The New Jewish Food Commandments

Guidelines to ensure that fresh, local, and environmentally friendly food lands on your kids' plates

By Natasha Rosenstock for Kveller

Most of us are familiar with the Ten Commandments (or at least the Charlton Heston movie) and know all about those golden rules to live by. But while that covers idolatry and adultery, when it comes to the food we feed our family, a newer perspective could be of use.

Of course the Bible has its fair share of rules--keeping kosher, anyone?--but in these health-conscious and environmentally friendly times, it seems like we could use some additional rules, ones with an eye toward organic, local, and ethically produced food. Here are 10 new food commandments to ensure healthy and delicious eating habits that are good for you, your kids, and the environment.

1. Eat less meat, fish, and chicken. Make sure that what you do eat is grown in an ethical and sustainable manner.

Eating less meat is healthier for your body and the universe. Raising animals for food is often not just an unhealthy practice for the animals and those who eat them, but contributes to air, soil, and water pollution. Ethical, healthier, kosher options include KOL Foods, a company that ships out of Silver Spring, MD and Brooklyn's Grow and Behold Foods.

2. Eat dinner together as a family every night.

Eating dinner together every night helps children learn that life should not be composed of endless junk food snacks. When we eat real food, our body knows how to process it, we know we've eaten, and we feel full. Eating dinner together also gives parents an opportunity to model good eating habits, such as eating whole grains, piling your plate with steamed veggies, and limiting meat consumption.

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