My Favorite Farmer's Market…Ever.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a house. And behind this house was a garden full of lush, gorgeous flowers and a banquet of fruits and veggies growing in rich, healthy soil. The garden was tended to daily from sunup to sundown by a little old man who loved it so very dearly. And the little old man's wife would make 3 healthy meals each day from the fresh produce growing in the garden. And so they lived, happily and healthfully, until they were very, very old.

Lucky for me, this is a true story…as I was the girl living with her grandparents many years ago. When I moved away from home to an out-of-state college, I stayed with my grandparents for a couple semesters. And much of the food wisdom circulating today was simply how my grandparents lived and ate, every single day of their lives.

I read Food Rules: An Eater's Manual over the weekend, and every page was a reminder of how and what my grandparents and I would eat. Pollan's book (currently only $5 on Amazon so buy it…right now!) consists of 64 concise rules on what foods we should eat. Every rule — every rule, I tell you — in my copy of the book has a notation to the side…as it revived many memories and conversations I'd shared with my remarkable grandparents. Little did I know then, they would be the ultimate influence in my life as I blossomed into a parent and consumer today, deciding what and how to eat…not only for myself, but my family as well. 

The basics I learned then that I adhere to still this day are:

(1) Eat balanced meals. 3 times a day. Squeeze in 2 snacks. All preferably around the same time each day. My grandparents had a daily schedule they followed religiously. Even though I was only 19 and preferred to sleep in or stay out socializing, meals were served precisely at the same time every day. And so my schedule synced into my grandparents' rhythm almost immediately. As I sat down to eat, each food group was typically represented on our smaller-than-we-have-today plates. As a result, we were eating proper portions.The most fascinating part for me? My body was in impeccable health, I had amazing energy, and I did not gain a single pound during these months. My body used what it needed and disposed of the rest because it was certain when the next meal was coming.

(2) Eat whole foods. Buy fresh and organic whenever possible. Having a garden out the back door meant everything was local, organic, and fresh. And although I was too young to appreciate it then, as I look back, it was like having a farmer's market opened exclusively to us around the clock. My grandfather cared for his garden meticulously, using the garden's compost to enrich the soil. What I have since learned is that soils fertile with organic matter produce more nutritious food. My grandfather pulled, plucked, and provided us colorful, nutrient dense food at its peak…does it get better than that?

(3) As we gathered around the table 3 times a day, we ate slowly. When we make our meals a family ritual, we naturally limit our consumption. Eating together also makes this necessary biological process an experience and practice in mindfulness. We savor the food, making it more satisfying, and the conversations and experiences create a bond hard to replicate elsewhere.

(4) My grandmother never purchased anything "lite" or "low-fat" — some fats are actually much better for you than the sugar used to make up for the loss of flavor when it is removed. Butter was a staple at her table, not margarine. Anything fresh that was picked but not consumed was frozen for later. Nutrients are not compromised significantly when we freeze our fresh produce so buy when high in season and freeze for later months. As for sweet treats, my grandmother baked hers…which meant sometimes we had them, and sometimes we didn't.

I could write an entire book on what I learned about eating well from my experience, but Pollan's guide is perfect. Food is meant to be easy and simple…and by adopting even a few of his guidelines, your body's wisdom kicks in…and before long, you are craving exactly what you really need! Indeed, my cup (and heart) runneth over…for I am blessed and lucky to have an immensely vivid blueprint!