What is a food philosophy you might be asking? A food philosophy is a set of personal principles that guide you and help define how you choose your food and your resulting lifestyle practices. Your food philosophy will help you create recipes, build menus and design healthy, delicious meals.

This is my food philosophy:

To eat locally, seasonally and sustainably, and to cook simply with fresh, organic foods.

And it definitely has evolved over time. What began as a love of growing roses progressed to planting herbs, tomatoes and peppers, then to creating a full-blown kitchen garden (with a key lime tree and Meyer’s lemon tree thrown in for good measure).

As my garden continued to expand, I had to figure out what to do with the fruits and vegetables I harvested. While I’ve always loved to cook and bake, using fresh ingredients I grew myself was something new. So, I set out to learn all I could.

As I continue to refine my gardening and cooking skills, I gain knowledge and find inspiration from many sources. However, only one person really speaks to me – Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Her cookbook The Art of Simple Food II has become my go-to resource. The guidance, suggestions and information it contains, as well as the instruction given by Ms. Waters in Alice’s Philosophy of Food, have taught me the importance of mindfully choosing the foods I eat and serve, and how to cook with all of my senses, not just taste and smell.

Most of my vegetables (and some fruits) now come from my garden. The local farmer’s market is my second choice. And I order eggs, poultry and meat from a local zero waste farm that utilizes regenerative grazing practices and holistic management. What a difference!                  

So what’s your food philosophy? Have you even thought about it? A great place to start is by looking at your favorite cookbooks. What is it that draws you to them? Why did you buy them in the first place and why do you still own them? What do these cookbook authors say about their own food philosophies? Do you agree or disagree?

Next take a look at where you shop. Are you grocery store organic or do you choose farm-fresh local? Do you only eat unprocessed foods? Are you plant-based or vegan? Now consider your favorite restaurants. What types of foods do they serve? What do you choose to eat? Are they farm-to-table? Do they use organic ingredients?

Your food philosophy will likely change over time - mine did. Remember that it’s just as much about the journey as the end result. I promise - you’ll discover a lot along the way.