This post was submitted by Kira

This post is courtesy of Washington, D.C. contributor, Kira Griswold. You can also check her out on her food blog, Alternative to the Process.

I bought a shirt the other day (somewhat ironically, I suppose) at Gap that says: “What we collectively choose to buy or not to buy can change the face of this planet.”  The fact that it was only $10 and the last one hidden away in a pile of t-shirts, it seemed to be calling out to me …or at least my budget.

The life most of us have become accustomed to is endurance living—just getting through that day and on to the next. The idea of conscious living is a new one for me. To consider: How do my actions and consumption make a difference on personal happiness? And, like my shirt has reminded me, how do they create an impact on other people and on the earth? How do our seemingly small decisions affect the world on the grander scheme of things?

These thoughts have led me to the matter of conscious eating through the consideration of daily food choices. How do personal food purchases allow us to express our own feelings toward the earth and are we able to choose the gravity of our impact?

So, how can we eat more consciously?

Cook. Cooking our food helps us to quite literally touch every item. Rather than snack on a preserved, machine-made cookie wrapped in brightly colored plastic, instead, try a homemade delight made from carefully chosen ingredients. The other important benefit of cooking a meal is that it takes time to prepare the food. With gratitude for the time, effort, and pride put into that meal, the food even seems to taste better.

Slow down. Eating slowly allows for more time to concentrate and appreciate the food.  The act of eating a meal does not always have to be a race for nourishment—It is a time to sit back and enjoy.  (Not to mention, we eat less if we are more aware of what we are eating because we realize when we are satisfied.)

Think. To think about exactly what you are eating is a key concept to conscious eating (this means not eating mindlessly in front of the TV!). And QUESTION it! Why are we eating and how does it make us feel?  Where does it come from and how did we get it? The latter is arguably most important.  Yes, of course we all enjoy good food—but understanding the process of getting the food and the people involved is essential in the process toward appreciation. Not only thinking about what that food means to us, but what that particular food meant to the people in the production and transportation process.

So next time you think about dinner… try it: cook a meal, slow down, appreciate, question, and Enjoy!

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