Eating Green...
Does It Mean Eating Only Veggies?

by Melissa Lee

As silly as the title may seem to some people, it's a valid question.  Eating green, for me, is simply eating food that is good for our bodies and the environment.  In order to eat healthfully it is best to have a vegetarian diet, but is not a requirement by any means.

Who Should Go Green?

Not everyone is ready to "go green" in their eating.  It's expensive.  Very expensive if everything is being bought.  I certainly would have laughed a ten years ago if someone told me I would be buying organic foods in the future.

Why Change?

What made me change my mind was when my children, especially my son, were having a lot of health issues.  I took at look at what we were eating and was surprised to see a lot of processed foods, frozen dinners, snack/junk foods and not a lot of wholesome foods.  Since changing to an organic mixture (not everything is readily available where I live) of foods, I've seen a great improvement in health.  My children haven't been to the doctor very often at all, maybe two times a year versus two times a month - everyone knew our name from the doctor's office to the pharmacy!

What Organic Item Did I Buy First?

The first change was simple, we changed to drinking organic milk.  At first my son was worried it would taste like soy milk, but it was milk...just better!  The taste was so delicious and rich, especially considering it was only 2%. 

Another benefit was that the organic milk lasted longer, not two weeks like the other brands.  The expiration dates can go up to a month from the date of purchase.  I used to pour milk down the drain because it started smelling before the expiration date.  I was literally pouring money down the drain!  With the extended shelf life of organic milk, there is no waste because we have plenty of time to drink it. 

Even the skim milk, which I prefer, has a much richer taste than the non-organic brands.  What I really liked was that there were no hormones or antibiotics used in the cows.  I don't want my children taking steroids or antibiotics if they aren't necessary, so why would I want them to have any in the milk they drink?

Other Changes

The next change was buying organic vegetables and eggs.  When I read that pesticides remain in the body, it was a shock to me.  I didn't want my children to grow up with these poisons in their body, so I knew I had to make a change, immediately.  Some of our favorite foods have the highest pesticide residue: strawberries, spinach, cantaloupe, apples, cherries, grapes, cucumbers, and pears are a few of them.

We eat  chicken on occasion, so when I found organic chicken I was thrilled.  As a general rule, we eat tofu and alternative meats more often than "real" meat/poultry, but it was still nice to have the option available.

For me personally, eating green is buying organic foods whenever possible.   Although many are more expensive and harder to find than those with pesticides (produce) or hormones (meats/dairy), they are so much better for us I personally feel the price difference is worth it.

Eating Meat...Or Not!

If the thought of eating meat is nauseating, there are a lot of great meat substitutes/alternatives available.  Some of my favorites (and my family's) are Worthington, Loma Linda, and MorningStar.  MorningStar is available in many local grocery stores and can be found in the freezer section (usually near breakfast foods, although their products are a much broader range than just breakfast).

There are some great organic frozen dinners as well, if you eat dairy. Two of my favorites are Amy's Cheese Enchilada dinner, and her Indian Palak Paneer dish (with rajmah dahl).  Cedar Lake is another company with some great dishes (watch portions though), one of my family's favorite is the Enchilada Pie.

How Do I Clean Produce?

There are a lot of produce washes available, and the ones I've used work well.  If you don't have the money to buy them (after buying all your organic produce!) you can make a simple produce wash with about 1 tablespoon mild dishwashing detergent with about 1 gallon of water.  Let produce sit for a few minutes in the solution to work off the pesticide and then rinse.  I've used this solution and there was no remaining smell or taste of the soap.

Melissa Lee is a mother who lives in the Deep South with her husband and two children. If you have comments or questions for her, she can be contacted here.