Unprocessed October

Next month, October (which is next Wednesday - how is that possible?), Kennan and I are joining a group of people taking a challenge called October Unprocessed. I am sure there are hashtags and links I could add there, but really? Look it up on Google.

Kennan and I have long had a household that is fairly devoid of processed junk. Our problem is that we go out to eat way too much, which is a self control and laziness issue. It started out as a response-to-trauma issue and has turned into a much more significant elephant in the room. Because of this eating out or running to the store last minue because we don't feel like making dinner situation we have crap all. the. time. Not to mention there is a sugar filled migraine inducing bakery 3 blocks from our house. Not helpful indeed.

I know there are many people who differ in their food opinions, and even those who get angry about even the conversation surrounding what 'processed' food is and what the lingo means. Sure, all food is processed in the sense that somebody has to get it from somewhere. You have to dig up a potato, wash it off, and cut it up or bake it to get an edible end product. Somebody has to kill an animal if you want to eat meat. Then they have to cut up the animal and package the animal and get it to you somehow. Somebody has to milk an animal for you to have milk. Or, somebody has to process some coconut or nut with water to get you nut milk. Everything has to be picked or cleaned or killed.

Processed food isn't about that.

Processed, as the mainstream seem to have defined it, is taking food and making it into something 'packageable'. (That isn't a word, fyi.) Ice cream? Processed. Cheetos? Processed. Lunch meat? Worse than the cheetos processed. Meat? Fillers and bleach water cleaned. Condiments? Filled with processed syrup food stuff something or other that is originally grown in my state that is actually not edible by anyone. (Facepalm.) The list could go on and on. All you really need to do is step into a grocery store.

Homemade jam? Still processed. Canned tomatoes? Still processed.

The reason I like this challenge is because it isn't about eating nothing for a month. This challenge is about taking stock of what is actual food and what you probably shouldn't be putting in your mouth. Once in awhile, junk is fine, but our culture has made junk an every day sometimes five times per day occurrence. Soda isn't a treat anymore and neither is candy for kids. Food is something that actually nourishes and helps your body to function long term. I like a Snickers as much as the next guy, but that baby isn't helping my body a bit except in the short term it tastes good.

This challenge is about looking at what you eat and determing what you could make in your own kitchen. If you could make it in an at-home kitchen, then it is fine and beats the challenge. There are caveats, of course, and each person can choose what they 'allow' and what they 'don't allow'.

Example: I don't really dig white sugar too much. We do use it occasionally, but there is little to no nutritional value. We usually use more unprocessed sugars that still have the molasses attached or instead choose honey or maple syrup. However, we will be keeping white sugar as part of our challenge because it is used as a feeder for kombucha. The sugar is what the yeast eats, just like in everything where yeast is involved. The sugar content is gone by the time the bacteria has done its work and we buy pure cane sugar not GMO beet sugar. So, we're calling it ok.

Example: Condiments. If we can pronounce the ingredients on the back, they're in. If not, they're out. We make our own ketchup, mayo, dressings, and most things like marinades anyway. But check your mustard bottle - mustard is usually pretty good, especially the off brands. Usually mustard seeds, water, spices. That counts. Heinz 57 filled with corn filled soy sugar and unpronounceable other such fun? Doesn't count. I couldn't make it if I tried.

So, at the end of the day it is about making wise choices for our own health, the health of the earth God gave us to care for, and for those who do the work of getting the food to our table. I want the farmer who grows my food to be paid for what they do. I want to know that the animal I am eating ate what animals are supposed to eat, what they were created to eat. I want to know that there aren't chemicals all over my food (fyi - large organic companies use pesticides too, just ones that are "safe").

I don't like algae bloom in our natural water supply. I don't like the plethora of autoimmune diseases that are suddenly plaguing our nation (and really, the stats show our nation much more than others - ironically, the nation that spend the most per capita on health care in the world). I don't like the idea of people (adults!) who have no idea where their food came from. I think it is time for a change.

Not everyone is called to live or eat like this, but for us it is a justice issue. It is a creation issue. It is an ethical issue. It is something we just can't overlook. And when we do overlook our values and we order Casey's Pizza on a Friday night we feel guilt, and bloating, and a general lethargy that really shouldn't be permeating our spirits.

October Unprocessed. Time for a change. Is this the way we will live and eat every day for forever? Nope. Not at all. We will indulge in the future and we will enjoy the indulgence with gusto. But for these 31 days (and for us we're starting Monday, so I guess 33) we're going to stick with it and see what happens.

I'll keep you informed.