Monday August 2, 2010 Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post writes “What’s in your Froot Loops?  Regulators aren’t sure.”  Customers complained of an odd taste and smell, and some experienced upset stomachs.  “The company blamed elevated levels of a chemical [2-methylnapthalene] in the packaging [for the recall].” (via Washington Post)

Frighteningly for parents who enjoy the ease of serving cereals for children’s breakfasts, “under current laws, the government has little or no information about the health risks posed by most of the 80,000 chemicals on the US market today.” (via Washington Post)

Today’s families often purchase packaged foods for families.  In any given shopping cart, parents likely have as many as 30 packaged items from 30 different companies.  Essentially, we trust these companies to feed our families nourishing food.  Yes, many of us have learned to read labels.  Yes, lots of people are leaving products with corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils on the shelves.  (Although many savvy companies are simply replacing these ingredients with “cane sugar” or other ingredients that likely have equally harmful health effects.)  Many of us are also seeking organic companies or companies who say they use natural ingredients.

However, what a huge burden to have to research – and monitor – 30 or more companies to ensure your family is actually eating healthful food!

An easier solution may be to find ways to cut packaged and processed foods out of our diet. Reading Nourishing Traditions will surely convince you that eating whole foods, close to the source, prepared to maximize nutrition (such as soaking grains with whey) is very healthful.   Sound hard?  In the golden country of Sonoma County, this can be fairly simple to accomplish.   Our climate, organic farms, and conscientious farmers produce a treasure trove of delicious, nutritious foods.

Consider putting these healthful, whole food meals on your family’s table this summer:

Breakfast

Farm Fresh Eggs

Seasonal Fruit (melons are hitting the Sonoma County farmer’s  markets now; strawberries and peaches are oh so good too!)

Morning Snack (Hobbit’s Second Breakfast)

Small bowl of Oatmeal  (Unprocessed Grains)

(Add in Raw Milk, fresh Spring Hill Creamery butter, and more seasonal fruit)

Lunch

Brown Rice (tastes extra great with butter and brewer’s yeast)

Pesto covered veggies (carrots, bell peppers, squashes, potatoes, greens, and/or beets)

Afternoon Snack

Homemade Hummus (Chick peas, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and Tahini)

Cucumbers

Glass of Raw Milk (Leras Family Farm)

Dinner

Quinoa

Rocky Junior Roasted Chicken (Petaluma Poultry)

Zucchini

Garden Salad (mix up the local greens like radicchio, basil, lettuces, purslane, nasturtium leaves and flowers, and more!)

Homemade Salad Dressing (Nourishing Traditions offers several great recipes using eggs, olive oil, lemon, salt and a few other simple ingredients)

If you do want to offer some pre-made items to your family, try these local companies with reputable products:

*  Redwood Hill Creamery Kefirs, goat cheeses, and yogurts

*  Alvarado Street Bakery Sprouted Breads

*  Black Pig Sausages, Hams, and Bacon

salami piece from brandonschultz on Vimeo.

Share your ideas for meals or local healthy food producers here!

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