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Budget Tips

Eating real food doesn't have to break the bank...we learned so much during our 100 Days of Real Food On A Budget pledge! That post series is definitely worth a read, and I've also compiled a group of posts here that can help you with sticking to a budget while incorporating more real food into your daily life.

Don't Miss: How To Find Real Food At Aldi | Real Food At Walmart? |

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85 Snack Ideas for Kids (and Adults)!

 Updated: October 15, 2019    Lisa Leake    478 Comments   663,334 Shares

Skip the potato chips, fruit snacks, graham crackers, and candy. If you’re in a rut here are some quick, great real food any-time or after-school snack ideas for inspiration that kids will love (and adults, too!). Sticking with simple ingredients keeps snack time easy and fun. Keep these tips in mind: Combine some of the …

85 Snack Ideas for Kids (and Adults)!Continue Reading  →

9 Organic Meals from Costco for under $100

9 Organic Meals from Costco for under $100

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Erin Chase    97 Comments   35,535 Shares

So when Lisa asked me to pull together a similar list using Costco's organic products, I gladly agreed! While our family doesn't personally eat 100% organically, I do squeeze as many organic ingredients into my grocery cart as my budget allows.

9 Organic Meals from Costco for under $100Continue Reading  →

What I buy at Trader Joe's 12

What I buy at Trader Joe’s

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    551 Comments   28,711 Shares

Readers have been asking more and more what real food products to buy at Trader Joe’s, so I thought I’d just turn the discussion into a blog post! First of all, I don’t do all my shopping at Trader Joe’s (I get produce, dairy, and other items at Earth Fare and the farmers’ market), but I …

What I buy at Trader Joe’sContinue Reading  →

Easy Homemade Ketchup in the Slow Cooker + DIY in the Kitchen 3

Easy Homemade Ketchup in the Slow Cooker + DIY in the Kitchen

 Updated: March 2, 2018    Melanie Zook    134 Comments   23,617 Shares

By making your own homemade ketchup in the slow cooker you can control how much salt to add and skip the processed sugar altogether by using honey as the sweetener. This is a guest post by Melanie Zook, MA, RD, LDN.

Easy Homemade Ketchup in the Slow Cooker + DIY in the KitchenContinue Reading  →

From Your Freezer to Your Slow Cooker 4

From Your Freezer to Your Slow Cooker

 Updated: October 10, 2019    Lisa Leake    127 Comments   17,270 Shares

A couple months ago I shared a fellow blogger's From Your Freezer To Your Family: Slow Cooker Freezer Recipes eCookbook and I am not going to lie...many of you went a little crazy over this book! In reality, the concept behind this e-cookbook really is a great idea. You spend one afternoon chopping, assembling and freezing "meal packs," and then on any given day…

From Your Freezer to Your Slow CookerContinue Reading  →

Why I Don't Juice 4

Why I Don’t Juice

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    527 Comments   16,607 Shares

Now before anyone starts jumping to conclusions about juicing or thinks “Geez, there is something wrong with everything” (I hate that feeling) - I want to make one thing clear: There is certainly nothing wrong with drinking vegetable juices. But there are a few reasons why I haven’t personally jumped on the juicing bandwagon myself - even after borrowing a friend's juicer and actually…

Why I Don’t JuiceContinue Reading  →

5 Home Cooked Meals Cheaper than McDonald's

5 Home Cooked Meals Cheaper than McDonald’s

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    122 Comments   15,366 Shares

Mark Bittman said he researched it and found that it is actually cheaper for families to cook at home than it is for them to buy dinner at McDonald's. I decided to put his theory to the test, and I have findings below to support his theory.

5 Home Cooked Meals Cheaper than McDonald’sContinue Reading  →

What to Make vs Buy from 100 Days of #RealFood

Real Food Tips: What to Make vs. Buy

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    200 Comments   13,297 Shares

Providing real food meals is totally worth the extra preparation time, but that doesn't mean every. single. item. has to be completely 100% homemade (thank goodness)! There are some decent store bought options out there, many of which only have one ingredient, and there are also plenty of food-like substances I'd recommend steering away from no matter what. So here's a little guide to…

Real Food Tips: What to Make vs. BuyContinue Reading  →

Real Food FAQs: You Asked, We Answered (Part II)

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    28 Comments   11,257 Shares

As promised, here is Part II of the FAQs from when I recently asked our Facebook followers, “If you are new to cutting out processed food what are you most confused about at the moment?” If you missed Part I be sure to check it out for the details and also the first 9 questions/answers. – Real quick though I …

Real Food FAQs: You Asked, We Answered (Part II)Continue Reading  →

Real Food at Walmart? What to Buy!

Real Food at Walmart? What to Buy!

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    157 Comments   10,904 Shares

I was pleasantly surprised with all the real food at Walmart, including organic options, that I found during a recent visit. Save money with my favorites!

Real Food at Walmart? What to Buy!Continue Reading  →

Real food for families on the go on 100 Days of #RealFood

How to Feed Busy Families Real Food

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    55 Comments   10,076 Shares

I very strongly value the notion of feeding my kids well and not resorting to fast food places simply because I "have to." I've found the following ideas help me feed my busy family real food without having to compromise.

How to Feed Busy Families Real FoodContinue Reading  →

Lunches for Kids with Momables (including recipes!)

Lunches for Kids with Momables (including recipes!)

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    54 Comments   5,574 Shares

Just yesterday we were talking about how the end of the school year doesn't necessarily mean the end of packing lunches! Summer brings so many opportunities to tote along a "real food" picnic, and today I have the perfect resource to help you with just that. In case you haven't heard there is a site called MOMables that specializes in kid lunch meal plans.…

Lunches for Kids with Momables (including recipes!)Continue Reading  →

Real Food Tips: 8 Meal Planning Pointers 1

Real Food Tips: 8 Meal Planning Pointers

 Updated: October 1, 2019    Lisa Leake    50 Comments   5,195 Shares

A couple of weeks ago we discussed the fact that meal planning is an important part of sticking to a budget. Not only does meal-planning help you stay on track financially, but I personally think it helps keep things interesting as well. If I actually dedicate a little time to planning out our dinners for …

Real Food Tips: 8 Meal Planning PointersContinue Reading  →

Real Food Tips: 12 Easy Ways to "Go Green" at the Grocery Store

Real Food Tips: 12 Easy Ways to “Go Green” at the Grocery Store

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Amy Taylor (comment moderator)    47 Comments   5,148 Shares

People are waking up to a collective feeling of responsibility for being good stewards of this beautiful planet on which we live. We are starting to see that our consumption choices matter and that mindless consumption hurts us all.

Real Food Tips: 12 Easy Ways to “Go Green” at the Grocery StoreContinue Reading  →

How to Find Real Food at ALDI 4

How to Find Real Food at ALDI

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Sally Kuzemchak    56 Comments   5,071 Shares

Several years ago, a friend of mine kept going on and on and on about ALDI. But frankly, I wasn’t convinced. I liked my regular grocery store and my shopping routine...

How to Find Real Food at ALDIContinue Reading  →

My Go-To Whole Foods Shopping List (Part 1)

My Go-To Whole Foods Shopping List (Part 1)

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    51 Comments   4,892 Shares

I don't want you to give away your whole paycheck, as the saying goes, so I created a list of some do's and don'ts and some of my personal faves in this Whole Foods shopping list.

My Go-To Whole Foods Shopping List (Part 1)Continue Reading  →

How To Cook Just Once a Month 1

How To Cook Just Once a Month

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    144 Comments   4,828 Shares

There is no doubt that the key to sticking to a real food diet is planning ahead. I like to call it “making your own convenience food.” Just imagine all those busy weeknights out at a late dance class or nighttime soccer practice and not having to worry about dinner (or resorting to the drive through) because you planned ahead. That’s what it’s all…

How To Cook Just Once a MonthContinue Reading  →

Guest Post: How to Afford Real Food on a Budget

Guest Post: How to Afford Real Food on a Budget

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Crystal Paine    59 Comments   4,373 Shares

So many people have a misguided idea that the only way to eat healthfully is to spend exorbitant amounts of money. If you live in a remote part of the country, this may be the case, but in most areas, you can feed your family natural, unprocessed foods without spending hundreds of dollars each week to do so.

Guest Post: How to Afford Real Food on a BudgetContinue Reading  →

Chicken and Wild Rice Slow Cooker Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Slow Cooker Soup

 Updated: March 2, 2018    Lisa Leake    123 Comments   4,178 Shares

Oh, how I love hearty real food slow cooker recipes that don't require any advance cooking! So here's another one to add to your repertoire. And my kids especially loved it when I packed this chicken and wild rice soup in their school lunch, so be sure to freeze the leftovers in individual portions, making it easy for you to do the same. Also,…

Chicken and Wild Rice Slow Cooker SoupContinue Reading  →

Tips for Trips: Real Food while Traveling 2

Tips for Trips: Real Food While Traveling

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    65 Comments   4,087 Shares

As our family gears up to skip town this summer I know we aren’t the only ones with travel plans on the agenda. Packing up an entire family is a lot of work, and since our switch to real food I have yet one more travel detail to “stress” over: food of course. I not …

Tips for Trips: Real Food While TravelingContinue Reading  →

Real Food On The Road: RV Trip 6

Real Food On The Road: RV Trip

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    75 Comments   3,515 Shares

This post is coming to you from somewhere in California while my husband drives our family from Yosemite National Park to our next RV Trip destination (Big Sur)! A trip out west in an RV with the kids has been on our bucket list for quite some time now, and we are finally carrying out …

Real Food On The Road: RV TripContinue Reading  →

3 Real Food Meals Using Ingredients from Target

3 Real Food Meals Using Ingredients from Target

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    35 Comments   3,433 Shares

I know I don't have to give you another reason to head to Target. But since I know you'll already be heading there anyway, I want to give you some good news (and it's not that there's a fantastic sale.)

3 Real Food Meals Using Ingredients from TargetContinue Reading  →

How to make your own freezer meals on 100 Days of #RealFood

Why You Should Make Your Own Wholesome Freezer Meals

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    29 Comments   2,677 Shares

I'm excited to share some up-to-date tips and advantages of homemade freezer cooking in today's sponsored post, inspired by our longtime partner (and friend!) Once A Month Meals. They've got great advice on how to pull together a variety of wholesome freezer meals that will be ready in a jiffy on those busy week nights or when you just don't feel like cooking (it…

Why You Should Make Your Own Wholesome Freezer MealsContinue Reading  →

Top 10 Things You'll Get Out of My Cookbook

Top 10 Things You’ll Get Out of My Cookbook

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    35 Comments   2,044 Shares

Trust me when I tell you this book is absolutely packed with useful content. I pretty much unloaded my brain into this one to make living a real food lifestyle as easy as possible. :)

Top 10 Things You’ll Get Out of My CookbookContinue Reading  →

5 Tricks to Reduce Food Waste (and Save Money!)

5 Tricks to Reduce Food Waste (and Save Money!)

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    44 Comments   2,027 Shares

I talk to people all the time who are disgusted by the amount of food they throw out each week and feel angst about the money that quickly adds up on each trip to the grocery store. These 5 tricks to reduce food waste will save your family money and help protect the planet.

5 Tricks to Reduce Food Waste (and Save Money!)Continue Reading  →

A Whole Foods Meal Plan (+ budget tips!) 1

A Whole Foods Meal Plan (+ budget tips!)

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    43 Comments   1,589 Shares

I created a downloadable, printable 5-day Whole Foods meal plan utilizing recipes that are doable for busy families + 6 ways to save at WFM.

A Whole Foods Meal Plan (+ budget tips!)Continue Reading  →

5 Real Food Budget Meals (approximately $15 each)

5 Real Food Budget Meals (approximately $15 each)

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    22 Comments   1,387 Shares

I hope you'll find the following real food budget meals helpful and easy on the wallet. Each can feed a family of four, and each is $15 or under (with two notes, since we use some of the food twice during the week).

5 Real Food Budget Meals (approximately $15 each)Continue Reading  →

For convenience: The best store-bought snacks II 7

For convenience: The best store-bought snacks II

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    52 Comments   1,315 Shares

Today’s post is a follow-up to a store-bought snack list that I published last year. As dedicated as we are to eating real food and cooking meals from scratch, who doesn’t want a break from the kitchen? So here are several more of the “least-processed” store-bought snacks we could find that are great interspersed with …

For convenience: The best store-bought snacks IIContinue Reading  →

How to Make Your Own Convenience Food (for your freezer!)

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    49 Comments   1,296 Shares

Some people call it freezer cooking, some call it batch cooking. I call it making your own convenience food! Avoid the junk by making your own.

How to Make Your Own Convenience Food (for your freezer!)Continue Reading  →

Guest Post: Kombucha + Kraut are Real Food! 2

Guest Post: Kombucha + Kraut are Real Food!

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Hannah Crum    21 Comments   1,113 Shares

If you’re trying to cut processed food out of your diet, two of the most common challenges are drinks and condiments. Fortunately, people have been using fermentation to make delicious drinks, such as kombucha, and much more since before recorded history.

Guest Post: Kombucha + Kraut are Real Food!Continue Reading  →

Real Food Tips: 5 Reasons I Love My Hand Immersion Blender

Real Food Tips: 5 Reasons I Love My Hand Immersion Blender

 Updated: September 23, 2019    Lisa Leake    81 Comments   1,063 Shares

If you don't already own a hand immersion blender ...you are really missing out!

Real Food Tips: 5 Reasons I Love My Hand Immersion BlenderContinue Reading  →

Lentil Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (+ how to save money while eating well)

Lentil Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (+ how to save money while eating well)

 Updated: March 2, 2018    Megan Gilmore    11 Comments   905 Shares

This fresh, vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joe recipe is not only good for you, but it'll cost less to make too. This dish is comforting, filling, and nourishing.

Lentil Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (+ how to save money while eating well)Continue Reading  →

10 Pot Luck Dishes for Holiday Gatherings!

10 Pot Luck Dishes for Holiday Gatherings!

 Updated: March 22, 2018    Lisa Leake    24 Comments   804 Shares

With appetizers, sides, desserts and a salad, I'm here to share ten ideas of what you can bring to all your holiday pot luck gatherings in the coming weeks.

10 Pot Luck Dishes for Holiday Gatherings!Continue Reading  →

20 Real Food Finds at Walmart 2

20 Real Food Finds at Walmart

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Kiran Dodeja Smith    3 Comments   633 Shares

When you think of healthy, organic options do you think of Walmart? We want to share with you 20 real food finds. The prices will make you do a double take.

20 Real Food Finds at WalmartContinue Reading  →

10 Ingredient Swaps to Save You Money

10 Ingredient Swaps to Save You Money

 Updated: September 24, 2019    Lisa Leake    20 Comments   600 Shares

Cut out processed food without breaking the bank! My 10 real food budget substitutions will help you stay on budget without sacrificing delicious recipes.

10 Ingredient Swaps to Save You MoneyContinue Reading  →

Mexican Watermelon Salad (+ fun facts about watermelon) 3

Mexican Watermelon Salad (+ fun facts about watermelon)

 Updated: March 2, 2018    Kiran Dodeja Smith    2 Comments   598 Shares

Are there any watermelon fans out there? Anyone, anyone? Yeah, I thought so. My family is 6/6 for giving two thumbs up on this summer fruit, so we had no reservations about partnering with the National Watermelon Promotion Board on today's sponsored post.

Mexican Watermelon Salad (+ fun facts about watermelon)Continue Reading  →

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