Life is busy. And sometimes, when we are so busy taking care of business, we realize, we aren’t really taking care of business. At least that was my experience. Sometimes it’s important to just slow down and ask yourself what am I taking care of.
Last year my partner and I made a big change. After more than a decade commuting to Denver daily from Fort Collins, and later Wellington, I was done. While at a high point in my career, I was deeply frustrated, experiencing physical signs of the toll, and participating in a life that was financially beneficial but deeply unsatisfying.
I needed a change, and we came up with a plan. Launching The Pig and the Plow brought me back to my passions, food and sustainable agriculture. It also provided a mirror to see how I was living my values and incorporating what’s important into each day. Working in Denver, with the 3-hour (on a good day) commute, long days and busy life, I realized I was grabbing anything I could for what was easily justified as breakfast, ate lunch out almost every day, and had many dinners consisting of peanut butter toast or grilled cheese.
I don’t know about you, but I am a person who loves to cook. And when I had the energy, or stress that needed releasing, I would cook a real dinner. But those times were rare. And I had the money to eat out, so why not? But something was missing. Several things actually. Mainly I missed the satisfaction and connections I made through food. When was the last time you savored your meal? Lingered over a meal with real conversation? Didn’t feel depleted or lacking connection to everyone and everything around you? How crazy making is it to make several different meals to satisfy each person?
While weighing out the pros of that successful life, the things that meant something to me, connection, cooking, supporting real food, were notably absent. So, the time for a decision came. I decided to slow down. In life, and at the dinner table.
Now, this isn’t a quit your job and get rid of all your belongings plea for minimalism. This is a call to reflect where the things you value are missing and make room for them. Choose them. And keep choosing them.
In our experiment with launching a start-up and my taking on the responsibilities of our health and nourishment, there are a few notable differences that are directly the result of a change in our eating habits. Some we were aiming for, and some were happy accidents.
Relationships: The most obvious here being with my partner. We went from not seeing each other in the morning, and sometimes the evening, to waking up early, together, to eat a real breakfast and finish a cup of coffee or tea before it gets cold (major novelty).
Lunch is packed for my partner, and most evenings we can sit and eat dinner together. Some days it’s still grilled cheese or peanut butter toast, but not nearly as often. It was easy to go a day or two without a conversation or anything more than a drive-by exchange. Now we talk. Really talk. We’ve become closer than ever in our 13 years, and are more agreeable with each other. Beyond that, we share meals with others more often. Our community and support system has grown around the table.
Health: That hectic busy lifestyle, poor diet and constant motion took a serious toll, resulting in an autoimmune disorder for me. No matter how good my take-out choices were, they were exacerbating the fatigue, the inflammation and the apathy. That all changed with simple, clean food and taking the time to figure out what my body needed and what it didn’t.
Both of us are feeling the benefits of eating what we make and taking the time to eat it. And that time is a big deal. After years of wolfing down a meal to get to the next thing, it took concentrated effort to fork rather than shovel. An added bonus is actually tasting the food, instead of just seeing it as fuel. Which lead us to…
Satisfaction: Food fills us on so many levels. Yes, its fuel, but it feeds us emotionally as well. My partner says with this change he feels more taken care of, more appreciated, and more connected. It’s easy to see that we feel loved through food. (As I believe I am possessed by an Italian grandmother, I show love through food). And in our house, you have truly become a friend when we break bread together, especially bread we made.
Community: Recently some friends of ours had an extended hospital stay due to the early arrival of twins. They were in the NICU for a month. Bringing food to people who are experiencing difficulties is a long-held tradition, and there is a reason for it. Simple homemade food made all the difference between cafe and cafeteria visits during their month-long stay. They said they felt nourished and supported to take on the big challenges they faced. Six months later they expressed their continued appreciation and that they missed the food that was brought to them during that period. We are closer friends as a result.
If this seems like something that is missing in your life, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to start incorporating some changes into your routine. Here are some recommendations that worked for us:
- Give yourself time to sit and eat something for breakfast. Drink your coffee or tea before running headlong into your day. You’ll appreciate the time to reflect on the day ahead.
- Bring your lunch. Whether it be soup and a salad, leftovers, or a meat and cheese ensemble, the food you prepare is always better than what you can find in a restaurant. The sodium is lower, as is the fats.
- Bring your mid-morning and 3 pm snacks. Chopped veggies or fruit from the farmer’s market or your garden is a way better option than the donuts or Danish in the break room or the corner store. Pack some plain yogurt with granola or fruit, or another thoughtful option. Stay away from the processed options, and create your own. (Some yogurt cups have more sugar than ice cream and candy!) Give your body fuel rather than a quick rush.
- If you can, eat your meals out of your office or worksite. Nice weather? Sit outside. Have an hour? Sit down, eat, then take a walk, read, nap. Whatever it takes to recharge.
- Think ahead and prepare simple, quick and healthy meals. Pick three nights a week to start. Pile on the veggies, keep the meat as a compliment, and choose whole grains. Sauces and condiments you prepare are always cleaner than what you can buy.
- Try to get everyone to eat the same meal. It’s hard to relax after a long day when you come home only to become a short order cook. A recent study a friend told me about said people are more agreeable, and can find consensus, at the table when they are eating the same thing. Don’t believe it? I say try it!
In making time for real food, we make time for ourselves, which is something sorely lacking in the fast-paced lives we lead. I hope these recommendations are helpful and that the Pig and the Plow is a useful tool is finding real food options that support you on your journey!