Where Does It Come From?
Often we only see the processed version of food. We never get to see the raw, original version before it is cut, butchered, washed, waxed, blended, colored, and mixed to be ready for our plates. But it’s important that we know where our food comes from. It will change how we see and relate to our food.
And now I share something embarrassing:
For a long time I had no idea that tuna is a big fish. I thought they were tiny, like minnows. I thought that because I only ever saw it mixed with mayo on my plate. Don’t ask me where I thought the fish bones were, or the brain, or any of the fishy organs. I don’t have answers to those questions. I just saw the little bits of fish on my plate and assumed that was the whole thing.
It’s not that I was a stupid kid. I mean, you can feel free to speculate on that (but keep in mind while your debating my childhood intelligence that I think I was pretty smart and so does my mom). We are pretty far removed from the source of our food generally. A lot of kids grow up never seeing a zucchini in it’s natural (whole) state or making the connection between the boneless, skinless chicken breasts shrink wrapped in the supermarket and a real live chicken that those breasts came from. And because of that, it’s easy it is for us to not know where our food comes from. To not know that those hunks of tuna are small pieces of a pretty big fish that used to be alive. To know that fish had to go through a processing plant to get into that can and onto my plate. As long as we don’t know where our food comes from some very basic things about the world and how it all works will remain a mystery.
But the more that we know, the better our choices can be. I often joke to my friends that at this point, I know too much about my food. And that knowledge guides my choices. I am a meat eater, so I make a point to buy humanely raised, antibiotic-free, organic meat. I love vegetables and local farms, so I support them by buying as much as my produce as I can from them. I have auto-immune problems, so I do my best to buy as much organic food as possible. I don’t want pesticides getting in and messing with the delicate eco-system that is my body.
These are all the choices that I make because of the knowledge that I have. It’s expensive, but I can’t rationalize doing anything else. At this point, I know too much, and yet I’m still learning new things all the time (thank goodness for that).
Do you have any embarrassing stories like this you’d like to share? Any times that you thought, for instance that there were cream cows, whole milk cows, and 1% cows? Let me know in the comments! Tell me I’m not alone! 
Do I have something in my teeth?
Got it? Oh good. That would be embarrassing.
LOVElillian
Follow me on twitter
Love me on facebook
Get on my mailing list!!!!
Filed in: Lifestyle
About the Author (Author Profile)
Lillian makes other people's allergy friendly (grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, cane sugar-free, & soy-free (at the very least)) recipes for the very first time on camera.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Well, you discovered how big they are younger than me! I think my epiphany was just two years ago about the size of tuna. They really are BIG!
I’ve had a lot of people ask me when I eat kale “Isn’t that a type of seaweed?” I’m not sure how that is in their minds, but it’s not a unique idea.
I think Brussels Sprouts surprised me. I suppose I just thought they looked like cabbages, only smaller, in the ground. But seeing them on the stalk for the first time was pretty cool and crazy at the same time! Also, finding out that pineapples aren’t from a tree. Again, that’s not a unique idea – maybe because coconuts come from trees, and coconuts and pineapples are both tropical? Not sure how that works. But anyway, that was another revelation!
You crack me up, totally. Um, let’s see. Green beans. They grow in the ground? That’s how they got in the can which then was opened and heated and served for dinner when I was growing up? OHHHHHH, I get it now. Actually, I’ve known the truth about those green beans for awhile now:).
You are too funny! But, to tell you the truth, I do not think I really ever thought what tuna looked like before it was on my plate. I honestly even wonder if I ever even thought it was alive at some point in it’s life. Love this video today!! So true we need to know where it comes from before it goes in our mouths.:D
I remember my grandmother had pigs and I would go out and talk to them, pet them. One day we were eating and I said this is really good and she told me it was Henry (the pig) that we were eating. I cried for hours. I had no idea. And no that didn’t turn me into a vegetarian but pork is not my favorite food. I refuse to get friendly with other animals I eat.
I’m with Alta on this one. I was so surprised that those little Brussels sprout cabbage things were on big stalks. Dates are another surprising one. They grow on very tall trees and being a date picker is one of the most dangerous jobs around.
Love your videos. They always (ALWAYS) make me smile.
Melissa
I’m wracking my brain, because I know I was not a particularly bright child, but I was lucky enough to have grandparents with a vegetable garden and parents who took an interest in food quality. So I knew where most food came from. I’m sure I’ll think of an embarrassing example soon…but for now, I’ll leave this gem:
When I was in 7th grade, it took me a full 5 minutes to comprehend the meaning of the term Led Zeppelin. And as a kid, I used to be confused about how they could move the yellow line on the football field so fast (to show the next first down). Yeah. It’s called technology Kate.
Love your apron!
Ha ha! I remember that episode: “chicken of the sea.”
Well, I’m allergic to peanuts and always thought they grew on trees. I remember learning when they grew in the ground, I was like, “what the what.” Oh, and kolrabi. When I was growing it for the first time I was so confused. I thought the bulb grew under ground, but it grows above ground. Funny little things.
Have a great weekend lovely lady.
Hugs,
-Amber
Wait, peanuts don’t grow on trees? Wow. I’m learning so much today! Thanks Amber!