New Year's - A Radical Resolution?

Many of us make New Year's resolutions - too many, too unrealistic, too little committment, too late, too complicated.

Merriam Webster's definition of resolution: the act or process of resolving: as a : the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones

Utilizing that particular definition I offer this simple, but powerful resolution: "Stop reading the ingredients labels on foods."

Why would anyone stop reading labels if they were committed to eating more healthy, more sustainable or avoiding particular pet nasties ( e.g. BHA, artifical colors, corn syrup solids etc.) and surely we must all have some sort of committment to doing a better job of selecting what we eat. However, reading labels to check the ingredients in and of itself is an act of complicity with a food system that is unhealthy, unsustainable and subversive of our best interests. If we feel the need to read through a list of ingredients, then quite simply we are purchasing the wrong foods - or more accurately - imitation foods. If we can't pick up a package and know without reading through a long list of ingredients whether this is something we should put in our bellies and the bellies of our families - then we are picking up the wrong packages.

Here are some tips on how to stop reading labels:

1. Purchase more foods without an ingredients list - these are pure foods, made of somethings grown and not processed - things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. These are the true pantry staples. This quote, from a transplant cardiologist says it all ‘”you can’t imagine what I see on the insides of people these days wrecked by eating food products instead of food.”’
2. When buying combination foods, get things you could make yourself. If you can't find mac n cheese that is made of simple ingredients you could keep in your kitchen (and you won't be able to), then don't buy it. If you want Mac n Cheese, make it yourself using primary ingredients. Primary ingredients can also be staples in your pantry and include things like flour, cheese, pasta, yogurt, corn meal, baking yeast, vinegar - ingredients you could make yourself it you wanted to or had to. These are the original "convenience" foods.
3. Purchase more of the foods where you know the original source - from a neighbor's garden, a farmer's market, a local co-op. It must less likely that they will have non-food ingredients.
4. Purchasing more organic is good too, but note that as organic seeks to become more mainstream, more non-food ingredients are being allowed so that junk type foods can be made and sold as organic.

So when we pick up a box, a jar, a can or package at the store - we now stop and look at, think about what we are holding in our hands and without looking at the ingredients - imagine what they should be and ask ourselves, is this a real food - really!

P.S. After posting this I came across an article about Michael Pollan's new book, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual". From the review, it seems to be a detailed list of rules which can help everyone eat healthier and more sustainably. Here is one of my favorite from the book:

Rule #19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t!