a note about my food philosophy

I’m new to this blogging thing (surprise!) but I have already learned that people will ask questions that you may not be able to answer. Things you should probably know but you don’t. What seems so clear in your head doesn’t always translate on paper (surprise again!).

One thing that keeps coming up, and perhaps it should have been obvious from the get-go, is what kind of food blog this is. In my mind, this is not a food blog. Yes, there is food. But I am not a chef or a nutritionist. I am certainly not a food photographer. I am not an expert in any area of the kitchen. I am not beginning a complex journey about some type of food or cooking technique. We are not vegan. We are not gluten, nut, soy, dairy or sugar free. We are just a regular family (if there is such a thing) with a lot going on.

Don’t get me wrong. I try to get my kids to eat balanced meals and make good choices about food. I would love to eliminate packaged snacks from our pantry and not bribe my kids with Oreos to try curry. But I think most parents are in the same place. I think we all want to eat a reasonably healthy, tasty dinner without all the whistles and trends and without fighting our kids at every bite. I want my kids to explore food and appreciate food rather than just put it in their bodies with no thought. I want to be a better cook and learn more about how diet impacts our moods or energy levels. But I also don’t feel like I need to shop at the health food store or spend six hours a day in my kitchen to make dinner happen.

So if this is a journey, it is a journey about getting more organized and finding some balance in the kitchen. It is about creating a meal planning method that works for me and for my family. Some days, I just don’t have it in me to plan a meal. I know I feel better when I wake up in the morning and I know what I will be serving for supper. Some days, all the plans in the world aren’t going to get me in the kitchen. I’m happy to share what happens along the way. I hope it is useful to you.