Traditional Foods

What are Traditional Foods?

Traditional Foods are foods consumed in the way our ancestors ate them.  There are two basic premises behind Traditional Foods.  The first is that the food you consume should be as nutrient dense and nourishing as possible.  Not caloric density but rather the most vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc.  The other argument for Traditional Foods is ecological. Traditional Foods are, by their nature, sustainable.

In the U.S. and other industrialized nations we are being slowly poisoned by toxic chemicals in our industrially-processed and fractionated foods such as MSG, aspartame, genetically-modified-organisms, oxidized oils, heavy metals, phthalates, herbicides, pesticides and thousands of other man-made and natural toxins. Added to this are the toxins in vaccines, in air, water and soil, in furniture and other in household products.

A nutrient-dense traditional whole foods diet is a radical concept in this day and age, yet one that could literally save us from the downward spiral of drastic decreases in fertility rates, an epidemic of autism, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity and other chronic and degenerative diseases unknown to the healthy non-industrialized populations that the Cleveland dentist Weston A. Price studied in the 1920' and 1930's.

Dietary Guidelines from

the Weston A. Price Foundation

1.      Eat whole, natural foods.

2.      Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.

3.      Eat naturally raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.

4.      Eat whole, naturally produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.

5.      Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils-coconut and palm.

6.      Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.

7.      Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralise phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.

8.      Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.

9.      Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.

10.  Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.

11.  Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.

12.  Use unrefined Celtic sea salt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.

13.  Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.

14.  Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.

15.  Use only unpasteurised wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.

16.  Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.

17.  Use only natural supplements.

18.  Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.

19.  Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.

20.  Practice forgiveness.

How to Start – 5 Small Steps

1.      Purchase the Nourishing Traditions cookbook

2.      Gradually eliminate all processed foods from your diet

3.      Introduce good animal fats

4.      Know where your food comes from – start by buying nutrient dense food from people you know and trust – local, seasonal, and organic whenever possible

5.      Make time for food preparation & cook as much as possible at home

Possible Menu

Breakfast Ideas

·        Eggs and nitrate-free bacon

·        Sausage and vegetable quiche

·        Smoothie made with raw milk, cream, fruit, egg, coconut oil, honey

·        Soaked oats made with raw milk and finished with cream, honey, and fruit

Lunch Ideas

·        Soup made with bone broth and seasonal vegetables

·        Salad made with protein, raw cheese, and homemade dressing

·        Peasants lunch including nitrate-free salami or sausage, raw cheese, crispy nuts, sauerkraut, raw fruits, and raw vegetables

Dinner Ideas

·        Soup or salad as per lunch

·        Roast chicken, duck, fish, or pork and seasonal steamed vegetables with butter

·        Steak (fat on and cooked rare) and seasonal steamed vegetables with butter

·        Casseroles

Snack Ideas

·        Nitrate-free salami and cheese

·        Crispy nuts and dried fruit

·        Raw or cultured milk

·        Smoothie

·        Sour dough bread and raw butter

·        Nut cookies and raw milk

·        Coconut oil fudge

·        Hard boiled egg

Resources

Weston A. Price Foundation – www.westonaprice.org

Real Milk – www.realmilk.com

WAPF Toledo Farm Club – contact Kris Johnson at kris.johnson@ecunet.org - visit www.WAPFToledo.org

Claudia’s Natural Food Market – 5644 Monroe Street, Sylvania, OH

Phoenix Earth Food Co-op – 1447 W Sylvania Ave, Toledo, OH

Books:

      Nutrition & Physical Degeneration – Weston A. Price

      Nourishing Traditions Cookbook – Sally Fallon

      The Untold Story of Milk – Ron Schmid, ND

            The Whole Soy Story – Kaayla T. Daniel, CCN