Food Stamp Challenge: The details

Ok, friends, I ran out of time yesterday, and I am so excited to hear how many of you are really excited to try this out!  So, I think some more details are in order. If this bores you to death you can skip it all. But several of you asked questions so here’s more particulars:

• What do I buy organic? Here’s the key: You don’t have to buy everything organic. I used the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen.  (A dozen foods that are a must-organic-buy and fifteen foods that you continue buying conventional.)  I used this as my guide.  So helpful!  So, I switched to organic apples, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, beets, leeks, carrots, meat, milk, eggs, coffee, chocolate.  After reading a bunch and asking around to some of my food experts :), I did not switch to organic grains or dried beans.  Perhaps eventually, but it seemed like much less of a priority. So I just stuck to only whole-wheat, oats, brown rice, etc. Nothing white.   The key is this: It doesn’t make sense to buy organic processed food. If a food is processed (think goldfish crackers), then none of the original pesticides (or nutrition!) are left so it really doesn’t matter.  I also stuck with Tillamook cheese. It’s not organic, but it comes from local farmers.  Plus, I love supporting them.
• GMOs: One of my personal goals was to avoid Genetically-modified food.  More than 90% of soy and corn is genetically modified. So, I basically sought to eliminate soy and corn altogether (FYI: Food Should Taste Good tortilla chips are made with non-GMO corn).  This is a huge challenge. Soy and Corn are in probably 90% of all foods in the grocery store.  Two options for corn: Buying fresh from local farmers, or buying organic.
• Azure: Update on Azure Standard. It is open to the public, you just have to order something like $400 at a time, so if several of you partnered together you could do it.  Check out their website (create an account, then you will be able to see prices).  Great deals on local, organic produce.
• A Greater Cause: For me, the point of all of this is the ability to put our food dollars to good use.  This includes, of course, creating healthy meals for my family. But this also includes supporting local farmers, and “voting” with each dollar I spend.  What has struck me the most about all this is how our food industry has taken the feet right out from under developing nations.  And, if we really were able to hack our budgets down to the bare minimum, how much more financial freedom we would have to help those who have nothing, much less snacks and convenience food.  I know this isn’t for everyone, but I think it’s exciting to see that it’s not just about using our non-food dollars for good, we can use all those dollars for good.
• Remember, Honoring your husband is a biblical mandate, buying organic food is not. I just want to make this really clear:  I am doing this experiment, and this switch, with my husband’s enthusiastic blessing. He loves it. He is all for it, and loves the changes we’ve made. He watched Food, Inc. and the Future of Food with me.  But if your husband is not for this, your biblical responsibility is to honor your husband’s wishes.  So, please hear my heart in this–no one is judging your grocery cart.  If you can make these changes, awesome. If not, joyfully bless your husband with the foods he loves.  (And suggest that your next datenight is snuggling on the couch watching a food documentary.  Anyway, first things first: honor your man’s wishes. I have found most husband’s love 1) home-cooked meals, and 2) frugal, joyful wives. Prove that both are possible!

Thanks for following along on this fun little challenge. Remember that Jesus’ mandate was, “Go and make disciples…” not “Go and preach about organic food.” Love God, love people, and let’s seek to make every dollar count for doing good in our world.  Bless you!