Tips for Biblically Clean Eating at Summer Cookouts

In the summer there are lots of opportunities for gathering with family and friends! Whether it's a cookout at the lake, picnic in the park, a barbecue celebration at a friend's, a company picnic, or a meal after a baseball game or day at the pool, there's no shortage of potlucks and meals with others. Today I want to share some ideas for how you can take part in these activities while sticking to a Biblically clean diet.

Tips for Biblically clean eating at Summer cookouts:

1. Ask what to expect. If you are invited to a meal or get together it's okay to ask what's on the menu! A simple, "Sure I would love to come - what are we having? Can I bring anything?" is a polite way to get an idea of what to expect, so that you can plan accordingly. If it's a more formal event like a company picnic, I would base my expectations off of what was served last year. If you didn't go to the event last year, ask a coworker what it was like.

2. Take food that is Biblically clean. No one is responsible for what you eat except yourself, so take initiative! Whenever I go to a cookout I am sure to take Biblically clean foods that I and my family can fill up on. That way if everything else fails, we still have food to eat. I tend to take salads or sides because that's what I like to eat, but you could also take a protein like chicken or hot dogs to grill. I would recommend clearing that with your host before commandeering their grill or kitchen, "Would you mind if I stuck these hot dogs I brought on the grill at some point? My family has some dietary restrictions." Bring enough to share.

3. What to watch out for. Hot dogs and brats are your most likely unclean offenders. Most brands of these are pork or contain pork, so I wouldn't eat these unless I was absolutely certain they are all beef or chicken. If the package is handy, take a look at the label and see. The good news is that there are lots of Biblically clean versions of these made from beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, or even vegetarian options. Bring your own if that's appropriate, or forgo the hot dogs in favor of side dishes if that's the best option. I also skip baked beans because they almost always have bacon in them. Most marshmallows contain pork gelatin, so I take my own if I expect we'll be roasting smores.

4. Don't be afraid to ask what's in something. It really is okay to ask what is in a dish. "This looks great - do you know what's in it?" or "I heard you made the broccoli salad, what's your recipe?" are polite ways to ask about the ingredients without coming off like the food police. Please note though, that you should also talk about other things! It does not come off well if you don't even say hello and just start grilling someone on the ingredients they used. Make it a point to also make time for normal conversation with everyone you bring up food questions with.

5. Look for simple ingredient offerings. I love summer because it's so easy to slice up tomatoes or melon and stick them out on a buffet. Salads with just a handful of ingredients make it easy to identify what's in them. If something is store-bought you can also check the ingredients list on the label.

6. You don't have to eat anything. If for any reason you don't feel like any of what's being served at a cookout is Biblically clean, you are not required to partake of it! You don't need to make a scene, but you can choose to forgo the buffet line. I've done this many times, and it's never an issue. Most people don't notice and the ones that do know I eat a little differently. If you expect this to be the situation, you can eat beforehand or take food with you. If you didn't expect it, you can make your excuses and leave or choose to be hungry for a bit and continue spending time with friends and family.

7. Share why you've changed if it comes up. Now I'm not saying that you have to tell everyone there five times that you don't eat pork, but opportunities will come where you can share about how your faith is growing. Use discernment about when and how to best talk about this. In my experience, people are more receptive to hearing that I feel called to keep the Bible's instructions than to hearing about how pig eating is an abomination and will make you sick, while they are chowing down on a hot dog.

8. Do not complain! Yes, it can be frustrating to not have many food options but remembering that many believers are being persecuted can help to keep that in perspective. We are doing well if skipping a meal occasionally is the worst of our troubles. Take joy in spending time with loved ones, even if the meal is disappointing. No one is going to be positively impacted by your faith if it's causing you to grumble and be miserable. Keep a good attitude and show others that you are happy to be honoring YHWH with your dietary choices. 

Related posts:
Biblically Clean Cookout Recipes
How to Eat Biblically Clean
Brands of Biblically Clean Marshmallows
Questions and Answers on Biblically Clean Eating

Sabbath in the New Testament

If you've ever wondered about the Sabbath day in the New Testament this post is for you. Many people have told me that if the Sabbath was truly important for us it would have been mentioned by the Messiah or in the New Testament. The thing is though that the day of rest actually gets brought up a lot in the New Testament. More times than in the Torah! And with the New Testament only making up about a third of the whole of Scripture, the Sabbath appears in higher proportions than in the entire Old Testament.

Honoring the Sabbath day is such a foundational part of the lifestyle that Scripture teaches it often goes without saying. Sort of like how I've never seen the days of the week listed in order in a newspaper or magazine. This information is so obvious in our world that it's unspoken. The New York Times does not need to tell readers that Monday is after Sunday and that it's the most dreaded day of the week, but a time traveler from another era wouldn't realize what a "case of the Mondays" means. Knowledge that's ubiquitous in one culture is often lost on another.

If honoring the Sabbath is not part of your culture, then the implied presence of it is easy to miss. I think one of the reasons Peter, John, and Paul don't talk about observing the Sabbath more expressly is that it never crossed their minds that those who follow the Messiah would scratch off one of the ten commandments. 

And speaking of those ten commandments, do you realize the Messiah spent comparatively little time on the other nine? Sabbath keeping comes up far more often in the New Testament than things like not killing or having no gods in your life besides YHWH. Do we think YHWH has "freed" us from the restriction to not murder or that we can go ahead and lie and steal? Of course not! Even without saying much on the subject we know that the Messiah still wants us to honor these commandments. Hopefully seeing how much the Sabbath comes up throughout Scripture will help us to see how valuable it is to the Living Word.

Let's take a look at where Sabbath appears in the New Testament:

Hebrews 4:9 - There remains a Sabbath for the people of YHWH.

Did you hear that? This book was written many years after Yahusha ascended into Heaven and the writer of Hebrews still believed that the Sabbath was applicable to our lives.


Luke 6:5 - The Son of Man is Master of the Sabbath.

Why would the Messiah give himself this title if he wanted us to ignore this commandment? Does that make any kind of sense? He also described himself as the Good Shepherd - do we say he is out of the shepherding game? Do we think he used to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life for other people but not for us? Scripture tells us that not only did Yahusha keep the Sabbath but also that he has taken ownership of the idea of it. The commandment that his people make the seventh day a set apart one belongs to him.


Matthew 12:12 - It is permitted in Torah to do good deeds on the Sabbath.

You know how Yahusha was accused of violating the Sabbath day? Those accusations were false. Here he explains that the Torah actually permits healing on the Sabbath. This is not him bending the rules or blowing off part of Scripture. This is the Living Word explaining correct understanding of YHWH's commandments regarding the Sabbath. If his intent was to do away with one of the commandments in a year or two after his death he would not have spent so much time working to correct our understanding of it.


Acts 13:14 - They came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath.

I used to work for a Christian ministry that is very passionate about the book of Acts being a life manual for today's Believers. The ministry believes healings and miracles were not just limited to the early church, but what YHWH desires for his people today. I totally agree with this but I would also take things a step further: look at the other parts of the lives of the people in this book. These miracles happened through Sabbath keepers. Let's view this as a manual and live the way they did.


Luke 23:56 - They went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Here is an example of the Messiah's followers observing the Sabbath after his death. Many say there is too much pressing work that needs to be done to take a day of rest, but Yahusha's followers didn't violate the Sabbath, even for his sake. I imagine if these women had ever heard the Messiah teach that Sabbath keeping was not important they would have made an exception at such a significant time. But they didn't. The spices were an important part of burial tradition and it was clear they wanted to do this as soon as possible since they went "very early" in the morning after the Sabbath to anoint his body. 


Colossians 2:16-17 - Let no one judge you in connection with the Sabbath...except the Israelite body of the Messiah.

YHWH knew that many people would not understand our desire to honor his Sabbath, which is why he warned us not to let their opinion sway us. This also tells us that it's not optional. We are not free from judgment regarding the Sabbath (and also foods and feast days) so we can just do whatever we want. This verse tells us that judgment is passed by the body of the Messiah. As the bride, the body's beliefs on the Sabbath should be unified with the Messiah's.


1 Corinthians 16:2 - After one of the Sabbaths let everyone one of you lay aside and store up what YHWH has blessed him with.

The Sabbath day is still treated like a normal part of life here because it was. The Messiah never wanted his followers to give up a commandment of YHWH and early on his followers were aware of that.


Matthew 24:20 - Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on the Sabbath.

Yahusha is talking here about a time that 2,000 years later has not yet happened. The escape in question is after the abomination of desolation occurs in the Temple. Why does he use this anecdote about praying that you won't have to flee on the Sabbath? It's obvious he expects his people to be aware of and desire to honor the Sabbath day.


Acts 17:2 - As was his custom, Paul went into a synagogue on the Sabbath and reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

Why does Paul have a habit of teaching from Scripture on the Sabbath? Because that is an activity that is approved of on the Sabbath day. We do not see him working in his profession as a tent maker, traveling, or shopping on the set apart day. One of the greatest Scripture teachers of all time knew not to violate the Sabbath and we have no record that he ever did. The book of Acts frequently talks about what Paul was up to on the Sabbath, and his actions are always keeping with the commandment to set the day apart.


Acts 15:21 - For Moses from old times has in every city those that proclaim his teachings, with his Torah being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.

Here instructions are given on how to handle people coming into the faith that have no foundation of the commandments about set apart living. A few basic pointers are given to them (stay away from idols, sexual sin, and blood), and then Scripture tells us to get these people to start observing the Sabbath. On the Sabbath day, get to somewhere that is teaching YHWH's instructions so that you can learn how to live.


Revelation 12:17 - The dragon went to make war with the remnant of the woman's children, the ones that keep the commandments of YHWH, and have the testimony of Yahusha the Messiah.

The commandments and the Messiah. YHWH wants us to have both.

There are something like 58 express mentions of the Sabbath in the New Testament, so this is by no means a conclusive list. Did you ever realize what a popular word this was in Scripture?

More on the Sabbath: 
Fifteen Things Scripture Says About the Sabbath
Six Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Sabbath
Five Things the Messiah Taught About the Sabbath

Biblically Clean Taco Recipes

This post goes to show that you can follow the Bible's instructions about what we eat and still enjoy lots of delicious meals! A friend mentioned to me that they didn't think they could eat Biblically clean because they love tacos so much - but guess what? There are plenty of great taco recipes that you'll love, that you won't have to compromise your convictions for! This recipe round up includes something for everyone. Whether you're looking for beef tacos, vegetarian options, super quick dinner ideas, or something made in a slow cooker.

Easy Chili Lime Fish Tacos from Pinch of Yum

Short Rib Tacos with Pepper Mustard Slaw from How Sweet Eats

Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch from Half Baked Harvest

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos from Cookie and Kate

Grilled Corn Tacos from Love and Lemons

Chicken Tinga Tacos from Pinch of Yum

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Tacos from How Sweet Eats

Loaded Quinoa Tacos from A Couple Cooks

Easy Black Bean Tacos from A Couple Cooks

Lentil Tacos from Making Thyme For Health

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Tacos from Pinch of Yum

Cheesy Zucchini Roasted Corn Tacos from Half Baked Harvest

Epic Vegetarian Tacos from Cookie and Kate

Grilled Fish Tacos from A Couple Cooks

Street Corn and Jicama Tacos from How Sweet Eats

20 Minute Ancho Chicken Tacos from Pinch of Yum

Roasted Vegetable Tacos from Minimalist Baker

Sweet and Spicy Short Rib Tacos from How Sweet Eats

Easy Black Bean Tacos from Cookie and Kate

Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa from How Sweet Eats

Related:
Biblically Clean Dinner Ideas
How To Eat Biblically Clean
Questions and Answers About Biblically Clean Eating

Frequently Asked Questions about Shavuot

I want to take the time to address some frequently asked questions about the Biblical set apart time of Shavuot, and how it pertains to us as believers in Messiah.

Are Shavuot and Pentecost the same thing?

The words Shavuot and Pentecost are used interchangeably in Scripture. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for "Feast of Weeks," whereas Pentecost is Greek for "fiftieth." Both are referring to the set apart time that happens fifty days after the counting of the omer begins during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Of course, different people mean different things by each, but in Scripture they are the same.

Is Shavuot a Sabbath day?

Yes, Shavuot is no-work day, and should be treated like the weekly Sabbath. So avoid professional work, shopping, home maintenance, etc. More information on no-work days can be found here.

How do you celebrate it? This is my first year celebrating the feast days.To anyone celebrating for the first time - yay! - I am so proud of you for taking this step of faith and cheering you on as you do it!Take the pressure off of yourself to do everything perfectly and shoot to have a nice day of rest, while remembering the incredible gifts we have been given - the written word and the Holy Spirit!Have some good food, read your Bible, get together with other believers if possible, give an offering to YHWH, give gifts if you wish, pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and make or buy two loaves of bread to remember God's abundant provision that we celebrate during this time.
What kind of bread or other foods do you make?I like to make strawberry salad or strawberry shortcake! Strawberries are great in my area at this time of year and I like the reminder of the fruit of the Spirit!Milk and honey are often used to symbolize the sweetness of Scripture in our lives, so desserts like cheesecake or fruit tarts are popular as well. See this post for milk and honey dessert recipes!

I also think it's fun to do two loaves of bread of any kind in honor of Leviticus 23:17 that says to offer two loaves to YHWH. This is a great reminder that he provides more than enough for our needs. You could make or buy fancy breads made with herbs or olives or cheese or you an ultimate make your own grilled cheese bar, with lots of different cheeses, veggies, and condiments! Babka is another fun bread for Shavuot.What Bible passages are good for this time?Great things to study during Shavuot would be the covenant, and the Holy Spirit. The book of Ruth is traditionally studied at this time of year. Leviticus 23:15-21, Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 12, Exodus 20:1-17, and Galatians 5:22 are some of my favorites.

What do you do to celebrate?Take the day off work, spend time with loved ones, talk about the ways you have seen the Holy Spirit at work in your life, read Acts 2, go see wheat being harvested if possible, make a big fruit salad to symbolize the fruit of the Spirit, get immersed, host a Bible study!What verses tell us that believers in Messiah should observe the feasts?Exodus 34:22 - "You shall observe the festival of Shavuot."We should celebrate Shavuot because Scripture tells us to! Nowhere in Scripture does it tell us that the set apart times are done away with! This post goes into more details about why we as believers in Messiah should keep the feasts.

When do we actually start counting?Scripture instructs us to count fifty days and then celebrate Shavuot. Our starting point for that is the Sunday after Passover, which is known as First Fruits. This is the day the Messiah rose from the grave!

Ways to celebrate with toddlers?Crafts and Bible stories around the fruit of the Spirit, the giving of the Holy Spirit, and the ten commandments are all very appropriate!Bible Pathway Adventures has free activity and coloring sheets for kids too!

Does the lamp stand all over the Bible have any significance with this?The lamp stand that the Bible talks about is a seven branched menorah! This correlates with the seven Biblical holidays.

How to celebrate?This is a day to remember the giving of Scripture and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! I enjoy getting together at a lake with other believers (the lake is a great opportunity for immersion), we share a meal and read/discuss Bible stories related to these times.I also like finding ways to 'give the word' to others - sharing a printable Bible verse, memorizing a passage to share with others, gathering Bibles to donate etc.

What is the meaning of it?On Shavuot we remember both the giving of the written word and commandments, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. It is also a time when we celebrate that YHWH provides for our needs! Shavuot happens when wheat is being harvested. During Bible times, wheat was a significant part of the daily diet, and the harvest being brought in was a tangible reminder of YHWH providing for them! On Shavuot we look back at the ways YHWH provided in Scripture and in our own lives.
More on Shavuot:
Celebrating the Fruit of the Spirit at Shavuot
Shavuot Provision
Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot