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I am new to your website, where should I start?
If you’re new here you should definitely check out the “Start Here” page, which details the site’s key resources and posts that you’ll want to visit.
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Why don’t you consider sugar to be a “real food”…isn’t it natural?
Sugar comes from a plant so it is definitely a “natural” food. Some other “natural” foods that we like to avoid are high-fructose corn syrup (from corn) and white flour (from wheat). What all of these have in common is that, aside from being natural, they are so highly refined and processed that the good stuff is stripped away leaving mostly empty calories. Here’s a little more about our decision to avoid sugar and other refined sweeteners – Mini-Pledge Week 9: No Refined Sweeteners.
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What does your family eat now that your strict “100 Days of Real Food” pledge is over?
When we are at home I estimate that we eat 95%+ real food. Since our pledge ended we’ve incorporated a once-a-week “special treat.” This could be anything from a homemade chocolate cake to a donut from Krispy Kreme, although I do try hard to steer my family away from artificial ingredients and food dyes no matter what. With that being said, we do believe moderation is key so we most certainly let our daughters participate in school celebrations, birthday parties, and other events that often involve junk food.
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Have you noticed any health-related changes since your switch to real food?
Yes! We switched to real food because we thought it was the right thing to do. What we did not expect was for our youngest daughter’s constipation and asthma to completely disappear. We were equally surprised by how much my HDL level increased (a.k.a. the “good” cholesterol that should be a high number), which jumped up by 50%! I also feel like I have more energy (no more afternoon slumps), and my husband and I both lost a couple of pounds without even trying. For more details check out this link: Our personal changes in health.
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What kind of milk does your family drink?
We’ve switched both our type of milk and source for our milk a couple of times over the last year. We currently drink the least processed type of milk available in North Carolina (where raw milk is illegal). We buy Homestead Creamery’s non-homogenized whole milk in half gallon glass bottles from Earth Fare. Since switching to whole milk we’ve also been working to reduce our consumption.
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What kind of cheese do you buy that is “real food” approved?
When it comes to cheese we go for blocks of cheese that are organic and preferably from grass-fed cows (if we can find it). The pre-shredded stuff contains an anti-caking agent (to prevent it from sticking together) which is a little too powdery for our taste. Also, most cheese is actually supposed to be white so even though the orange coloring is natural and probably a harmless additive I like to stick with white cheese just to make a point. 
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Do you get any kickbacks from Earth Fare? You sure do talk about them a lot!
None. Nada. Zilch. I honestly just love shopping there! They have the freshest selection of organic produce (aside from the Farmer’s Market), but they also offer a lot of products I would label as “organic junk food” that I would never buy. As much as I love Earth Fare you still have to scrutinize the ingredient labels on their products, but they do have a great selection of “real food” choices as well.
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Is there anywhere that you can shop without having to read labels and scrutinize the ingredients?
Unfortunately, no. But the closest you can get is a growers only Farmer’s Market. At a growers only market all of the produce and meat will be locally grown/raised. There are a surprising number of farmer’s markets out there that allow third party vendors to sell you anything from Chilean blueberries to Florida oranges (which is of course okay if you actually live in Florida!). But even growers only markets have local “bakers” that use their fair share of white flour and sugar so you still have to ask questions. We also like to ask our local farmers if they use any chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers on their offerings because we prefer to eat foods that are as organic as possible, even if they are not USDA certified organic.
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Where else do you shop for food?
I’ve made a list of some of my favorite places. Most are in Charlotte, but some have other locations as well – Where to buy real food.
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Are you still on a budget now that your “100 Days of Real Food on a Budget” pledge is over?
Umm, for the most part, yes. I try my best to track our spending, but I am not nearly as meticulous as I was when I knew I had to report out my spending to all the blog readers! At the moment our weekly food budget is about $150 for the four of us (including entertaining and eating out).
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How do you deal with eating at someone else’s house when they don’t exactly follow a “real food” diet?
It can be tricky to try to eat a certain way without offending your host. For us, taking our “100 Days of Real Food” pledge was a great conversation starter as to what we were doing and why. I am not saying everyone around us fully understood or agreed, but at least they knew about it. During our pledge we did not have any flexibility at all so for the most part we either brought our own food wherever we went (and people were thankful because it meant they didn’t have to figure out what feed us) or we ate beforehand. Now that our pledge is over we have more flexibility so we pretty much just eat what is offered especially since it doesn’t happen everyday. We might still sometimes eat a little beforehand or bring a few key food items with us when we travel (like good whole-wheat bread, granola, and tortillas), but for the most part we just go with the flow. But I will say that after watching us complete our real food pledge, it’s no surprise to our friends and family if we suddenly decide to bring something special along to the next BBQ (like our own organic, grass-fed, nitrite-free, dye-free beef hot dogs)!
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What kind of oils do you use for cooking and baking?
For baking we mainly use butter and unrefined coconut oil. For stove-top cooking we either use olive oil (cold pressed if I can find it), organic butter (preferably from grass-fed cows), ghee (a.k.a. clarified butter because it does well at higher temps), or yes, we occasionally use lard (from pastured animals) as well. People tend to look shocked when I tell them we use lard and I admit it isn’t exactly an appetizing word, but it is a traditional food that our ancestors survived on for centuries. Here’s more info on using unrefined oils – Mini-Pledge Week 10: No Refined Oils.
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I am completely on-board with cutting out processed food, but how can I get my reluctant spouse and picky kids to join me?
No fear…because you are not alone! Here are a few posts on this very topic:
- Picky Eaters: 12 ways to deal with a picky eater and Winning over your picky eater
- Reluctant Spouses: Convincing a reluctant spouse (to eat real food!)
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Where do you and your family live?
People are sometimes pleasantly surprised to learn that we do not live in a “real food” mecca like New York or California. Yep, we are just a regular ol’ suburban family living in Matthews, N.C., which is a suburb of Charlotte. You can find out more about our family on the “About Page.”
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Are there any “real food” books you recommend?
The book that originally inspired us to switch to “real food” is In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Two other books I highly recommend are Food Rules also by Michael Pollan and Food Matters by Mark Bittman. I also highly recommend watching the documentary Food, Inc. Please feel free share any “real food” books or movies that you recommend in the comments below.
“King Corn” is a must-watch.. it’s my favorite after “Food, Inc.” You’ll never look at corn the same way again! Also gives a little insight into high fructose corn syrup…
“Sugar is sugar.” Yeah, right! Tell that to a diabetic who can eat raw sugar but who would slip into a diabetic coma from consuming HFCS, which raises the body’s blood glucose level much more quickly.
I just finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I don’t think our family would ever be able to do they did, but it was very interesting.
http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/
Me too. Great book.
I actually just started that book…only a couple chapters into it so far.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is a must read. Buying local does a lot more than put quality food on my table. I can hardly wait for Saturday to go to the farmer’s market and support my local farmers!
This movie free on the web is very good.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head
Real Food by Nina Planck is another good book on this topic. It’s the book that started me to make changes to our family’s diet.
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s a kids chapter book. Great for kids, but I enjoyed it as much as they did. It’s available on audio book, which I borrowed from the library. We listened to it in the car, traveling back and forth to school and while running errands. If you’re traveling by car this summer, it would be great entertainment. Farming through the eyes of a child. The descriptions of food throughout the book are amazing! I highly recommend this one for kids and adults.
Growing a Farmer is also a GREAT book. It’s more about how food is produced on a small farm. If you shop at farmers markets and are interested in knowing some of the challenges they face, the ups and downs, this book is for you. It’s a true and really honest book about a guy who sold his restaurant and became a farmer (a guy with no farming experience). Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is one of my favorites as well.
Farmer Boy: http://www.amazon.com/Farmer-Little-House-Ingalls-Wilder/dp/0064400034
Growing a Farmer: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Farmer-Learned-Live-Land/dp/0393070859/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305838973&sr=1-1
Hi Lisa,
I hesitate to ask…but regarding only the 100% whole wheat: What would you recommend for someone with gluten issues? I cannot eat wheat products and/or other products containing gluten – or I have all kinds of problems. Just curious if you have any great ideas? I usually just use greens/lettuce leaves rather than bread – but sometimes, I’d really like some type of grain. I can have buckwheat, quinoa – anything that is more of a seed vs a grain. Any ideas would certainly be appreciated!
Thanks!
For those with gluten sensitivities I like to refer them to the Deliciously Organic blog at http://deliciouslyorganic.net/. Carrie avoids gluten as well and has many fabulous recipes featuring gluten-free grains.
The book that has really catapulted my paradigm shift on this subject is “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan. It’s more about the “process” of processed foods rather than about whole foods specifically, but it’s very good. It breaks down exactly where our processed foods are coming from. I just stumbled across your blog and haven’t looked around much yet, but it already seems extremely helpful and informative. I’m just getting into eliminating processed foods from my family’s diet after watching my 19 month old struggle with painful constipation. It’s only been a couple days and already, I feel so much better!
Lisa: I am increasingly interested in the real food/whole food concept but I am so uneducated about the subject that it can be overwhelming. I scour your blog (which I LOVE and appreciate!!) and the web trying to soak in all I can and still have questions.
I have lost 8 lbs recently by just cutting out carbs and sugars and eating more protein but as I try to transition over to “real food”, it seems to me that you are not really that concerned about calories/carbs/sugars. I can’t find where you talk about limiting carbs/sugars and you do not post nutritional value with your recipes so I’m wondering is this something one doesn’t worry about if you are eating fresh/real food?
Thank you in advance for your help.
You are exactly right…we are purposely not at all concerned about counting calories, fat grams, carbs, etc. although we do try to use sugars (like honey and maple syrup) in moderation. But even with that there is definitely no calculating involved! After studying the works of Michael Pollan we have learned to just eat a variety of whole foods in moderation (he says: Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.) and everything else falls into place! If you are eating carbs that are truly 100% whole grain (not just from a processed package that claims to be “whole grain” or “whole wheat”) along with a wide variety of other fresh, whole foods we find it is a much easier way to be “healthy” than keeping track of a bunch of numbers! I hope that helps.
This is a non-food question, but you being one that is so concerned about what goes into your body I figured you were probably on top of what goes ON your body
What kind of sunscreen do you use? I have always paid a bit more for better sunscreens however I have never gone “natural”. After reading so much about the possible harmful effects of oxybenzone I am looking to make a switch. Just curious – Thanks!
You are exactly right…being concerned about what goes on our bodies and also what products we use to clean our house were next in line after our switch to real food! Carrie with Deliciously Organic actually just published a post about sunscreens today and we’ve actually been using two of the ones she mentioned, which must mean we are on the right track! Check it out: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/how-to-choose-a-natural-sunscreen/
Netflix has a surprising number of food related documentaries available for streaming.
High fructose corn syrup, though made from corn, cannot be considered “natural” as can cane sugar or even regular corn syrup. It is an industrial product that is manufactured to have a specific ratio of fructose to glucose.
The reason it is considered to be “natural” is because it comes from corn…when foods are labeled as natural it has little to do with how it is processed and instead where it comes from. Foods that aren’t natural are “invented” in a lab like food dyes for example. I am not a fan of HFCS just my two cents about the whole thing.
I just wanted to CONGRATULATE you on being one of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Blogs of the Month!
I live here in Union County and love reading your blog.
We share many of the same beliefs and values in regards to food and I really like that you are so local!
I always look forward to reading your latest entries.
Well, wow…I didn’t know I was a Jamie Oliver blog of the month. Where did you see that? And thanks!
I’m brand new to this website, but I just read all of Michael Pollan’s books in the last month, and I’m LOVING all of this so far.
I am breastfeeding my daughter who is allergic to the protines in milk and soy. I was wondering if you had any good recipeis without milk or soy products in it.
Check out the recipe list on this page: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-resources/
There are definitely some milk-free and soy-free recipes like: pina coloda smoothie, tomato/corn/black bean salad, quinoa salad, stir fry and spaghetti sauce. Good luck!
I’ve been following you since you were published in the News and Observer over a year ago. Having 2 girls myself, I try to make sure they don’t have much sugar or artificial ingredients, and I especially try to keep any kind of hormones out of their diet. But many days I am overwhelmed by the idea of making my own bread, not to mention grinding my own wheat, in addition to cooking or preparing each and every meal and snack. Do you have any tips for time saving? Or do you have a routine that you keep in order to be more efficient with your time? Some days I feel like I’m standing up, working in my kitchen a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you for your all of the encouragement and information you provide your readers.
Hi there and thanks for being such a loyal reader!
I agree it is no easy task to stay on top of feeding your family “real food.” I am usually a very scheduled person (when it comes to grocery shopping, doing laundry, etc.), but when it comes to food I usually just replenish items whenever we run out. If I am feeling very energetic I will get in the kitchen and make more bread, granola, maybe boil some eggs, prep dinner, etc. But then I will barely do any major cooking for the next couple days. It is important for me to get those breaks in-between so I usually try to get several things done on the same day to allow for a couple days off. I know “grinding wheat” sounds over the top, but it is really doesn’t take very much extra time (I am not suggesting you do that as well…I just want to emphasize that it doesn’t take me much longer than not doing it).
There are plenty of days where I need to make granola or bread, but I don’t feel like it, which means I will need to be creative with what we have on hand. When we are out of bread we might have tortillas we can use or we might be having PB&J on crackers
And guess what…everyone survives! When we are out of granola – and I don’t feel like making more – then I plan to use those days to switch it up for breakfast with pancakes, eggs, smoothies, etc. I also don’t cook an elaborate dinner every night because it isn’t realistic so for at least 1 or 2 nights a week we have leftovers, something we defrost (that I’d previously made) from freezer, something super easy (like scrambled eggs!), or we go out (kids eat free at Earth Fare on Thursdays!). Once again it is required for my well-being that I get those breaks from the kitchen on occasion otherwise I would just be burnt out all the time from both cooking and doing dishes.
One great tip for time saving is to double recipes and freeze the extra. Sooooo many recipes can be stored in freezer for another day and it takes less time to double what you are already making than to make it from scratch again. This could work for both snacks (like easy cheesy crackers, smoothies frozen in popsicle holders, biscuits, muffins, etc.) and dinners (chicken enchiladas, chili and other soups, pizza crust, spaghetti sauce, etc.). I hope that helps. Feel free to write in anytime with questions although it can sometimes takes me a while to respond to all the emails!
Hi! I love your website and I love that you guys are from Mathews! I’m from Charlotte but left 8 years ago for work
. I’ve just stumbled upon your website and am so excited about it! I read Micheal Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma in like 3 days (I had a lot of time on my hands) back in 2009 and then read Food Rules when it came out. I’ve made changes but have found it difficult to stay on track. I’m so excited about this website and I’m interested in doing the mini-pledge series. You guys should make a mini-pledge iphone app so that people like me who just heard of you can start the mini-pledges from week-one. I’m probably going to start from week one anyways, I just thought how much I’d like to have an app for it on my phone 
. Is there a place on the website where I can take the mini pledge from the beginning?
Also, I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of soaking your grains? This fantastic website: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/04/whole-grains-grinding-soaking.html has information on the process. Apparently whole grains contain phytates which are difficult to digest so soaking them in water and an acid medium such as kefir or lemon juice for 12-24 hrs prior to cooking help break those down. It is also a great way to sneak in probiotics into your daily diet. If you do look into this, I’d be very interested in hearing what you think about it. Thanks for the great resources!
So glad you found us and that you are interested in doing the mini-pledges. Here is the full list so you can start from the beginning: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/10/mini-pledge-week-14-five-ingredient-rule/#mini-pledges
Also, I do not soak my grains, but have heard of many others doing it for the reasons you mentioned.
I am trying to move my family toward a more holistic eating program, but I live in Las Vegas, where almost nothing is grown locally. I belong to a co-op for fruits and vegies that I am very pleased with but I can’t get meat or milk anywhere but at a grocery store. What should I look for to make the best choices I can?
Also, I am reading your 100 days on a budget and I am so happy that you created that blog, I have avoided organic only b/c of the prices and now I see that you can do it if you make some creative choices. I have already shared your website with friends and plan to continue spending a lot more time learning how to move my family to more “real” foods and away from the processed foods. I am going to have a very hard time with my children ages 5 and 2 because they are not big fans of veggies. I have not made it through all of your website but will you share how you handle stubborn little ones and/or husbands who don’t want to make the switch.
Thank you for everything you are doing, your family is very inspiring.
So glad you found us! Also, sorry to hear about the lack of local food in Nevada. If you have to resort to buying all your food from the grocery store look for items that are organic (wild caught in the case of fish) and also from the U.S. if possible. That’s probably the best you can do…other than start your own garden (if it is possible there)!
Also, here are a couple of posts when it comes to picky eaters (both kids and husbands!)…when it comes to your kids the key is to never give up:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/08/19/winning-over-your-picky-eater/
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/07/07/convincing-a-reluctant-spouse-to-eat-real-food/
I made the easy cheesy crackers and the tops seem to glisten. I used trader joes whole wheat flour, tillamook cheddar cheese, and 365 everyday butter from Whole Foods. Do you know what it is that would make them glisten? I just want to know that they are pure because my husband was teasing me that it is metal from the wheat grinder. Thanks!
I had a reeeeally slow day at work yesterday and read your entire blog. Literally. I know you started this endeavor when your girls were a little bit older, but I have an 8-month-old and am looking for suggestions. She’s about to start teething and we have her gnawing on teething biscuits, but even the organic ones (probably) contain at least some refined garbage. I make almost all of her food myself from organic produce (local when possible) and meat, so I’m covered for now, but I’d like some suggestions for finger foods later. All I can think is babiesmusthaveCheerios, and I’m kind of stuck!
Wow, I am glad you got some reading done!!
Some ideas for baby’s first finger foods include: bits of whole-wheat toast, bits of homemade whole-wheat pancakes/oatmeal pancakes/waffles, small pieces of banana, small pieces of cooked apples/carrots/potatoes, chopped up whole-grain corn puffs (it is a cereal with 1 ingredient…they also make millet puffs and some other varieties), pieces of whole-grain crackers. Talk to your pediatrician, but it does not take long between their first finger foods and when you should be feeding them little tiny bits of exactly everything you are eating. One of my youngest daughter’s first finger foods was mu shu chicken with bits of tortilla b/c that is what we were eating for dinner. Start expanding their palettes (and not feeding them separate “kid” meals) early! 
Wonderful and addicting site you have here! I am making the pledge tomorrow….I am shopping today and getting things stocked up and getting rid of a number of items that are processed.
I made this choice because of my families health. I have been looking for some helpful insite online for a while looking for whole foods suggestions and ideas because i know what we eat now is not healthy.
Why is it so hard to find real food in our stores now? Why does everything need to be processed? Wish us luck….
Thanks for all your hard work in sharing all of your insight with us.
The Riddle Family
hey your the perfect types to see this short documentary trailer
ni it is not mine but really need to sit the family down and be truley truley astonished by its contents
write me back after
“rawfor30days”
on you tube
if this is your first viewing my guess your gonna be like NO WAY HOLY GEEZ THIS IS AH AH AH A MIRACLE KINDA BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME
I LOVE GETTING PEOPLES REACTION TO THIS SHORT FILM
great great site
we killed 80% of all garbage food but very low income has hurt us so it was a struggle over the last 2 yrs
BUT WE DID IT AND MORE TO REMOVE ONCE WE GET MORE WORK AND MONEY
TAKE CARE
I am so excited I happened upon your blog. I’ve been working on changing my families eating habits from processed to organic and local several months back. It all started for us with my decision to cloth diaper our son. It has evolved to not using harsh store bought chemicals to clean our house. Do you have any suggestions for a family in which both parents work? My husband works 8 to 5, I work 730am to 4pm then often I’m on call from 4pm to midnight and entire weekends. So my plate is extremely full and I honestly have no idea how to “can” food and the length of time this process takes.
Hello! I completely embrace your idea. However, I do a little more “down home cooking” style. I still fry occasionally and we have not eliminated sugar, but cooking from a box or package is OUT! I wrote a letter to Michelle Obama (on a whim) just sharing with her my idea that after my family started cooking “real food” and not even eliminating sugar or grease, but just embracing what you would cook if you lived without prepackaged food, having homemade desserts, etc., that we became leaner. My biggest concern, which I pointed out to Mrs. Obama, is that the kids of today have no one to teach them to cook. I am 44 years old and many of my peers don’t even know how to fry an egg,what’s less bake a loaf of bread, can a greenbean, or even make a homemade grilled cheese. At our schools, PE is mandatory and yet Home Economics (now called Family and Consumer Science) is not required. Without a mentor to teach these back to basic cooking skills our country becomes increasingly reliant on prepackaged food and all the bad stuff inside it. I encouraged Mrs. Obama to think about that idea. When I took Home Ec, we learned how to make a muffin from scratch or how to make a souffle, but I SERIOUSLY think all children should learn how to cook real food. They should learn “garden to table” methods of preparing real food and if there are no family members to teach these skills, the public school system would be a great way to reach a lot of kids and families. I just thought I would see what you think about this idea. So many of the cookbooks that you see for sale also rely on prepackaged ingredients. But our population needs to know that you can make good real food without a whole lot more prep than opening the package. Just some thoughts here! I am excited to see young families embracing this whole food experience!
I also have some thoughts that a lot of the “pickiness” (almost to the the point of phobias) coming from small children these days (I had one of these kids and she is now 23 years old) is possibly centered around the pediatricians instructing young parents to not feed their babies “real food” until they are over two years old. When I was little we ate all kinds of mashed up food and we had few food allergies. Also, that parents aren’t home “cooking” dinner and the kids aren’t home (hungry) smelling it cook. I could go on and on. These are just my opinions and I certainly don’t intend to offend anyone.
Thanks for the good work you are doing.
Mrs Leakey,
You’re my newest hero. Blessings to you and your girls. I’m going to have to study your budget blog.
Ubax
I am a registered dietitian and certified specialist in pediatric nutrition. I have recently completed a book on healthy nutrition for kids entitled: HEALTHY CHOICES, HEALTHY CHILDREN, A GUIDE TO RAISING FIT, HAPPY KIDS by Lori S. Brizee with Sue Schumann Warner; published by Paraclete Press, 10/1/11. You can read about this book, and see the press release with several endorsements on my website–www.centraloregonnutrition.com
I am wondering if you would be willing to put info about my book on this website, and I would gladly add your website to my list of resources on my website. Please e-mail me if you are interested–I can send you an electronic version of the book, if you would like to review it first.
Thanks,
Lori Brizee
Hi,
How do you recommend I start this challenge? Do we go through our pantry and start tossing out what is “unhealthy” or do we wait until all is finished? I hate wasting food, so I am not sure how to go about what we have at home. I already cook healthy meals for my family but do not use organic produce yet. I am slowly introducing organic items and produce to my family already such as milk, veggies, and fruits.
My husband is also gluten/wheat intolerant and he absolutely cannot have any. Are there any healthy/organic white bread I can find? What do you recommend?
Thanks,
Gruschenka
It is up to you how you want to handle the items in your pantry. I gave all my stuff to my neighbor (b/c I wanted it out of my house as soon as I knew it was “bad”) and she wanted it. Some people finish the processed stuff then slowly replace it with new whole foods. One quote I love from Michael Pollan is “Better to go to waste than to waist” so it is completely up to you how you handle it. Also, for gluten free whole foods check out http://deliciouslyorganic.net/. Even if the white bread you find is organic it is still made with refined white flour and not the whole grain. Here’s some more info on whole grains: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/07/22/understanding-grains/
Good luck!
Are you an at-home mom or do you have another day job as well? How do you find time to take care of your family, cooks real food, blog and research?
My “day job” is pretty much my blog. I spend MANY hours each week developing recipes, photographing food, writing/editing/publishing blog posts, managing sponsors, answering comments and emails, etc. And the way I find time to do everything is by not relaxing much (we don’t even have cable b/c we hardly ever watch T.V. around here). I hate to admit it, but I am a busy body!
Hi! I want to think you for giving me a new obsession – reading this blog! I’m so happy I stumbled upon it through either a Yahoo or MSN article (can’t remember which). I’ll get to the point…I have to admit that I don’t buy a lot of fresh veggies and fruit currently, although I have started since I began reading this blog. My question is this: what is your solution for those winter months here in the Midwest were local fresh fruit and veggies won’t be available? I’m loving this time of the year with all the fresh corn, peaches, tomatoes, etc., but have no clue what I’ll do come January when none of it is in season. Help!
The key is to spend end of the summer months preserving food for the winter. Whether you freeze fruit/veggies (either raw, cooked or made in a sauce) or learn how to “can” those items that’s the best way to have some goodies at your disposal throughout the winter. I am not very good at this yet myself, but doing a little more each summer to save more for the winter!
Hello Lisa,
I viewed your show
on WCNC, have you
read the book
Peace,Butter& Jelly:
Tales of Nourishment?
Thanks,
David
I have not read that one.
Hey BUSY Lady! I am trying to keep tabs on the site with all the stuff that is being done, that I can benefit from along with my family. I wanted to share this with you! I have been baking for years and I have come up with a recipe thats so easy. I just posted it on my blog!
http://www.simplicity101.org/2011/09/homemade-honey-wheat-bread-in-and-out.html?spref=fb
In and out of the oven in less than hour? Very SIMPLE! Which I love..I have 3 boys..one 16 who homeschools and one 10 and one that is 1 and half! Let me know what ya think!
Hi, LOVE your blog! I have been seriously struggling to find an affordable oil for my family. I am currently using EVOO and have a very hard time finding one that is good quality for a very strict budget. It is soooo expensive, but I love it! I unfortunately do not live near a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc. Any suggestions?
Have you ever tried ordering some key items in bulk online? I have good stores nearby, but others who don’t tell me that is what they do.
I relish, lead to I found just what I was taking a look for. You’ve ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
The one thing that worries me about eating real food is the fat content of a lot of real food, not eating low fat versions of things such as dairy. Is that a concern to you at all, or have you noticed that it doesn’t matter?
We definitely avoid low-fat, reduced fat, etc. and here’s why: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/15/mini-pledge-week-6-no-low-fat-lite-or-nonfat-food-products/
Hi! WE’re on the same page! I am a professor at Bastyr University in Seattle and the co-creator of the website http://www.cookusinterruptus.com. WE have over 160 recipe videos that match your “real foods” message to a tee. Take a look.
Can you give me your opinion about this product? I LOVE that the company doesnt over heat their products thus killing all the natural enzymes. What are your thoughts? Being that eating so raw/organically can get so expensive and hard to do–i really like this companies concept!
http://www.nuriche.com/products/live/live-ingredients/
Thanks!
Well, I hate to tell you this, but I am skeptical. I got my big “real food” wake up call from Michael Pollan and he specifically says something like…there’s no such thing as getting all your fruits and veggies in a pill. He also says “innovation in food is bad.” Part of what we try to do is eat what our great-grandparents and ancestors survived on for centuries. I think blending some fruits/veggies into a smoothie is one thing, but swallowing them in a pill is taking it a little too far! Just my opinion
I just spent my whole day reading large portions of your blog. (I can’t believe I just discovered this!) I was wondering if you had suggestions when you live a LONG way from a store (110 miles from the grocery store). We already grow what we can and our garden is ever expanding. We freeze and can all summer. The other difficulty is that in Alaska our options for stores are limited. A lot of places will not ship grocery items here due to the fact that I can only receive USPS. Also if you had any tips or recipes for cookies beyond the powerballs? They are my biggest holiday weakness/tradition! Thanks for all the info and stories! We are going to have to start the pledge in my house very soon (gonna weed through our pantry and wait for a trip to town).
Wow, sounds like you need to start a “real food” business of your own in Alaska b/c I imagine you aren’t the only one with the same issue! I was going to suggest that you order some items in bulk online until you said some companies won’t ship there. It sounds like your only choice is to stock up and preserve when you do have the chance to go shopping. We’ve started freezing things like fresh unwashed blueberries, roasted bell peppers, breads, sauces, meats, etc. I’ve also never “canned” anything before, but I know it is another great way to preserve food when you have the chance (although it’s not quite as nutritious as freezing items). Fortunately items like crackers, whole-grain pretzels, shredded wheat cereal, etc. will hold up for a little while in the pantry. I would also recommend that you store things like grains (whole-wheat flour, whole-grain corn flour, etc.) and nuts in the freezer or fridge as well to give them a longer shelf life. In addition I know some of the blog readers own a dehydrator and make their own dried fruit so it will last longer. Sounds like you need to stock up and get creative with preservation…good luck!
HI! I love your blog, you’ve inspired me to try out the 10 day real food challenge with my husband and blog about it! I just wanted to let you know that your RSS subscriber feed isn’t working! I tired to follow a couple times and wasn’t able to, just wanted to give you a heads up! Can’t wait to read more from you, thanks!
Hello!!! love your postings, always such great ideas. I’m looking for advice on how to appraoch my child’s school about healthy eating. The school offers treats and “special lunch” as part of a fundraiser, but unfortunatley they offer store bought cookies and milk or offer Subway to the students or Pizza Hut. My daughter complains that she too wants the special lunch, but I don’t let her buy it!! I have requested to talk to the Student Council about it, but could use some direction. I thought you also talked to your schhol about food and nutrition. any advice? they have all kinds of great exercise stuff for the children, but that is how they justify all the junk they serve.
thanks for your time, I look forward to reading what you write!
Hi there – Here is some info on how I approached our school…I hope that helps (and good luck!): http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snack-list-%E2%80%93-nut-free/
Hi there! I’m looking for a recipe I saw on your site, but can’t seem to locate again. It’s for Pumpkin Spice hot chocolate… can you repost or send it to me?
thanks!
Here it is! http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/10/11/recipe-%E2%80%9Cpumpkin-spice%E2%80%9D-hot-chocolate-or-mocha/
I love your blog. I read it almost every day looking for new suggestions or recipes. I am trying to change my family over to not only real food but sustainable living habits. I am planning on planting my first garden in the spring. I am so looking forward to eating food we have grown ourselves.
I would like to know if you can give any suggestions on substituting sugar in recipes for maple syrup or honey. I have a major sweet tooth and am trying to figure out how to make some “whole food junk food”. Any tips you can give would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Check out this list for some ideas! http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-resources/#dessert
I’m thrilled that I found the best Halloween treat to give out last night – CRAYONS. I put 2 in a baggie with a picture to color. The reactions were hilarious. The younger kids were skipping and excited, the older kids turned on their heels and left. I had a great time keeping my no sugar pledge and still participating in the holiday!!
Another vote for Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Informative and inspirational. It inspired me to learn to cook so I can contribute something in the kitchen besides doing dishes.
Hey! I feel like I saws this on a post at some point, but can’t seem to find it by searching. I have a Panera bread cookbook with a great recipe of “wheat” bread. Of course only 1 out of the 4 cups of flour is actually whole wheat flour. Do you know if I can just substitute whole wheat flour in the same proportions, or if I need to alter the amount? Thanks so much!!
I may have just skimmed over the question, but is soy milk okay? Also, do you by any chance have any bread recipes without yeast? I have an allergy to it.
You still have to read the ingredients for soy milk…unsweetened is best. Also, the non-yeast bread recipes on the site are things like pumpkin bread and banana bread. I hope that helps!
Hi there! Forgive me if someone else has asked, I have looked bu not seen it anywhere, Have you read The China Study? I recently heard of this book and want throw it on my order list, the preview on amazon.com is interesting. http://www.thechinastudy.com/ The thing that raised my eyebrows was the proposed link between casein and cancer growth. Anyways, if you have read it, Im super curious about your thoughts and if you haven’t, whatchya think? Thanks! (<3 your site and all the good you are doing here!)
I am SO excited that I came across your blog! After watching Food Inc. and several other documentaries, my husband and I are trying to eat more Real food and we do the majority of our grocery shopping at the farmers market from local farmers.
Over the past year, we got chickens so that we can have fresh eggs daily, and honeybees so that we can eventually provide ourselves with honey.
Not to mention, we also live in the Charlotte area. I’ll be a daily reader! Thank you for putting all this great information together.
Do you have any suggestions for eating real food while on vacation? We started eating real food by taking the 10 day pledge on November 1. We LOVE it and are still going strong. We are headed to Hawaii next week and are nervous about eating out for 10 days. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Yes I do! Check out this post for the details… http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/24/tips_for_trips/
Hi Lisa,
I LOVE your blog! Got a quick question for you – My family has been a real food family since the summer. We’re not really on any challenge, it’s just something my husband and I decided was important to us, after stumbling upon your & Carrie’s blogs (and doing other research, too). My question is how you get your family and friends, etc., to respect the limits you have on non-real food. Both my parents and my in-laws are very respectful and they TRY to do what we would have them to do with regard to feeding our kids when they’re with them (they still have skewed view of what’s really healthy, but I can overlook that, because they are trying – AND, our kids don’t see them that often). But, we have other family who sort of “rebel” against our limits and give our kids candy and other junk just because they can. Really, it’s a rare occasion (maybe once/week or less) that they even have the chance to do this, but it irks me, still, because it’s an outright disrespect to our wishes.
ANYWAY, I noticed that you allow your girls to do birthday parties and other “junk food” occasions (that 5% of the time), and I’m wondering if you think I should just let it go, and view their time with these family members as that 5%. I’m afraid if I make TOO big of a deal about it (and I can’t say anything privately to these folks for fear of rocking the boat – you know how families can be
) then I’ll push my kids to rebel against our limits, too.
I would love for your thoughts about how I should handle this situation (or how you have handled/would handle something like this). I’ve looked for a blog post and can’t find one on this topic (if you’ve posted one, I do apologize!!). Thanks so much for being so instrumental in getting us started down this path!
Hi there…and you are not alone!! This is a VERY touchy subject that a lot of people deal with. I found that when we originally did our 100-day pledge it was a great conversation starter in regards to “what we were doing.” Our family members knew that we (including our children) were not eating any sugar for a short period of time, and that it was very important to us to follow these “rules”…even if they didn’t agree/understand
Just like someone might train for a marathon or set some other type of goal it was important to us to try to do it. Now that we are done with our official 100-day pledge we of course “can” and sometimes do eat those rule-breaking foods again, but a lot of people have also gotten used to the changes we made. Family & friends also got used to us occasionally bringing our own food along, and in some cases I just never stopped doing it. That’s not to say that my parents don’t give my kids things when I’m not lookin (nothing too offensive..not like skittles or anything like that it’s mainly just items made with white flour) and there really isn’t very much I can do about it. So I just do the best I can to feed them right at home, which oftentimes means I give them very few treats since they get so much elsewhere, and also take comfort in the fact that what people do give my kids is probably less so b/c of our real food pledge. I hope that helps!
HI… Just stumbled onto your site and now am excited to start the 10 day challenge… Three of my four children are dying to get started too (not sure if they get it…but I’m excited so they are too!)… will let you know how it goes mid Jan … I thought I saw a post for an organic cookbook with beautiful photos and $10 off for those on the challenge but now I can’t find it again… am I crazy or is there a post? thanks
The $10 off coupon is over, but the cookbook is called Deliciously Organic. Good luck!