Packaged food, and Celiac disease
What do climate change, waste reduction and healthy living have in common?
It’s the age of climate change, waste reduction and healthy living and eating. Some of those may sound unrelated, but all these topics connect over their conflict with packaged food. To some readers, it may even be shocking that I do prefer some of my food to be packaged.
“But why?” you may ask. You may be wondering: “Even after constant stream of all the podcasts (and their -ers), the blogs, the books and short-form videos, how can someone be not yet convinced?” Trust me, when I say that I was convinced about that even before it became a trend. That’s contradictory, eh? A world where we see everything as a coin, it’s easy to skip the words “some of my food”.
As anyone with celiac disease (or allergies) can tell you, it’s better to pick a package labelled gluten-free (GF) than only a verbal assurance of the same. A pack of flour comes in a paper bag, which isn’t sealed. If the pack is smacked, flour flies out of the seams and glued-joints in the package. If you have ever happened to see an empty shelf, the flour is scattered all over it. Imagine a GF flour sitting next to those packs with a similar package. No thanks!
I would prefer the flour to be sealed in a plastic bag. If it’s a choice between me living without sickness or reduce plastic waste. You must know which one takes precedence. Living without sickness and eating no-processed food. The choice kinda seems the same. Especially, when there are things that a working full-time person can’t make at home like flour.
If you see the world from my eyes, the first paragraph makes sense. The dilemma can become a tough choice especially for environmentally conscious people who get diagnosed with celiac disease (or similar). I do my best to recycle the plastics I use and need. However, I don’t feel bad about it (or myself for this). Planning food and travel is already enough to pull your hair out.
On the health side, more than eighty percent of my diet is “natural” food cooked at home. I do keep snacks in the car, and at home. I make sure I eat as much food without preservatives as possible like dates, nuts etc. Air frying potatoes or chicken is easy and makes a much healthier snack than packaged chips. I don’t beat myself up for eating packaged food a few times a week.
And neither should you! Life is too short. Even more so with a chronic disease.
Thanks for reading!