1) I am new to your website, where should I start?
If you’re new here you should definitely check out Start Here, our Recipe Index, and our free Real Food Resources area. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in touch and be informed of new recipes, tips, and resources as they come available.
I’ve also written three best-selling cookbooks that are geared towards typical families trying to get healthy, delicious food on the table, fast. These are available anywhere books are sold and in many libraries.
2) 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.
3) 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.
4) 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.
5) 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.
6) 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. :)
7) I see that your family enjoys foods like cream cheese and boxed whole-wheat pasta, but aren't those processed?
Actually even cooking is technically a form of "processing" or changing your food. So since we are not on a raw food diet I guess you could say we avoid all "highly processed" foods, which we define as having more than 5 (or any refined) ingredients. Check out our real food rules for the full list.
8) 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.
9) Where else do you shop for food?
I’ve shared my food shopping routine as well as my grocery template here.
10) Are there any “real food” books you recommend?
Well, first of all, I must recommend my first book of course! It's part cookbook and part guidebook. 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.
11) 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 every day. 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)!
12) 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.
13) 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!)
14) 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.”
Tara says
Are you okay will all dairy products that are not organic but do claim to be antibiotic free and hormone free? I know those two things do not mean the cow is grass fed, but are all organic milks from grass fed cows.. GREAT question! Let us know please!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tamara. Here is a post regarding milk/dairy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/07/milk-101-whole-raw-organic-low-fat-etc/ Hope it answers your questions. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Are you okay will all dairy products that are not organic but do claim to be antibiotic free and hormone free? I know those two things do not mean the cow is grass fed, but are all organic milks from grass fed cows?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Stephanie. It is not a "requirement" that all dairy be organic, but, preferable. I would say your minimum should be that the dairy you consume is free of antibiotics and hormones. I have to be honest that I don't know the answer to your last question for certain. I know the USDA was looking to pass such a rule that all organic milk had to be from grass fed cows, but, I'm not certain that that ever happened. Jill
Tracy says
Do you have any recommendations on a good whole food prenatal vitamin? Unfortunately, finding a quality, organic whole food prenatal vitamin is proving more difficult than you'd think! Any help would be much appreciated!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Tracy. I don't personally know of any, but, take a look at the comments in this post https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/13/why-my-kids-dont-take-vitamins/ as a lot of readers offered suggestions. Jill
Patricia says
Hi
Do you have some post about the Philadelphia cream cheese?
I bought the common version, then went to version whipping, but now I'm not sure if I still buying this product, replace or simply not buy anymore. Do you have any homemade recipe for cream cheese?
Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Patricia. We don't, but Lisa uses Amy's brand. Jill
Marisa Fence says
Hi Lisa,
I just learned that broccolini is a hybrid cross
between broccoli and Kai-lan, Chinese broccoli.
Is this hybrid crossing of fruits and veggies in any
way unhealthy?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Marisa. I am not familiar with the hybrid crossing and don't know anything about the process so I can't really comment. Jill
Karis says
Hybridizing is a process that occurs constantly in nature. When the pollen from one plant is brought to the flower of another plant, it can produce a seed that will grow into a hybrid of the two parent plants. Only plants of the same plant family can cross breed. A tomato and a squash will not cross. Broccoli can cross with other brassicas. hybridizing is natures way of producing lots of genetic diversity and adapting to different environments. Botanists use this process of selection too.
Hybrids and GMO's are not the same thing. In GMO's a plant's DNA is altered in a lab and sometimes non-plant genes are inserted into the plant DNA. This is most often done to make the plant immune to pesticides. Hybrids, good. GMOs, Bad!
Dana says
Hello. I have been following along on Facebook for some time and I keep coming back to the blog and am considering taking {at least} the 10 day challenge. The dilema for me is that I am dairy free and the main sources of dairy replacements are organic and natural, but they contain more than 5 ingredients {earth's balance soy free buttery spread and rice milk}.
Any exceptions for dairy free sufferers like myself?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Dana. In terms of almond milk, you could always make your own. Here is a recipe...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/. Are you able to eat Ghee? I know some with dairy allergies are still able to tolerate that and that would be a good option to butter. Jill
Alice says
What kind of salt do you use and recommend? Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Alice. I use the sea salt from Trader Joes. I also use celtic sea salt as well...according to Carrie Vitt over at Deliciously Organic, it contains over 80 trace minerals and helps balance electrolyte and alkaline/acid levels. Jill
Roberta says
i have to eat gluten free, any suggestions, i can't eat the pancakes and such....
Roberta says
i have to eat Gluten Free and some of these recipes are not..... any suggestions.....
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Roberta. You may want to check out this post...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/28/food-allergies/. I also substitute gluten free oats for the whole wheat flour in a lot of breakfast recipes. If you grind them in your blender, they work pretty well. Jill
Anna says
I have a question about cereal. I recently purchased Uncle Sam's Original and it appears to be fairly unprocessed. What is your take on this cereal?
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Anna. I am not familiar with that cereal and can't really comment not knowing the ingredients. Jill
nicole says
I am new to this plan and very excited :) I am a fitness instructor and teacher multiple classes daily. Currently, I drink a whey protein shake (mixed with water) after classes to keep me going. I know that this is processed and probably not a part of your plan. What do you recommend for a post workout option? Are there any protein powders that you recommend? Ideally it would be very low in carbs (as i consume a larger amount pre-workout) and high in protein? Thanks!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Nicole. You may want to take a look at this post about protein shakes...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/13/food-babe-investigates-protein-shakes/. Jill
Char says
Hello,
Just came across your awesome site! Looking forward to browsing more and learning new ways to improve my family's health and wellness. I don't have a Facebook acct. and would prefer not to. Is there another way to link to meal plans 1-4?
Thank you so much for your help.
Jill says
I am gluten free and am going to start the 10 day challange. Is there a gluten free bread you recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jill. I'm not familiar with an gluten free breads. You may want to check out Elana's Pantry (www.elanaspantry.com) for some recipes. Jill
heather says
Hi Lisa!
Just wondering...what's your opinion on whole wheat bread flour?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Heather. I think as long as it's 100% whole wheat it would be fine. Jill
Catherine Self says
Lisa,
I've recently made your crock pot chicken stock and love it- have you made beef stock as well or do you have any thoughts for making beef stock?
Thanks,
Cathy
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Catherine. I have not made beef broth. I guess you could try and do it the same way as the chicken stock but substitute beef for the chicken. Jill
Rhana says
Lisa,
What's your take on deli lunch meats? I read the piece on subways, however, what about deli meats directly from a local grocery deli? Also, the cheese from the grocery deli (block that they slice for you) to use for sandwiches, is this acceptable or is it still considered processed? Thanks!
Rhana
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Rhana. In terms of the challenge, the deli meats would not be allowed (they're not local). Beyond that, I use the Applegate organics brand. They are nitrate free. You can check with your local deli/grocer, but, my guess would be that they are not nitrate free or organic. Hope that helps. Jill
Rhana says
Lisa,
I'm a little confused with the different flours to use in baking. I know your recipes generally call for wheat flour, however, I've also seen spelt, king arthurs white/wheat flour or just plain wheat flour etc. Is there a general guideline of when to use certain flours when baking? Cakes vs. Muffins or breads? Thanks!
Rhana
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Rhana. Unless specifically noted otherwise, the King Arthur white whole wheat flour is what the recipes use. Hope that helps. Jill
Jamie says
I wanted to get some advice. Both my kids (7 and 6) have environmental and food allergies, my husband has high cholesterol and I am struggling with depression and anxiety. We have done a lot of research and feel that a GAPS style diet would be best for the family but because of my issues it makes it hard to cook from scratch for every meal. What are some good tips and resources for quick meals, snacks, school lunches, etc that will help us stick to the new diet?
Stacy says
Hi Jamie; I am just a fan of this website but I was in a similar situation to yours a few years ago and the thought of cooking from scratch for every meal was very overwhelming to say the least. So I started with a few, gradually changing over to more and more. The best thing I ever did was meal plan - I started with just one week at a time, 21 meals and 14 snacks, and now do it monthly. I also got in the habit of making several meals at the same time for the week so on the crazy nights I am not tempted to do fast "food." I encourage you to search through this website - she has great meals, snacks, etc. I also noticed my kids are not fans of traditional sandwiches but love a home made "lunchable." Basically I roll up their meat (nitrite free, natural) and stick a toothpick in it, cut up cheese, serve with triscuits and some fruit with an umbrella toothpick in it and they LOVE it!! They would eat one every day if I let them! But, like I said, the biggest tip I ever did to help us stick with this was meal planning. Good luck - you can do it!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jamie. There is a lot of information on the blog that could help you out. A few I might recommend though are as follows: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/31/85-snacks-for-kids-and-adults/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/10/real-food-tips-4-super-quick-wholesome-dinners/. You might also want to check out the various posts on school lunches here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/category/children-adapting/school-lunches/. I would also suggest preparing as much as you can in advance in terms of freezing meals, snacks, etc. The meal plans might also be helpful to you. You can obtain meal plans 1-4 by "liking" us on facebook and the 5th meal plan you can access by becoming a blog subscriber. You can find more info on the meal plans here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/10/real-food-tips-4-super-quick-wholesome-dinners/. Best of luck and please let us know if you still have questions. Jill
Angie Hepner says
I just read your article in the Ballantyne magnize while eating lunch at Bad Daddy's LOL. This may have already been discussed but I was curious if besides feeling better which is a big plus, was there any weight loss noted while making this lifestyle change?
Thanks for your response
Angie
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Angie. You might be interested in these posts that discuss Lisa and her family's changes in health...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/14/day-47-health-benefits/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/22/day-55-a-brave-friend-and-health-benefits-update/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/23/shocking-blood-test-results/. Jill
Denise says
Not sure if you posted this before or not but it seems like something you'd be interested in.
http://justlabelit.org/watch-new-just-label-it-video/
Elizabeth says
How do you feel about Naked juices? Everything in it seems to be a real food except maybe the 'natural flavors." What does that mean?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Elizabeth. I'm not familiar with the specific product you mention, but, natural flavors, like artificial flavors, are made by “flavorists†in a laboratory by blending either “natural†chemicals or “synthetic†chemicals to create flavorings. So, natural flavors are still "manufactured" and some even say that the artificial flavorings are safer because only safety tested components are used. Hope that helps. Jill
berkley says
i'm just starting to check out your website and am very interested in learning more. i'm about to start foods with my 4 1/2 month old and what is your opinion on what to start with and how to introduce different foods. i've heard various things on cereal vs not using cereal, starting with avacodo, starting with only veggies, etc. it's all confusing! thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Berkley. Here are 2 suggestions on books that might be helpful...Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers - available on amazon http://tinyurl.com/clt3rls and Weelicious also available on amazon http://tinyurl.com/8nshgqf. Best of luck. Jill
Melissa says
I was wondering how you feel about the "natural" nitrites and nitrates in organic processed meat. Of course, I know all of the dangers or standard processed meat and avoid that at all costs, and genreally stay away from the organic version. My daughter is very picky about school lunches and begs for ham or pastrami sanwiches. I know processed is processed whether it is organic or not, but for a treat every now and then are those "natural" nitrites and nitrates any better? Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Melissa. I'm not sure I completely understand what you mean by "natural" nitrites. Are you familiar with the Applegate brand of deli meats? They are nitrate free and may help you in terms of your question. Jill
Lisa says
We have a brand of meat and cheese in St. Louis called Boars Head. I believe they are a nation wide vendor. I only buy lunch meat and cheese from them. They also sell condiments.
From their website: "Boar’s Head uses only the finest quality raw materials to produce our products. Our deli meats and cheese contain no fillers, gluten, artificial flavors, colors or trans fat." I believe that most if not all of their products are nitrite/nitrate free as well.
Amanda says
Hi there!
Thanks for your blog! I've learned a lot the past few months, and I have some new favorite recipes (pork carnitas!!)
I get frustrated when I read your blog sometimes. My frustration is not with you...it's with my situation. You have access to (what sounds like) a great farmer's market, and some great chain health food stores (Earth Fare, Trader Joe's). Where I live, we have several large stores (Super Walmart, and a regional grocery chain, Meijer, where I do most of my shopping). The closest Trader Joe's is over 2 hours away. Earth Fare and Whole Foods are nowhere to be found. Our farmer's market closed at the end of October, and it won't be back until the end of May. We have a local "health food" store, but since it's a stand alone store, the prices are astronomical (I compared them to the prices you listed on your 100 days on a budget price lists, some things cost up to 3X more!), and the store sells A LOT of very processed foods (tofu cheese??).
I appreciated your post on making whole food choices at a regular grocery store. I have started buying white whole wheat flour and making our bread and biscuits. I have also started reading labels and choosing the product with the fewest ingredients (for example choosing triscuits over wheat thins). But I was wondering if you could take it one step further? I would love to see a series of posts about making real food meals after shopping only at a "regular" grocery store. Maybe you could have a "10 days of real food from Walmart" (or any other big chain store) challenge? I'm sure I'm not the only reader in this situation.
Just a thought if you need any ideas for the blog! :)
Thanks again for the information you share with us!
Amanda says
As a follow up...I guess I should say that it's easy to find some real food products at a regular grocery store: crackers, whole wheat flour, organic yogurt, some organic products...
But, it's hard to find other products...specifically meat and organic cheese/cream cheese. I usually throw the name brand frozen fryer chicken in my cart, because there are no other options (unless I want to spend $30 for a 7 lb chicken at the health food store...yikes!). I grab the block of cheddar instead of the preshredded stuff. The cheese lists fewer than 5 ingredients, but I have no idea what sort of milk was used to make it.
Thanks!!
Lisa says
I agree having lots of resources close-by makes things easier! I will definitely make not of your suggested blog topic, but it is being added to an already long list of things I'd like to write about at some point. So much to cover! :)
Sheri says
Should I buy a particular kind of honey or is all honey similar?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Sheri. I would suggest raw honey and if you can find one that is local that's even better. Jill
Linda Gardner says
I buy honey locally. Honeycomb is especially interesting. Since this is not pasteurized, don't feed to children under 2 or to cancer patients.
Kris says
Lisa I love following you and learning more ideas for real food for my family! I am nowhere close to a total family change but I am trying a little each week!
I live near you and was wondering if you ever do cooking demos with informative talks for moms.
I am in Davidson,NC and would love to have you to talk and cook in my kitchen with my girlfriends!
Do you ever do this?
Kare says
What kind of sunflower butter does Lisa use?
Lisa says
I buy it at Trader Joe's. I don't think it's the "best" option, but I couldn't find anything better (i.e. organic or with no added sugar) that wasn't also made in a factory with nuts (which is our whole point in using it!). I hope that helps.
Annie says
Hi .. regarding the chocolate, I live in NB Canada and the chocolate choose are not the same as the one mentionned on the website... what do you think about this brand: http://tea-room.stores.yahoo.net/orchbateaint.html
thanks in advance
Annie
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Annie. I don't see a list of the ingredients, so, I can't really comment. I do see that it says it is GMO free which is positive. Jill
WOWU Blog says
Hi there!
We are new to the blog community, but we have enjoyed reading yours posts over the last few weeks. Do you have any guest bloggers? Check out our fitness/food blog and let us know what you think.
Cecilia says
I have tried repeatedly to bake our whole wheat bread at home and it comes out gross every time! It's sooo heavy, almost impossible to cut and the kids HATE it!!! I have tried several recipes, do you have one that your family loves? I have asked around at several bakeries and they always have a little white AP mixed in. I live in a small town with very few shopping options. Please help, I'll have a revolt on my hands if I can't bake a better tasting bread. :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Cecilia. Here is a recipe that I know Lisa's family enjoys. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/17/recipe-honey-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-for-bread-machine/. Jill
kirsten Holmes says
I have been using your reusable smoothie pop molds. My son has now come home twice saying his teacher told him not to use them anymore. I think he might squeeze them or...I am not sure, however, I do know his lunch box is a mess. So, because I love all the veggies and fruits I can get in him I went in search of a different solution. I found http://www.littlegreenpouch.com/. They are sold out as of right now. But, from the pictures I can tell they will work well...screw top etc. I can wait to get mine.
Sunshine says
I was so inspired by your blog, that I went right away and got In Defense of Food, and Food, Inc.! Again, full of motivation, I tried to go shopping for the real food that I know my body needs.... and was STOPPED dead in my tracks. It is soooo incredibly difficult to find real/whole food in my area!! I know bigger metro areas have access to these wonderful stores, and such, but it's just not here yet. The concept and understanding has entered my area, but the resources aren't here. Any advice???
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Sunshine. You might find this post helpful...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/11/11/real-food-tips-buying-“real-foodâ€-from-a-mainstream-supermarket/. In terms of kitchen products, and even some food items, you may want to check out our kitchen essentials page with links to purchasing them online...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/. Keep in mind too that you can get non-perishable items, such as flours, on sites such as Amazon. Best of luck. Jill
Michele says
I have been following your facebook for a while, but one thing that confuse me. I just got done reading Lose the wheat, Lose the belly.
The author talks about how wheat is not good for us because it has been modified too. What are your thoughts on this for all you recipes call for wheat flour.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Michele. While it is sometimes necessary for individuals to eliminate wheat from their diet due to allergies, intolerances, etc., we personally believe that, unless you have a reason to avoid it, then there is no need to do so. You will have to decide, however, what is right for you in your circumstances. Best of luck. Jill
Colette says
I've just discovered this websie and made your slow cooker whole chicken. My teenage son gave it rave reviews. Our problem is whole wheat flour is a hard sell. Am trying to do half and half and ease it in, but any advice would be apprciated? And, whole wheat pasta - store bought is brutal any brands you'd recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Colette. You may be interested in this post about easing into whole wheat...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/03/real-food-tips-6-ways-to-ease-the-switch-to-whole-grain/. As for the pasta, I like the Bionaturae brand. You can find it here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/#other. Jill
Tamalee says
Hi, loving your blog! Just wondering what your thoughts are on agave nectar? Good or bad? Is honey still a better sweet alternative?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Tamalee. Check out this article on agave...http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/. Jill
Courtney Fenton says
First, I would like to say thank you for this website. It has changed the way I look at food and the way my family eats. I live in a small town with very few organic options. We live about two hours to the nearest Whole Foods or Trader Joes. We have our own garden and have canned some. I have started making all of our bread and tortillas as we do not have a bakery here either. Do you have any websites that you would recommend buying organic foods from?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Courtney. Amazon is actually a great resource. You can find links to some of our favorite products, including food, here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/. Good luck. Jill
Jessi says
Hi Lisa!
I've been a huge fan of your site for awhile and was curious if you ever wrote any blogs about real food and skin care. I noticed the most recent blog about food as medicine so was wondering if you guys had any information on what kind of diets may improve your skin.
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jessi. We have not done anything like this at this point. Food Babe (www.foodbabe.com) does quite a bit on whole living, you may want to check there. Best of luck. Jill
Anna says
Do you soak your oats? What about before making granola? What is your view on granola being "harmful" to your gut?
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/no-granola-is-good-granola/
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Anna. I do not soak my oats. I don't believe that granola (made by me) is harmful. Jill
Melissa says
Hi! What attracted me to your site was the lunch ideas, so this year I have been packing my children's lunches with ideas from your site. As I read more it has become fun to look at products and make them at home from scratch and show the kids look, your not eating things you cannot pronounce, its healthier for you and I made it! Recently my son was sick and I had him on a 24 hour clear liquid diet. I went to the store... even chicken soup and jello.. I couldn't believe it. There was even high fructose corn syrup in the vanilla I bought at the grocery store. I ended up giving him a bouillon cube in hot water for broth and no jello.. I know in this day it is hard to make everything perfect, but I am so much more aware, trying to make good choices for my family.. Tonight I made the butternut squash soup with homemade cheddar buttermilk biscuits and the kids loved it! My daughter wanted to make a chocolate cake.. even the chocolate cake and icing.. Icing is super bad with sugar and hfcs. So we made your chocolate cake with the whipping cream for icing..the kids kept going on and on. I really appreciate your blog. Thank you for bravely putting your information out there. I would love to see more vegetables and being more creative with them in meals. Thanks again!
Taylor says
Hi there,
I have been wondering what the best ideas for infants are as far as milk formula goes if breast feeding is not an option or when breast feeding is completed? My husband and I are thinking of having a baby and I am wondering at what age it is possible to begin a real food diet with your children. I actually don't even drink milk but I know it is what is expected with children...anything you can share would be appreciated!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Taylor. I am not familiar enough with infant formulas to make a recommendation. I would consult with your pediatrician. Jill