean and have adopted a farm to table attitude. Love this though!
Thanks for sharing this post! I appreciate it. :) Agreed, I eat very clean and have realized lately that I've definitely done better than I am now...and I have done worse! It's always good to be aware. Have a healthy day!
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