The more ya know…

Ignorance is bliss.

People say that all the time but have you ever stopped to think about what it really means? I used to wonder about the phrase as a kid. Why in the world would being ignorant be blissful? I kind of reveled in knowledge, as long as it had nothing to do with math, and so the idea of being ignorant and somehow connecting it to bliss or happiness was weird to me.

However, as I’ve begun to delve into this world of “real” food and to just start scratching the surface of the truth about what we eat, I totally understand the statement.

See, grocery shopping is now a horror to me. Really! Not that shopping and I have ever been bosom buddies or anything, but now after trolling the grocery store aisles for food that I won’t feel bad about feeding my family is not only a taxing chore but extreeeeeeeemly mentally draining as well. As I pick up packages and start to read the ingredients lists my heart drops. Who knew that breakfast sausage, ya know like Jimmy Dean, has corn syrup and MSG? What… why?

Before when I was “ignorant” I could throw the breakfast sausage in the buggy and think that I was providing a good source of protein for my family. Now I know, and the bliss…. is gone!

I’m trying to stay balanced as I attempt to tread the waters of figuring out whole and real foods. I don’t want to turn into a freak about it, y’all know the kind I’m talking about. 😉 But I do want to do the best I can with the knowledge I keep unearthing. And honestly once you get started you really can’t stop. It might seem like you can just cut out most “processed” foods and be good till you start to dig a leeeeettle bit deeper and *BAM* you suddenly realized that even feeding your family fresh produce and meat is not really “good” food. 🙁

Anyway, we’re making this transition slowly even though it probably seems like things have turned rather quickly for us. We’re still working through some of our “supplies” of various ingredients that we’ve built up in our cellar, but change is happening. And some is happening faster than others. Some I can’t wait for and just have to chuck the stuff. 🙂

So this Holiday season if I happen to pass out a lot of baked goodies, know that it is in part to get rid of the white flour that we have. 😉 I’m not giving away the “bad stuff” cause I don’t love you, of course, but if you should choose to toss it rather than eat it…. I won’t judge. 😉

And I’m going to start writing some “tips” posts on how to make changes for the better in your own shopping/eating if you should choose. I’m by no means an expert, but I’m learning things, and want to share with others who might be interested in it as well. I will try to keep things as absolutely basic as possible because not everyone can go the seemingly extreme route we have embarked on to grow/raise most of our own food. And the thing is, you don’t have to in order to still have guilt free eating experiences. And I’m not talking about fat and calories! 😉

Till next time then…