God’s Green Table: Why Teaching Creation Care, Nutrition and Food Safety Through a Christian Lens Matters

Our physical bodies have been crafted with purpose by God. They have been entrusted to us as a gift and caring for our bodies is part of our stewardship responsibilities. Many Christians place a great deal of importance on managing their finances, their time, or their possessions as stewards, which is a good thing, but they often overlook the very real importance of caring for their physical bodies. In Christian circles, there is often tension between those who worship the body (often unknowingly) through an obsession with health and those who neglect it out of fear of idolatry. However, Scripture reminds us that our bodies are not our own; they are God's, created for His glory and purchased at great price. 

As 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 affirms, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul states,

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

These verses highlight a foundational truth: maintaining good physical health is not a worldly pursuit but an act of spiritual worship. The act of nourishing our bodies is a means of honouring God with the body that He has given us.  

Since the beginning of time, God has provided for our nourishment through food. In Genesis God revealed that His original provision of seed-bearing plants and fruits was to be our food (Genesis 1:29 - pre flood) 

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

while Genesis 9:3 (post flood) expands our food provisions to include animals.

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.

Scripture does not provide food pyramids, but it teaches discernment, moderation and thankfulness. Proverbs for example reminds us on several occasions to avoid excess and practice the act of moderation, and then Jesus Himself encouraged thankfulness and discouraged waste (John 6:12). 

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”

These examples point us to a balanced, thankful approach to eating that reflects God’s heart.  

Despite God's provision for good health (whole foods, rest, water, and exercise), modern eating and lifestyle habits often undermine this provision. The original foods of God's creation - fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, and clean proteins - are gradually being replaced by highly processed foods that have been artificially preserved, dyed, sweetened, and stripped of the nutrients in which they were originally intended to be rich.  

Stewarding our health can be supported further when we ensure that we also play our role being good stewards of the earth which God created in beautiful and orderly way to sustain life (including ours). God created not only our bodies but also the land that nourishes our bodies. Genesis reminds us that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1),

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.

and we are to take care of it in Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [a]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

and in Genesis 2:15

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

Choosing foods that are closer to the way God designed—whole, fresh, and unprocessed—not only supports our physical health but often also helps us to steward the earth by reducing waste, chemical use, and environmental damage. Teaching children to be thankful for and responsible with the earth’s resources reinforces this broader call to godly stewardship. 

The use of highly refined sugars, industrial seed oils, artificial additives, and food dyes is not neutral. The consumption of these ingredients is consistently associated with systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance. Over time, they can impair immune function, disrupt sleeping patterns, and cause metabolic disorders. The mental health of a person can also be affected by diets high in processed foods. Research indicates that diets high in processed foods are associated with increased depression, anxiety, and mood instability.  

For children, whose brains and bodies are still developing, the consequences can be especially profound.

Diets lacking in nourishing, whole foods lead to:  

• Concentration and learning difficulties – caused by blood sugar spikes and crashes, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies (like iron, b12, omega-3s, or zinc).  

• Irritability, tantrums, and emotional dysregulation – often linked to artificial dyes, preservatives, and unstable blood glucose levels.  

• Restlessness, sleep issues, and behavioural challenges – which may reflect gut-brain imbalance or sensitivities to additives and processed ingredients.  

  
  

It is not simply a matter of medical or behavioural concerns, but also a matter of spiritual importance. Our food is designed not only to nourish us, but also to provide clarity, calm, and strength that will enable us to live faithfully and love others well. It is more than a health issue when poor nutrition hinders the ability of children (or ourselves) to concentrate during prayer, listen to or read the Bible, sit peacefully during meals, listen well in a classroom (or church), or regulate their responses in relationships. This is not only health issues that affect physical and mental health, but also a profound spiritual problem.  

In addition to what we eat, how we handle food is also a matter of stewardship. Food safety—washing hands, storing meals properly, avoiding contamination—isn’t just practical advice, it’s a way of protecting the bodies  that God has given us and those He has entrusted to our care. Teaching children about cleanliness in the kitchen and respectful food practices helps them understand that all of life, even what happens at the dinner table, can be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). 

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Thus, food stewardship becomes a matter of faithful living. By choosing foods that support our children's (and our own) physical, mental, and emotional well-being, we also support them in their capacity to worship, learn, relate, and obey. During this process, we are preparing their hearts and minds to respond joyfully and readily to God's call.  

The Bible warns us not to be controlled by anything, not even our appetites. In a world where indulgence is often celebrated and discipline viewed as restrictive, God offers a different way: one rooted in freedom, not bondage. The warnings against gluttony, overindulgence, and idleness throughout Proverbs and the epistles are not harsh limitations—they are loving boundaries set in place to protect our hearts, minds, and bodies.  

Proverbs 23:21 says,  

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

The verse does not only refer to material poverty, but also to spiritual and physical depletion. If we are ruled by cravings or slothfulness, we become sluggish in body and spirit, less able to listen to God's leading, and less able to serve others joyfully. Similarly, when we fail to consume sufficient food in situations in which we have access to food, our bodies become weak and unable to serve or focus on things such as reading (listening) to God's Word. In both cases, we can end up with problematic physical and spiritual outcomes (consequences) if we do not properly care for our bodies. 

On the other hand, self-control is listed among the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Through God's grace, it is a gift we can cultivate, and it extends to every area of our lives, including our diet.  

In today's society, food is often used as a source of entertainment, escape, or emotional comfort. The culture we live in encourages us to consume food not out of necessity, but rather out of habit, impulse, or emotion. However, food was never intended to be our refuge. When we turn to food for comfort, escape, distraction, or emotional comfort, instead of turning to God, we place our trust in the wrong place and it can indicate a deeper problem with our heart posture. Food has been provided for us to nourish our bodies and to assist us in doing the good works that God has entrusted to us, not to satisfy spiritual hunger or to mask discomfort.  

This distortion can have far-reaching consequences. By consuming highly processed foods, sugary snacks, and fast food on a regular basis and not consuming adequate nutrient-rich whole foods, we not only compromise our physical health, but also dull our spiritual discernment. This is due to the fact that poor food choices can result in inflammation, energy crashes, fatigue, low motivation, foggy thinking, cognitive impairment, and emotional instability. Symptoms such as these can interfere with our ability to concentrate during prayer or read the bible, maintain a gentle spirit, show patience to our families, or have the energy or good health to serve others.  Our choices can also impact the earth we have been tasked to care for by God and in-turn can either positively or negatively impact others (both humans and creatures created by God).

The good news is, there are actions we can take to better steward the earth (including all that is in it) as well as our health and teach our children to do the same.

Teaching Stewardship Through Food Choices

• Avoid overly processed foods – Processed food often comes with hidden costs-excess packaging, resource-intensive farming which can damage the earth, and chemical additives that harm our health and God’s creation.

• Choose local produce when possible – When we choose local produce (where possible) we can reduce food waste and support what is often kinder farming methods.

• Reduce food waste – Teach children to value and make the most of what God provides.

• Involve children in meal preparation – When we involve children in meal prep we help them understand where food comes from, to be thankful for what God has graciously provided us with and how to prepare it responsibly.

• Plant a vegetable garden at home or join a community garden – When we engage kids in growing food we not only teach them where their food comes from but we teach them how to be better stewards of what we are being given.

• Model gratitude and care for creation – When we model thankfulness and gratitude for what we have been provided (no matter how big or small) we demonstate how how to honour God for His provision and cultivate joy within their hearts and minds.

When we reframe our perspective - when we choose to view every meal as an opportunity to honor God - everything changes. Food preparation becomes a rhythm of gratitude. Taking part in a meal becomes an act of humility and thankfulness. The act of saying no to excess becomes a form of self-control and obedience.  

When we consider food as a means of stewarding what God has entrusted to us, the table is transformed. The issue is no longer one of control or appearance, but one of faithfulness. Rather than an indulgence, each bite can be an opportunity to say, "Lord, I will choose what nourishes so that I may serve you well."  

By eating with discernment and gratitude, we honor the One who created us. Good nutrition prepares us for service, worship, and to fulfill the good works God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10).  

 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

In conclusion, we must remember that Christian believers are called to walk a different path-one of wisdom, discernment, and faithful stewardship-in a culture often emphasizing convenience over effort, immediate over patience, appearance over purpose, indulgence over discipline, and self over God. The purpose of nourishing our bodies is to honour the God who created us, sustains us, and calls us to live lives that honour and glorify Him. 

As the Scriptures repeatedly remind us, our bodies are instruments for worship, vessels for service, and temples for the Holy Spirit. They are not to be idolised, neglected, or abused—but rather stewarded with diligence, gratitude, and self-control. A lamp would not burn brightly if filled with polluted oil, and neither do our minds and bodies function well if they are constantly fuelled with substances that diminish our strength to serve faithfully.  

Science supports Scripture's assertion that the way we treat our bodies affects every aspect of our lives, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Well-nourished bodies facilitate clarity of thought, emotional resilience, restful sleep, energy for service, and the capacity to reflect God's love and truth. On the other hand, chronic consumption of harmful foods can contribute to disease, disconnection, and spiritual dullness.  

But there is hope. By God’s grace, and with the Spirit’s help, we can realign our habits with God’s heart. We can teach our children and model for our families what it means to eat and live in a way that prepares us for worship, love, learning, and service. We can say “yes” to God’s design and “no” to patterns of this world that leave us depleted and distracted.  

Let us not only pray before eating,but also live our lives in such a way that our food choices become acts of obedience, thankfulness, and trust. Let us keep in mind our Father in Heaven, who has provided us with every good thing - including the food that sustains us - not to control us, but to prepare us and strengthen us for the good works He would have us to do. By doing so, we practice good stewardship (teaching our children to do this also) and we prepare ourselves (or our children) to walk faithfully in His good works. 

Thank you for reading, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for next months post