Making Food to Connect and Teach

posted 7th November 2010    Written by: Lindsey    CATEGORY: Lindsey, Season 3, Travel, Travel/Adventure, What I've Learned

Food brings us together. It’s true for any species… food is life and where there is food, life flocks. For us as humans, we gather in supermarkets, around tables, in restaurants, in kitchens. We gather to find nourishment and fuel to keep us going. Often, we gather to find community around a table.

Food is part of our communities beyond consuming and socializing. In the economic sphere, food is a business. Buying your dinner from a local farmer strengthens the local economy and helps build community in all sense of the terms. Unfortunately, this happy local food image, while gaining momentum as part of the green movement, is still not often a reality.

I’m jaded against “normal” food. The chemicals, the processing, the actual food production or “farming” that goes into making most of the foods in the grocery stores are not good for us as consumers. The more I learn about food from personal experience and movies like Food, Inc, the less I want to support a giant corporation when I am trying to eat.

Real food that doesn’t come in a package, is hard to come by. Fortunately, I had the chance to live on several farms and experience the joy of growing my own food. And the chance to live with a skilled Ayurveda cook who supported my intense exploration into raw foodism.

I know health food.

Giving out the Good

For a friend or my family, the best way I know how to give out is to make a big plate of flavorful beans, rice and veggies. A chopped salad full of delicious fresh greens, seeds, vegetables, and more. Even sweet treats for dessert that are more healthy than any typical dessert. (My true passion in life is making raw food desserts because I am addicted to sweets and any kind of “healthy treats” make my heart flutter. oooo.)

The way I prepare food is relatively cheap, simple, and generally separate from the world of factory foods. It’s not necessarily difficult or time consuming. Yet it is a complete overhaul in the way of thinking, and while I love to give the gift of healthy dinner, I am wary to press my blatantly emotional and political biases on people along with this. I don’t want my giving to be marred by personal agendas.

Give to Recieve

I was taught recently, that in order to have the things you want in your life you should help someone else with that very thing. If you don’t feel confident, look around in your own life. Think about someone who is suffering from this lack, and help this person grow their own confidence.

Shouldn’t we all be out giving to each other? To be making a difference, enacting positive change in the  people around us, while helping ourselves… giving these gifts are good for everybody.

My future holds sailing and exploration, yes, but it also hold massive opportunity to learn about community and self-sufficiency. Most of what we do will be sailing among more isolated islands, viewing how communities thrive here. In the past, our captain has stopped and helped a third world community better their water supply. In college, I worked on an international engineering project, implementing water filtration systems in a community in Jamaica, and I hope my experiences will be useful.

My journey is about learning how to be better, how to live better, how to teach better, and how to give better. I like to give. Obsessing over my QLC has made me feel a bit selfish and hardly the giver that I envision.

For now, I’ll be resident health food chef aboard this boat, teaching my fellow crew the fine art of brown rice. Giving out is a way of life, and I’m working on bringing more giving into my world.

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Comments (6)

6 Responses to “Making Food to Connect and Teach”

  • eemusings Says:
    November 7th, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    As much as I can, I'm trying to eat 'real' food whereever possible.

    You're so right though; i have a heinous sweet tooth, and nothing compares to lemon cheesecake icecream or peanut chocolate brownies. Or does it? :)

  • Alisha Says:
    November 7th, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    I really like this. Food really is a way to give. I try to do the same for my family.

  • nikki_klecha Says:
    November 8th, 2010 at 10:00 am

    Lovely. I agree that my QLC has made me somewhat self-centered & it really does feel so good to give & share something made with love. Thanks for that reminder. I've been hearing A LOT about friends making a switch to real food diets – I think it's all over my life for a reason & I need to check it out. :)

  • Lindsey Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    I get crazy pleasure out of eating decadent raw food cakes and then raving over how delicious they are and getting to say "AAaAAnndDDD it's healthy!" You can totally replicate peanut chocolate brownies with real foods :)

  • Lindsey Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    Real foods are my passion, and I seriously think they've changed me & my worldview in so many positive ways. Highly encouraged!

    And as for the self-centeredness, like Heather says below, "sometimes we have to take care of ourselves before we can make an impact on the lives of others." Wise words!

  • Lindsey Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    Thank you for that, Heather. I definitely agree that self-care comes first. It's hard to remember sometimes why I'm so self-centered right now, but the reasons you've listed are TOTALLY why I'm here. Thank you for the reminder!

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