Looking to the past to contend with problems of today is a philosophy that is increasingly gaining momentum in my life. This is nothing new, however. The whole modern homestead movement, whether you live in an apartment or choose sprawling acreage in the middle of nowhere, seems to be fueled by this idea.

We certainly saw the weaknesses of our supply chains during Covid. Previously, obtaining our groceries was not much of a thought for most of us. But within weeks food security was front and center.

My defining moment—my paradigm shift—occurred as a result of a couple of experiences at a major warehouse grocery chain. While checking out, a clerk made the decision to remove meat from my cart without any explanation whatsoever. The next month, the slight was repeated by another clerk. This was not an issue of hoarding. There were just two packages of the same meat in my cart.

I could not get over the fact that a clerk was making the decision on what I could buy. The idea was troubling. What I was allowed to purchase seemed to be based on the subjective opinion of an employee, not a posted store policy,

My irritation took me awhile to process. However, over time my frustration changed into something constructive—a growing interest in food security, and reducing my reliance on the need for instant access to groceries. This wasn’t about adopting a “prepper” mentality, but rather about becoming more intentional in gathering and storing ingredients for the long term—much like kitchens did in days gone by. In this way, my urgency to buy groceries on demand is gradually being replaced by a sense of self-sufficiency.

An ingredient household, however, requires cooking from scratch. With freshly baked bread and the aroma of spices in the air, my journey toward food security has truly began. My kitchen has is the heart of it all.