Episodes in Eating Out #1
Because I'm SO passionate about getting real foods into ALL of the marketplace no matter where you live, I decided to start to chronicle the issues that health conscious humans run into in the mainstream food world as of right now. And what better time that to share my funny episode from last night with my fam. So a little background, we took Dalton, he's little and doesn't like to sit, and we just wanted to sit by the water and listen to the live music. My husband wanted to go here and I try to be a sport and I really suck at it. Keep reading:
I’m trying to eat Chinese food (Americanized) Chinese food a la PF Chang’s.
Yesterday was an attempt to eat out as a family with an 18 month old mind you who doesn’t like to sit in chairs, high chairs or anywhere apparently when you want him too. We got looks of condolences from many other parents and some not so nice looks too when Dalton climbed up onto a chair at one family’s large group table and nothing was said at all. I mean COME ON he is SO CUTE :)
AND it was pouring rain and we were trying to eat outside so that also lends itself for grumpiness. So there’s the setting.
So at first glance you might think that there are a TON of options when you look at the menu at PF Chang’s. And I TRY to be optimistic you guys. I SO BADLY want to be able to just ‘go with the flow’ and find something to eat when we’re out and it’s freaking HARD.
Because once you get into your brain that you just aren’t going to contaminate your brain with MSG and you actually know and can ‘see’ where the chemicals, contaminants and hidden food problems are on menus, it’s like super annoying and it just doesn’t work for me anymore to try to convince myself that it’s an ok choice to make.
So if anyone is wondering if you can really influence and change your subconscious mind THIS is what that change looks like. You literally do not WANT to eat certain things that you used to eat. And it’s NOT HARD, it’s so easy actually that you would rather sit there and order oolong tea than try to find an entree.
As I was skimming the menu, my alerts are popping up:
Where is the seafood sourced? OK it says sustainably sourced, good job, but it doesn’t say wild caught...ok out
What dish doesn’t have a ‘glaze’ on it because I know what’s in those glazes...SUGAR and SOY and MSG and I don’t do those EVER. And ps I don’t even WANT a sugary dark syrup on my protein and veggies, WHEN did that become a good idea?
On the table there was one of the pancake syrup containers and yes it was full of SOY SAUCE. Soy sauce you guys contains GLUTEN unless otherwise specified and also MSG and just in case you forgot MSG is a neurotoxin.
They have great ideas for apps and entrees but not executed in the pursuit of health. And that left me with steamed veggies. Yes steamed veggies so I ordered that, and ended up not even getting to eat them all because I was chasing Dalton and then had to Uber home to get our car because we walked there and it kept raining.
I steamed them more when I got home because my broccoli was not cooked and topped it off with organic marinara sauce. And that was my dinner with some Siete chips on top. Not too extravagant, not organic but simple. I tried. And I often feel like I fail in the just have a good time department because I don’t want to settle on my health standards. So if I want Chinese food? I will be making my own and likely using all my fresh ingredients like:
Ginger root
Coconut aminos
Oranges, lemons, limes
Organic broccoli, mushrooms, snap peas and peppers
Wild caught shrimp, salmon or organic chicken
Cauliflower rice or regular rice for Heath
Less is more. Chemicals are out. On to the next episode...stay tuned, and let me know in the comments, do you change the way you eat when you go out? What’s your mindset on this? I’d love to hear your comments!
Xo,
Jodi