The Organic Look

When people notice the OrganicFoodDelivery.com box on our door or if we mention we eat organic as much as we can we usually get the look. The "you believe in that crap" look, the "you are paying too much for nothing" look or the "oh, you are crunchy/granola or whatever other buzz word of the moment" look. Its funny that you are not supposed to discuss politics or religion with people but I am tempted to add on eating and specifically organics to that list!

I don't consider us atypical in our eating, we eat what everyone else eats. The difference is the sourcing of what we eat. Having small children and all the scary stuff out there in this big, bad world I try and make the best selections I can that are the safest. That all said the initial impact of organic food was to my tastebuds. I have to say I was skeptical initially about organic food, especially since there has been controversy about its authenticity and true benefit. However, one bite of an organic strawberry or watermelon and you are instantly reminded of how fruit tasted as you enjoyed it as a kid. Over the years I never noticed the change in the taste of these items and others, its been a slow, bland decline. Its scary how use to you can become to mediocre food. Having my tastebuds reminded of how things should taste has made me a bit of a food snob and the thought of eating food that tastes like nothing is simply unacceptable (picture that in a British accent to amp up the snobbery). Cut open an organic lemon and the entire house will be filled with that aroma, try that with a regular one and see the difference.

Secondary to my appetite, the fact that organic items are chemical (and other stuff) free sets my mind at ease. There are too many unknowns with all of things that are used and that is not a good feeling. I remember my kids the day they were born, these little innocent and pure beings, you want to keep them like that as long as you can. So trying to reconcile feeding them things that may make them sick or put chemicals into their systems sounds like more fiction than fact, unfortunately, its more like fact and not fiction in reality.

I am realistic, I am not SuperMom nor a fanatic - I do what I can. The "Mom guilt" makes us crazy trying to be perfect and keep our kids in a bubble. I try and provide organic and healthy as much as I can but sometimes time, money and, the usual good intention killer, convenience gets in the way.  Something is better than nothing, what I do tomorrow will be better than today and the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. None of these eases the twinge of "Mom guilt" but they act as small inspirations to try and do the best you can.

As I cut up watermelon to bring to the cottage this weekend for the kids to snack on in between swims the smell reminds me of the watermelon that my mom would cut up, that I used to eat, at the cottage, in between swims. Many years have gone by and we have all switched roles, somethings have changed; like I am serving an organic watermelon something my mother from 25 years ago would have never heard about but some things havent; kids being kids, enjoying the outdoors, the lake and a cool, ripe watermelon.  At that point the only "look" I am concerned with is the look on their faces as they imagine their next cannonball off the dock, with their sunburned noses (no matter how much sunscreen is on them!) and the watermelon in their hand.