{Challenge}: October Unprocessed

All right friends, I've decided to take part in a challenge with Eating Rules and would love for you to join along!  For some of you, this may seem like an impossible task, for some this may be something you already practice, and for others, I suspect it will be an opportunity to simply refine your current eating habits. Wherever your current diet falls, let this be a chance to clean it up and get on track with real food!

The challenge is this: Going the entire month of October with no processed foods

Of course, this poses the question: What defines processed? So here is a simple explanation taken directly from EatingRules:

Obviously there’s a wide range of implications in that word, and we will probably each define it slightly differently for ourselves.  My definition is this:

Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.

I call it “The Kitchen Test.” If you pick up something with a label (and if it doesn’t have a label, it’s probably unprocessed), and find an ingredient you’d never use in your kitchen and couldn’t possibly make yourself from the whole form, it’s processed.

It doesn’t mean you actually have to make it yourself, it just means that for it to be considered “unprocessed” that you could, in theory, do so.

Here’s the discussion from last year on the definition, and we’ll continue exploring it as October approaches.

So what do you say? Are you ready to commit to a healthier you? Let me know by leaving a comment (either here of via Facebook) that you're going to participate. And be sure to check out EatingRules for daily posts, tips and encouragement throughout the month! Remember, these things are always easier with support from others!

Of course I will also be posting updates and recipes, so visit frequently! Best of luck!!