What I Eat

People often ask me what I eat. I've been reluctant to share, because it feels egocentric and I'm a private person by nature. I also don't want people to view my diet as a universal prescription for others. But in the end, as someone who shares my opinions about nutrition, it's only fair that I answer the question. So here we go.

In my food choices, I try to strike a balance between nutrition, cost, time efficiency, animal welfare, pleasure, and environmental impact. I'm the chef of my household of two, and I cook two meals a day, almost every day, typically from single ingredients. I prefer organic, but I don't insist on it.

Eggs from my hens

My diet changes seasonally because I grow much of my own food. This started out with vegetables, but recently has expanded to staple foods such as potatoes, flour corn, and winter squash. I also have a small flock of laying hens that turn table scraps, bugs, grass, and chicken feed into delicious eggs.

The primary guiding principle of my diet is to eat somewhere between a "Paleolithic"-style diet and a traditional agricultural/horticultural diet. I think of it as a broad ancestral diet. Because it's partially inspired by agricultural/horticultural diets, starch is the main calorie source.

My meals are organized around three food groups: a protein, a starch, and vegetables/fruit. If any of those three are missing, the meal doesn't feel complete. I'll start with those categories and move on from there.

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