Jon is doing this with me, but he’s already “cheated” twice. But I don’t judge him or anything. Last year, there was a big revelation for him (both of us, really), as to the extent to which processing affects our lives. It’s the learning/attempting/striving that matters most to me, rather than 31 days of unprocessed perfection.

Also, this is the time of year when I’m most likely to try brand-new recipes. Some of our favorite meals were ones I tried for the first time last year, and already this year we’ve found two winners that will find a place at our table.

So while I applaud the notion, it’s certainly not feasible for our family. We need that two or three times a month frozen fish stick thing (at least we get the minimally processed, good-ingredients ones) or I’d lose my head. Sometimes I worry that ultra-pure initiatives may risk turning off those who can’t make it work. Not everyone can afford their own grain mill…it’s on our wish list but even if we bought it, I don’t know if we’d have time to do it. We don’t use the bread machine nearly as often as I’d like…