Friday, October 29, 2010

One Step at a Time

It's been a while since I've posted.  As I'm still trying to hone in on the focus of this blog, I've taken a break to let my mind consider where I want this to go.  However, there have been lots of ideas brewing in my head and this one, I just wanted to go ahead and share.

When the thought occurs to you that you'd like to have a more healthful home with fresher, organic, or higher-quality products in your pantry or refrigerator, it oft times feels like "I must do this all at once!"  The overwhelming feeling that you must rid or clear your pantry or fridge of all-things-evil can consume you and rob you of any of the joy that does come with gradually transitioning your kitchen into a place of healthy, domestic bliss.  I've come to realize changes do not happen overnight, and often times, the best changes may take place over a long period of time (think, falling in love with your spouse, being pregnant, learning a language ... all of those things take time but are well worth it!).

One area that I've wanted to redo in my kitchen pantry are the types of products I let reside there.  In this case, my spices.  Since I've actually cooked more now this past year than I ever have in my life, all the spices I've acquired over the last few years are actually starting to run out.  Never in my adult life have I ever come to this point!  Beforehand, I moved too much to keep up with my spices and would start over, or I will willingly admit that I ate many boxed mixes of foods or convenience foods out on the go, and spices weren't much of a mainstay.  However, now that I'm a full-time stay-at-home-mom (SAHM for the savvy online mommas), I cook a lot more.

I've come to learn that organic, non-irradiated spices are the best quality.

"'Virtually all conventional spices sold in the United States are fumigated [sterilized] with hazardous chemicals that are banned in Europe,' [Thomas Fricke, cofounder and president of ForesTrade, an organic spice company in Brattleboro, Vermont] says. 'And they may be produced in a manner that is destructive to the ecosystems where they're grown.' This includes cultivating spices on clear-cut lands and treating them with pesticides.

As a consequence, spices may be contaminated with pesticide residues and with genetically modified ingredients; almost 10 percent are irradiated as well."  



Thus, as I run out of my irradiated spices, I'm opting to replace them with organic, non-irradiated spices instead.  So far I've replaced my Vanilla, several times, with Simply Organic's Vanilla or Frontier co-op's version.  You can find Simply Organic coupons here.  There are also coupons for Frontier co-op products (spices, extracts, etc.) in the Fall 2010 Healthy Clippings booklet, available at Nutrition S'mart in Tampa or Wesley Chapel.  

In the Tampa area, I've found these products at Sweetbay Supermarkets, and Nutrition S'mart.  As I live about 30 minutes away from the closest Whole Foods or Greenwise Publix, I do not get to shop there often, but I'd be almost 100% certain they carry these lines as well.

So, unless you've found yourself winning the lottery, or are on a crusade to clear out every non-organic spice you have in the pantry, give yourself a break and gradually redo your pantry with non-irradiated, organic spices as you see the need.  Your pocketbook & mental and physical health will thank you.
Photo Credit
And then, be like me, and try to win a set of 50 organic spices & seasonings!  All you need do is submit a picture of yourself using a Simply Organic or Frontier co-op picture by November 15.  Sounds easy enough!  The link also includes $1 off a Frontier product!  SWEET :D