The joy of (not) cooking

I just finished a day of massive prep cooking. I made a gallon and a half of granola, 3 dozen gluten free tortillas, some grain-free biscotti, and a pan of baked oatmeal. And then I cooked dinner.

In the great scheme of things, I have made the decision that, in order to eat healthy, I will have to make many things for myself. In part because many prepared healthy foods (I’m looking at you, gluten free products) are outrageously expensive. And, if I’m being honest, most of them don’t really taste that great anyway.

Over the years of dealing with some strange gut-related health issues, food prep days became critical to my well-being and a necessary part of a functional medicine protocol. And while it hasn’t always been convenient or easy, I’ve routinely made everything from my own bread and tortillas to various sauces and salad dressings and everything in between.

But, after about 4 years of it, I’m ready for a break.

But…

…then I consider the benefits that I’ve seen and talk myself back into it. And honestly, the list is long. The largest change from fixing my gut has been the virtual disappearance of my seasonal allergies. Which makes springtime in Indiana far more bearable.

Truth be told, I could stop making all of these things, I would just be left eating a far blander, plain diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and a bit of meat. Which is what I eat now, just in more interesting combinations.

Being somewhat of a foodie, the interesting combinations are sort of my thing. Hence the meal prep.

When you prep-cook healthier versions of food, you often find a community of people who are doing the same thing. It is nice to know you are not the only one with a counter full of various flours trying to make something palatable. You get to talking about your health journey, you learn about new products, you exchange recipes and stories.

It turns out I needed the stories more than a recipe for buckwheat sandwich bread.

Because, before I found these communities, I used to think I was a little crazy. I had experienced something while living abroad that I thought was a fluke. I barely believed it, yet it happened, and I didn’t have a good reason to explain it.

I ate whatever I wanted when I lived in Europe. I’m talking anything.

Dairy? No problem. Restaurant food? Not an issue. And, miracle of miracles, pizza?!! Hallelujah and amen- yes.

But when I mentioned this to other food prep people, they all nodded their heads in agreement. One person’s loved one (with Crohn’s disease) was able to eat anything they wanted on their last trip to France. Another gluten-free friend also discovered that pizza was back on the menu.  Yet another friend found that they could enjoy a beer without disastrous consequences.

All of this has furthered my nostalgia for my years spent in Europe. Not just because I would get to eat the best pizza; I wouldn’t have to make it.  I could just blithely skip down to my local restaurant, whatever it was, and eat food.

Part of my nostalgia, it turns out, is not just for the food, but for the time I was not spending making it. And maybe a part of it is for the cultures that have a different level of consciousness when it comes to what is permitted in food or food production.

I sometimes wonder how many people suffer every day just because they are eating the food that is “normal” to our culture. How many people would eat differently if they the time or resources to do so? How many people would prefer a food system that didn’t allow the ingredients that are known to cause health concerns?

I also wonder if our healthcare system will change as it incorporates the knowledge about things like gut health and the food products that hinder metabolism. Or, I wonder if it will continue to put such treatments to the side, insurance companies preferring instead to cover pills that manage the symptoms.  

On my health journey, I was offered a band-aid approach to the issues I was having. But I kept asking questions until it became apparent that I needed to take a root-cause approach. In order to do this, I had to pay out of pocket. For everything from testing to consultations to various supplementation. Then, of course, I had to buy and make new versions of food to eat. This is an incredible privilege in this country.

But in many other countries, the privilege is found in not being faced with the problem to begin with. In fact, some countries have gone on the offense, ensuring that all children have nutritional education and meals that are scientifically healthy (as opposed to what various lobbyists believe is healthy for their bottom line). Additionally, they don’t allow certain additives or preservatives. Product marketing to children is curtailed.

What I’m trying to say is, maybe I need a vacation. I need freedom from prep cooking, from crappy food, from the industry food ideals that are keeping a lot of people feeling bad.

But now that I’m thinking about it, a trip to Europe wouldn’t be bad either.