Chicken Coup

It seems to me that every time I turn around, there is a new, imminent concern when it comes to parenting. Organic or non-organic, wooden toys vs. plastic, Chinese lead paint, pro-biotics, and cancerous plastics, just to name a few. I am always a bit weary of hopping on bandwagons too quickly, but this time, I am sufficiently concerned to start making changes. (Admittedly, I have yet to replace all of my containers and my beloved sippy cups! Sniff!)

Last week, Tom Spears, science writer for the Ottawa Citizen, wrote an in-depth piece on plastics. It was the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I finally felt like I understood the problematics behind the research and the story. So, I have made the decision to slowly start replacing the plastic food containers in our house and, most of all, our beloved sippy cups. (Sniff again!) But I wondered… what do you replace them with? Mason Jars (not the sippys, obviously, although that would be a bit new age!) Are there any other options?

In reading the Citizen article, I also became aware for the first time that one of the major areas of concern for BPA leakage is in canned food. This, was a shock to me. I had never realized that the inside of a food can is lined with plastic. Maybe because I had never really thought about it before. It’s not like we eat from cans that much, but it would definitely change our eating habits if we had to cut them out completely. My spaghetti sauce? Canned tomatoes. Saturday lunch? Chicken noodle soup. You get where I am going here. Man, what’s a girl to do?

I have been toying around with the idea of canning my own veggies, sauces, and soups in the summer. It seems like it makes sense every way you put it, expect when it comes to my time! With this new-found awareness, I may have to re-visit this option this year. I wonder if this would make a good community kitchen project? Any ideas?

 Anyone else out there as torn as me?

You are on the right track, for sure! Time, Time, Time, I think we all have to make a little of it now, in order to have more later… Love ya sis!

C

Comment by Cheryl February 22, 2008 @ 7:43 pm