Real food basically means anything not highly processed (like artificial additives) and containing only five or fewer whole ingredients. It means mostly avoiding ingredients you would not cook with at home.
Here are the seven rules we followed during our original 100 Days of Real Food pledge:
- No refined grains (such as white flour or white rice); only 100 percent whole grain. Items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat...not just "wheat" by itself.
- No refined or artificial sweeteners (such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda); only honey and pure maple syrup in moderation.
- Nothing out of a package that contains more than five ingredients.
- No factory-farmed meat; only locally raised meat products.
- No deep-fried foods.
- No fast food.
- Beverages to include only water, milk, occasional all-natural juices, naturally sweetened coffee and tea, and (to help the adults keep their sanity) wine and beer in moderation!
I promise, there's still food left after eliminating everything mentioned in our rules!
What you CAN eat:
- Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
- Lots of fruits and vegetables (we recommend that you shop for these at your local farmers' market)
- Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
- 100% whole-wheat and whole-grains (find a local bakery for approved sandwich bread and check the Understanding Grains post for more info)
- Seafood (wild-caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
- Only locally raised meats such as pork, beef, and chicken (preferably in moderation)
- Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn
- Also, check out the Recipes & Resources page for a more detailed list of meal options including links to recipes
Matthew Ciuccio says
I love your site! I began your 100 challenge on my birthday this month. I am enjoying it. I am a vegan, so I just adapt it a bit for my needs.
I would just like to say thank you. This is a lot of work, and it is extremely helpful.
Mallorie says
What if there are more than 5 ingredients, but all of the ingredients are real food? For example, there is a spaghetti sauce I have that contains the following (all organic): tomato puree, tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, salt, extra virgin olive oil, agave nectar, garlic, basil, onions, tomato flakes, parsley, and oregano. Now, that's way more than five ingredients, but I can't imagine this wouldn't be allowed. Also, sometimes there are items that have six or seven ingredients, most of which are real foods as described above, but not all. Are these acceptable as well? In other words, if the additional ingredients listed are real foods, then are we allowed to exclude them from counting toward our five ingredient limit? [FYI: I posted this same comment/question on the FAQ page, since I wasn't sure where to post it...]
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Mallorie. I always tell people to use their judgement, but, in general, you are right, if the more than five are whole foods and things you can recognize/pronounce, then they are probably ok. I will say the one you listed though shows agave which we don't use. Jill
Vivian says
My husband and I live in Charlotte, also, and have been eating this way since 2003. We do not eat honey or any form of agave, cane sugar, etc. or any grains. We eat organic, low glycemic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grass fed meats, free range chickens, farm eggs, etc. We use coconut oil for fat metabolism, (no oils that become rancid). We feel 100% better and find it fairly easy. Charlotte is blessed with many farm markets, Earthfare, Whole Foods. We are truly BLESSED! I hope many of your readers will consider a life style change rather than 10 or 100 days!! :)
Kristy Hawkins says
Hi there! Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your site! Thank you for all the hard work and time you put into it. It's going to really change people's lives! So many people (including me) want to change their diets but have no idea where to start. There's so much info out there and it all seems so expensive and time consuming that most just give up. You definitely make it easier!
I have a question about taking "snacks" to a soccer game. We are the host family for snacks for my daughter's game this weekend. I need something to fee 10-12 5 yr olds for after the game. Any suggestions of what to take that will still be healthy but not too pricey or time consuming to make? Would you go for prepackaged food in this case?
Thanks again!
Kristy
Leslie says
When I was a kid playing on a soccer team, our after-game snacks included orange wedges, watermelon slices, or other cut fruit, and cups of ice-cold water. So sad that these days we're expected to provide prepackaged granola bars and gatorade, or other processed food and drinks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kristy. Sorry this response is not in time, but, orange slices make a fantastic after game snack. You can slice them and pack them up in individual bags. Always seems to be a hit! Jill
Jillian says
Hi, I would like to start doing the real food diet but am having a hard time with bread. My husband and I are both young, he works and I'm a full time grad student. We don't have any bakery's around us and don't have time to drive 45-60 min to get fresh bread. Are there any recipes you would recommend that we could make our own bread?
Sarah says
This is the least time consuming bread recipe I've found. Bread isn't hard, it just takes up an afternoon. :p
http://jezebel.com/no-knead-bread/
Christie Graves says
Sarah, can you use whole wheat flour in this recipe?
Jocelyn says
The cookbook Healthy Bread in Just Five Minutes a Day has a couple of master recipes that can be used for breads, buns, and a variety of other bread items. (Google it - they also have a blog with recipes.) Some of their recipes contain unbleached white flour, but there is at least one that is totally whole wheat/whole grain. The idea behind this cookbook is that you can have fresh, homemade bread in just five hands-on minutes a day. You mix together the dough and then leave it to rise. You can then store it in the fridge for up to two weeks, and it makes enough for about four loaves of bread. My husband and I are both in grad school and work so we are pretty swamped for time, but I found that if I planned ahead, I could easily mix the dough and then leave it rising while reading for school, then when we wanted bread just let it rise/bake it while doing other stuff. It hasn't been bad at all. I just have to remember to make it advance of when we want it! Good luck!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jillian. Check out this recipe here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/17/recipe-honey-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-for-bread-machine/. Jill
Andrea says
I saw grits on the refined list. Where I live, I can get them to ground whole white kernels to make grits. That's ok right? THanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Andrea. My understanding of grits is that they are not made from the whole grain. But, if it is the case as it sounds like from your note that yours are made from the whole kernel, I guess that would be fine. Jill
Andrea says
Hi. Can I use chicken stock cubes if it doesn't have sugar?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Andrea. They probably wouldn't be my first choice since I think they are made by "drying out" the stock ingredients. I would probably suggest just the chicken broth instead since I'm guessing you're diluting the stock cubes anyways. Jill
Katrina says
Just starting this a little nervous, I love my triple triple coffee in the morning, but also like living lol.
Christle says
http://dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_09.html?m=1
I found this recipe for bread but I was going to substitute white sugar for honey and white flour for wheat. What about brown sugar or sugar in the raw?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Christle. The canola oil and yeast are also ingredients that don't all under "the rules". If you're looking for a recipe without a bread machine, check out this one...
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/everyday-whole-wheat-bread/". Jill
Kathy says
I found Harvest Whole Wheat Bread at Trader Joe's. Ingredients are: Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour, water honey, cracked wheat, sea salt, fresh yeast, whey. Would this pass your bread test?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kathy. I'm not exactly certain what whey is and it has a few more than the 5 ingredients. I know they have another one too that I thought had 100% whole wheat flour in it. Jill
Barbara says
Whey is the by product of cheese making. Think Little Miss Muffet eating her curds and whey. Curds become the cheese and whey is the protein laden liquid left behind. They add the whey to kick up the protein content and condition the flour. Cracked wheat is 100% whole grain since what it is is the cracked kernal of wheat. It has all the bran and everything in it.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Thanks Barbara. I love that I learn from the readers of the blog all of the time. Thanks again for sharing that information. Jill
Julie Banister says
Just found your page through a friend! We have been doing this since July 16, 2012 on our own. We went cold turkey! I got rid of everything white flour and white sugar! I have children soon to be 6, under the age of 12! We are loving it! I am happy we found this way of eating, now that the new baby is coming! I took the 10 day pledge even though we are doing it! LOOOOOVVVVEEE IT!!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
So glad you found us and are enjoying the blog. Best of luck with your new arrival! Jill
Cari says
For the record, Agave is almost as bad as High Fructose Corn Syrup, you should read up on it. I use the maple flavored stuff as an alternative to other syrup on my waffles, but only because it doesn't raise my blood sugar like regular syrup does. I mostly use fruit spreads instead :)
dana says
Chia seeds are a great subatitute for eggs! Google it for proper amounts. Best of luck!
Janet says
I use sugar in the raw in my coffee probably not "real food" but better the other option u find out there.
Amy says
I've never used artificial and I'm not diabetic so granulated white sugar isn't a problem there. I started the 10 day challenge yesterday and besides all the extra dishes from cooking so much more it hasn't been bad, except wondering about sugar.I know it seems silly to obsess on the little things but I guess I just want to "do it right" whatever that means. I tried a bit of honey in my coffee this morning but it just isn't the same. I think I'll just use the raw sugar and give myself a break ;) Thanks for the comments!
robert says
I use one tsp of white sugar in my coffee once to twice a day. I can't stand the aftertaste of the pink/yellow/blue/green stuff. Here's why I decided to continue that minor indulgence.
Granulated sugar has 0g fat, 4g carbs and 0g protein which translates to 16 calories. It's glycemic index is 2 to 3. So, it you're not a complete diabetic I find it difficult to understand how 16 carb calories can have ANY effect on your body. A raw grape, by comparison has 0g fat, 5g carb, 0g protein with a similar glycemic index of 2. So, it's ok to have a grape with your coffee but not a tsp of white sugar?
Ok, switch to natural sugar to make yourself feel better but quit obsessing about trivial matters, give your poor liver a break from the chemical sweeteners and indulge in a tsp of sugar in your coffee - or mash a grape up in it...
By the way, drink your coffee with real food - not just a cup by itself - so your body has fat, carbs and protein to work with at the same time.
Amy says
My only problem with the rules is the sugar thing. I have always used white sugar in my coffee in the morning. I don't have an issue with switching to raw sugar but I can't seem to really find a conclusive answer on what to do in regards to sugar (other than honey/maple syrup). Anyway, I don't drink alcohol. Although it has a lot of sugar in it it's okay, do I get to substitute regular/raw sugar for my coffee to keep my sanity? :)
sonya says
agave nectar:-)
jartbauer says
Do some research on agave nectar. One, agave nectar is processed very similarly to HFCS. It doesn't come out of the agave plant "pure". Secondly, agave nectar in the US is not the same as what they use in Mexico where it is more "pure". It is turning out not to be the great sweetner we all hoped it to be. Better to stick to honey.
katie says
I came across this artical yesterday. It talks about agave nectar and why it isn't healthy for you. Hope this helps a little.
http://thankyourbody.com/health-foods-to-avoid/
Nichole says
You can use sweet leaf stevia or evaporated cane juice as natural sweeteners. You have to be careful w/ honey as the stuff at most grocery stores is processed and not so much natural anymore...
christiana says
I also used to put white sugar in my coffee every single morning, I loved how it made the coffee feel like a treat. I switched to the real foods life style on July 21st and haven't had sugar or any other sugar substitute in my coffee since then. It was difficult for me, I found myself thinking, "this just isn't the same", for a while. But this morning while I was drinking my coffee I said with honesty that I don't miss having sugar in my coffee anymore. I believe that maybe it is something one can adapt to liking.
Emily says
A touch of maple syrup in coffee is really tasty. I also use whatever milk I have on hand to lighten it. I only use it on the weekends, and drink coffee w/half and half during the week, so it is a treat!
Morgan says
As Jartbauer stated, Honey is the best substitute...plus, it tastes yummy. I normally buy organic raw honey. Plus, I have found using honey is actually cheaper than agave nectar, because most farmer's markets carry it in large quantities, for roughly around the same price you would buy bulk agave nectar. Obviously, everywhere is different, but that is just my experience where I'm from.
Victoria says
I recently spoke with a local beekeeper at my farmer's market. The health benefits of honey are many, particularly in the pollen. The majority of honey in the store has been pasturized and filtered. Pasturizing consists of heating the honey to @ 160 degrees F. It gives it longer shelf life and it won't crystalize as quickly. The filtering removes the pollen. Raw honey will be cloudy. Processed honey will be clear. Now for the surprise. If you use raw honey in hot coffee or tea, you are pasturizing it and removing the beneficial pollen and propolis. The beekeeper suggested taking a spoonful of raw honey followed by cold water to receive the benefits. I use raw honey in both coffee and tea. I also relish in my daily spoonful of yumminess.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Amy. I always tell people to do what they're comfortable with. Have you tried the syrup or honey? I thought the same thing though and actually found it wasn't bad...others have reported the same. Jill
Amy says
I did try honey (raw) and 100% maple syrup. At first I didn't care for them in my coffee but I think it was just because I was so use to white sugar. I finished up my challenge last week but we have and are still only buying organic/non (or very minimally) processed foods. I've been alternating between raw honey and raw sugar and am very happy with it :) Raw honey can get pretty expensive so that's the biggest reason I alternate. However the longer I do this the better I'm getting at finding deals/coupons at grocery stores and best prices/neighborhoods for farmers markets so I'm hoping to, in time, eliminate any processed sugar too. Thanks a lot!!
Christy says
I am researching and trying to figure out how to take our family to an exclusively whole-foods lifestyle, but I'm struggling with my eldest daughter having Celiac disease. All wheat, barley & rye is out. What whole grain gluten free alternatives can you recommend for a child (11) who has very few options as is for breads, etc, when your outline above says to exclude white rice? Thank you for any assistance.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Christy. You may be interested in this post on gluten free...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/28/food-allergies/. Jill
Kevin says
Ahh...please get off the whole grain bandwagon! Grains are poison!!
Jenifer says
What about gelatin??
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jenifer. I think gelatin is derived from various animal by-products, so, I would probably avoid it. Jill
Gosia says
Great advice, except for the last point. I got fat on self-baked, mostly whole grain cake. Probably I'm just not lazy enough for this point ;)) th erest of the family doesn't seem to have a problem with everyday healthy cake - they are all very slim.
Linda says
What about organic tofu?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Linda. Organic would indicate non-GMO, so, that would probably be fine. I would just double check the ingredients. Jill
Amanda says
What do you reccomend for school lunches that will stay fresh until the kids eat?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Amanda. Check out these posts on school lunches...
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/09/23/homemade-school-lunches/
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/01/06/real-food-school-lunches-ii/
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/19/real-food-school-lunches-iii/
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/19/school-lunch-roundup/
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/04/school-lunch-roundup-ii/
Jill
MattS says
Hi there! My wife and I follow you on Facebook and are determined to try the 10 day challenge. We already eat most of the allowed foods but is there a comprehensive list available? My main question is what about Quinoa and Unsweetened Almond Milk?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Matt. Quinoa is fine. Unsweetened, unflavored almond milk is ok, although, making it yourself is the best option as the store bought brands do contain more than 5 ingredients. Check out this recipe here...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/. Jill
Rebecca says
I have been stating switching my family over to more really foods, but the problem I have is that I have two very young children, one is under a year old, and I've always been told that young children should avoid honey. A lot of your recipes call for honey so I'm having a hard time making the full switch to real foods. Is there any alternative to this?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Rebecca. I would check with your doctor, but, I think that's for raw honey, not honey used in items you cook. But, please double check. You could also use maple syrup as an alternative. Jill
Ann says
I've been eating "clean-ish" all summer, but still trying to figure out cheese. Is cheese considered clean? Typically, I incorporate goat or feta cheese, string cheese, cream cheese, and cottage cheese into my week of food, but not sure what I should be looking for...any suggestions would be wonderful! Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Ann. Check out this post on dairy you may find interesting in answering your questions...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/18/cheese-and-other-dairy-products-are-they-processed/. Jill
Kira Campbell says
How is it that any non-homemade milk substitutes (like nut milks) are allowed? They are highly processed and have more than 5 ingredients.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kira. I agree many contain more than 5 ingredients, but, for some who cannot tolerate milk they don't always have an alternative. Not sure if you saw our recent post for making your own almond milk. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/. Jill
Lori says
Would Mueller's Pasta be considered a real food? I am trying to find a packaged pasta with 5 ingredients or less in my area and am unsure of many brands.
Lori says
Would Mueller's Pasta be considered as a real food?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Lori. I'm pretty sure it uses white flour or enriched flour though. I'm not 100% sure, but, I would check the ingredients. Jill
Dawn says
Hi, Is Hormel all natural bacon accepted? It has no nitrates or nitrites. Thanks
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Dawn. It would probably be fine. I try and use the Applegate organics bacon. Jill
Tia says
I am gluten intolerant so what should I do to replace all the whole wheat items you talk about?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Tia. I use a lot of gluten free rolled oats (ground up) in the breakfast items. You could also use almond flour as well. Just be careful as almond flour is not a 1:1 conversion. Jill
Julie says
I'm am just dipping my toe into this. I joined Weight Watchers and have been eating better and I am considering a whole food lifestyle. First step Bread! Panera is the only option, that I'm aware of in our area and they have thee following listed as ingredients. Reading through these, do you see any red flags? Thank you!
Whole Grain Loaf
Water, unbleached enriched wheat flour (flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), grain blend (cracked wheat, rye meal, whole spelt flour, whole amaranth, oats, flax ground, citrus fiber), stoneground whole wheat flour, honey, special blend (organic wheat sour, whole wheat flour, guar gum, defatted soy flour, malted barley extract, soy lecithin, enzyme, wheat gluten, ascorbic acid), wheat gluten, rolled oats, salt, yeast (yeast, sorbitan monostearate, ascorbic acid).
A friend of mine liked you on FB last night and I've been reading through the START HERE pages.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Julie. Unfortunately some of the ingredients raise a flag. The flour is not whole wheat but instead an enriched flour which basically means that so much was taken out of the flour they have to add it back. Sorry I didn't have a better answer for you. Have you seen the recipe for the whole wheat sandwich bread? You can find it here if you're interested. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/17/recipe-honey-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-for-bread-machine/. Jill
stacie says
what about any form of chocolate during the 100 days? Is that out?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Stacie. Dark chocolate is ok...the darker the better. Jill
Elizabeth says
If we eat gluten-free then what flour would you recommend whole-wheat isnt an option? Almond flour? Thanks! :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Elizabeth. Yes, almond flour is a good choice. Just note it's not a 1:1 substitution. Jill
Stacey says
I have been on Weight Watchers. I have more than a few pounds to lose. I appreciate the success that can be found with WW, but I feel like, as members, we are seeking the low point food items regardless of their nutritional value. The program has improved dramatically with zero point values for fruits and most vegetables. That being said, I am curious of you know of anyone doing the challenge while staying within the frameworks of WW.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Stacy. I'm sure there are others that have done it, just none that I'm aware of. I do think it can definitely be done though. And, it actually might be easier since you're avoiding the processed type food that's probably higher in points but won't necessarily make you full. Best of luck. Jill
Shanell says
What a great discussion forum! One concern I have is my calcium intake. What recommendations do you have for dairy products (besides yogurt and milk) that are whole foods. Would organic, minimally processed cheeses be acceptable?
Also, for anyone concerned about finding local, organic, hormone-free meat (especially in more rural areas) my husband and I buy a half of a cow every year and freeze it for year-round use. Contact a local, smaller cattle farm and inquire about buying a whole or half grass-fed butchered cow or lamb. We just go halvsies with friends and it's enough to feed the two of us for over a year.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Shanell. You may be interested in this post on dairy. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/18/cheese-and-other-dairy-products-are-they-processed/. Jill
Diana says
Hi Lisa,
I love the idea of cutting out all processed foods from my family's diet and in many ways we have already been taking baby steps for a couple of years. It is very similar to the way I grew up eating as well so for me the transition would be very easy. However there are a couple of snags.
We don't live in a large enough area for an all natural food store such as Whole Foods, Trader Joes or Earth Fare to exist. There is a health section to our local grocery store but the selection is very limited. Also I have yet to find a butcher, though there are a few meat lockers within an hour drive. I am envious of my parents who have their bakers and butchers and Whole foods. This would be easy for them.
My other real problem is I would have to give up my all time favorite food Cheerios. Just original plain Cheerios, not any of the spin offs such as apple cinnamon, multi grain or any others. Most mornings start with a simple bowl of Cheerios topped with a fruit (bananas, blueberries, strawberries, etc.)and maybe a little sugar or honey as a sweetner. I honestly can't imagine living life without them BUT they have more than five ingredients (6 to be exact). Are they really that bad that rule bending to allow them wouldn't be permisible?
Thank you so much!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Diana. They do not fall within "the rules" but you will have to decide what works for you. I don't think it's realistic to be perfect 100% of the time, so, again, will you have to figure out if these fit into your plan. Sorry I couldn't give a more definitive answer. Jill
Wendy H says
Hi Lisa,
I have been following you for a while, and just love your blog! It is so helpful and encouraging! I am wondering what you use for medication for your kids. My son had a headache last night, so I gave him some liquid acetominaphin. He said it was sweet and asked if it had sugar in it. Which prompted me to read the ingredients label, which I hadn't even thought to read! I was appalled by the list of chemicals, and couldn't believe I never thought to read the label. Is it possible to find meds without all the junk in them?
Thank you!
Lisa says
I know aren't some of the ingredients in medications just awful! I haven't had to use any meds on my girls in a while, but I did go out and buy some dye-free stuff to have on hand just in case. I think you could find some better (and more natural) alternatives in the medicine section of a health food store though (or on amazon). Good luck!
LYM says
Why should high quality meats be in "moderation," but not grains? Without factories, it's nearly impossible to eat more than a serving or two of bread/pasta/cereal/etc. per day, whole or otherwise. Well-raised & wild meats (including fish) are traditional in nearly every culture across the world throughout history. Well-soured, well-raised, sifted (neither whole nor white) breads in moderation are traditional in some, but by no means all, cultures.
Deep fried meats & vegetables, in moderation, in traditional unrefined fats, are also very traditional.
I fully support what you're trying to do here! I'm 100% whole foods myself, and have had amazing health changes doing it over the last six years with my husband and five children.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi LYM. You will probably be interested in this post that explains consuming animal products in moderation. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/05/19/becoming-a-“flexitarianâ€/. Jill
Kristi Zeller says
What are your thoughts on sparkling water with natural flavors? Thanks!!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kristi. I would have to see the ingredients to give a definitive answer. So, I would just say review them on whatever product you choose to determine if it's within the parameters of "real food". Jill
Kristin says
What about those of us that are gluten-free?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kristin. You may be interested in this post. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/28/food-allergies/. You may also want to check out http://www.elanaspantry.com and http://www.deliciouslyorganic.net. Good luck. Jill