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
paige says
I love this idea but I have a son that is gluten free ( no wheat) can we use rice flour ?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, just make sure it is whole-grain (brown rice flour)
amanda says
Bobs red mill also makes a wonderful gluten free flour out of various whole grains. We have used it in baking as well, with great success!
Leah says
I am only on day one, but I already have a question. Can we use date sugar? Thanks
100 Days of Real Food says
Nope, just honey and maple syrup for this particular pledge!
bolognese soup says
dark chocolate must be great ... butter too
Michelle says
Hi there, my family and I are on Day 3 of the 10 day real food challenge and we aren't doing too bad! There are a lot of things to learn and keep a watchful eye for. But, in just three days I'm feeling INCREDIBLE! My mind is clearer and I have so much energy! I can even see a change in my daughter. She is calmer and more relaxed! She's three years old and usually bouncing off the walls until we make her go to bed. Now it's just the normal three year old energy coming out! Thank you so much for this information! It is life saving...it truly is!
Sylvia says
Believe it or not, butter is actually GOOD for you (in moderation of course!). I'm a nurse practitioner, and I NEVER use fake margarine at all anymore!! And real butter tastes so much better!! Check it out at the Weston Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/why-butter-is-better
DeeAnn says
I have been talking to my husband about changing our diet to one ingredient foods (of course that doesn't include home cooking) and only buying food with labels that we read and know. Then I stumbled on this website when searching for a recipe on whole wheat tortilla's. I am so excited to read your posts and plan to take the 10 day pledge. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.
colleen says
Soy-like anything else is ok in moderation but has been linked to elevated breast cancer risk. There is a ton of products that have soy so reading labels is a must.
Joyce says
Could you please set the articles up to be printed? Thanks.
Lauren says
Thanks for such a wonderful and informative blog! Someone actually pinned you on Pinterest, which is how I found you. I am trying to eat more whole foods and cut out processed stuff, and this is so helpful. I was actually pleasantly surprised to see you live in Charlotte (I do too) and have never been to Great Harvest Bread Co. After reading this, I am planning to stop by and check out their goodies!
alli says
you saw no white sugar, is raw sugar ok? it isn't processed like white and is still natural.
100 Days of Real Food says
Nope...raw sugar does not make the cut either.
sherice says
agave isn't that good for you.. when they make it it produces high fructose.. but doesn't spike insulin so that's why so many think it's ok.
Brigit says
What about dark chocolate?
100 Days of Real Food says
It still has sugar in it... so that is a "no"
Sandra says
Any thoughts on Raw Organic Blue Agave? I've been using it occasionally instead of honey. I'm seeing conflicting reports on it!
100 Days of Real Food says
I also see a lot of conflicting information on agave so we personally do not use it. Seems the way it is being used in the U.S. is a little "newer" than honey and maple syrup.
Louise says
Thanks for a great website and all the good content! Keep up the good work!
I noticed in these comments that there are some concerns about the safety of consuming soy. Personally, I never thought that soy is a problem since billions of Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans have consumed plenty of soy products over thousands of years with no ill effects. But for a more scientific perspective, one of my favorite writers addressed the issue here: http://zenhabits.net/soy/ Check it out and decide for yourself if soy consumption is safe.
Lyddie says
It was either Pollan or Planck who pointed out that newer soy products were more troubling, but soy in traditional foods were good to consume (i.e. tofu) I like to think of the rule of thumb that if its been eaten for 100's of years it is good to eat! I don't remember exactly but I think the traditional soy products are cultured/fermented and that makes a big difference. Alot of the newer products, ie. substitutes for meat, aren't and may not be good for us.
Shauna Mae says
Hi, I absolutely love this way of life! A good friend of mine told me about this site and it's great. I do have a question that I didn't see addressed in the prior comments, I am severely allergic to fruit (all of it) and veggies (most of them) and on top of that I'm lactose intolerant... I make/cook most of my food so I know what's in it, do you have any advise for someone with such bad food allergies and trying to follow this diet? Or is a slightly adjusted version my best bet?
Keri says
I am wondering why the focus on eating less meat? Is that a lifestyle choice for you? Protein is a very important part of the human diet. There is nothing processed about a steak or a chicken breast.
100 Days of Real Food says
Here is the reason behind reducing our consumption of meat...and there are many other sources of protein like beans, dairy, seafood, etc.
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/03/25/mini-pledge-week-3-meat/
Green Fury says
Well, the truth of the matter is that steak and chicken breasts can be some of the most "processed" foods out there, depending on your perspective. Most beef and chicken in the market today is fed GMO-corn and GMO-soy based feeds, as well as ground-up chicken feces, feathers, etc., cottonseed meal (which is loaded with pesticides), and blood and bone meal from equally-poorly-fed cows and chickens, and then topped off with cocktails of antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals. Not good stuff.
But, if you can get meat from organically-grown, grass-fed, free-ranged, pastured animals that are humanely-treated on small, family farms, I'd say go for it! Beef from healthy, grass-fed (100% grass fed/grass finished) cows contains healthy amounts of omega-3s, protein, minerals, etc., and pastured eggs and chickens likewise--homemade chicken stock from healthy chickens can be really good for you! And one last note, if you happen to find meat from healthy, humanely-raised animals, don't just eat the white meat! The only way you'll get all the yummy nutrients from these animals is by eating the whole animal--even the organ meats... if, you're sure they're healthy animals (you don't want to be eating liver afterall from a cow that's been filled with the toxic chemicals I mentioned above).
Brandon Mahon says
I have been reading the debates on "MILK" and I am wondering why we drink the milk that was meant for another animal in the first place! No other animal on earth relies on milk past "adolesence" nevermind relying on it from another species. Your body can live without a cow's milk so just get off the stuff. The whole business of having to market milk as "it does the body good" tells you that it is all about marketing an industry, not about keeping you healthy!
Jackie says
I fully agree, Brandon. I stopped drinking milk about 15 years ago and I have never looked back. When I learned that there is substantial cow PUSS in the milk from their poor over-milked teats. Made me sick to think about what they put those poor animals through. You get more calcium from spinach than milk anyways.
Amber says
This blog collects a lot of ideas for a healthier lifestyle. Thank for sharing them with us.
Wendy says
Most of the things you listed are every day life for our family. The only exception is whole wheat products. This is because both my son and daughter have a wheat intolerance. Instead I grind my own flours and make my own bread that is safe for them.
Sherri Lechner says
You should make some of your pages printable.
Great site. Gonna slowly change my family over to healthy.
Lauren Gray says
Great Site!!!
Paola Bush says
Hey! Thank you for responding to my question. We are seriously considering taking the challenge, but we have one more question about the 5 ingredient rule. What if it's a product that has a bunch of organic ingredients like the ezequiel 7 sprouted grain bread?..we like it so much that we're trying to replicate the recipe at home...thanks!
100 Days of Real Food says
That is up to you to decide. We didn't eat anything over 5-ingredients during our pledge (even if they were all whole food ingredients) just because we had to draw the line somewhere to make the challenge easy for everyone to follow.
Dena says
What do you use in place of mayonaisse? Have a few in the family that use it a lot. Would love any suggestions. Thanks. Especially to make deviled eggs.
Wendy says
We use organic plain yogurt instead of mayo. Works great for most recipes.
100 Days of Real Food says
A lot of people make homemade mayonnaise, although I never had much luck with the recipes I tried during our pledge. I now just used the least processed organic mayo I can find and I use it sparingly.
look_alive says
Just stumbled upon your site and love all the info. Already planning to do the challenge!
I just wanted to share that I just made my own homemade mayonnaise this week, and it literally took just a few minutes, and was so easy I felt stupid after I made it. :-) I don't think I'll ever buy store-bought mayonnaise again.
If you have failed at other recipes, I wanted to share the post from the Serious Eats blog (I am in NO WAY affiliated with them!) that got me brave enough to try to make my own. And now that I see how easy it is, I can't imagine why more people don't do it. The secret is a hand-held stick blender. That makes it virtually idiot-proof. If you don't mind me posting the link, I really urge you to try your hand at may just one more time! :-)
http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/10/the-food-lab-homemade-mayo-in-2-minutes-or-le.html?ref=carousel
I happened to have an old, 15yo, hand-me down stick blender for this, but they can be found at local stores for about $10-$20. Worth it for 15 years of the best damn mayonnaise you've ever put in your face. I literally couldn't believe the difference in taste. Plus it lasts 3+ weeks in the fridge, I can make it in a reusable glass jar, and I know with some certainty where each ingredient came from.
Karena says
My family is going to take up the chan. for 100 days. We are a family of 6, having 4 children ranging from 11 monthes to 7 years. I am homeschooling the older two, so your page will really help me out for I don't have much time to do much research. Thank you for your work that you have put into this. We are starting our 100 days Sept. 1st and we are looking forward to it and talking it up to the children!
Christina says
What about raw sugar is it considered a real food?
100 Days of Real Food says
Nope...it is still refined.
Kate says
Hi, What a great idea for a challenge! I completely agree with all of your inputs on what to eat/what to avoid except one. I lived in Japan for almost half of my life where white rice is a staple at every meal. I eat short grain sticky rice quite often. The only ingredient is "milled rice". Were you referring to the minute rice/fortified white rice? If so, that is completely understandable. Yes, brown rice is more nutrient dense just as whole wheat pasta/bread is as well. However, white rice is not refined as white flower is. I just wanted to clarify your meaning on "no white rice"?!
Green Fury says
White rice is in effect the equivalent of white flour in that they are both "polished" grains. And indeed the practice of "polishing" grains started at approximately the same time in both the East and the West. White rice is no healthier than eating white bread, though there are certainly different degrees of "white" -- e.g., eating home-made "white" bread is a lot better for you than eating wonder bread, if only because you can make your bread without any additives, and you can also purchase unbleached and unbromated white flours. With rice, the short grain sticky rice is better than minute rice for sure, but it's still white rice.
Kate says
AHH! How crazy! Then my stance is made, I will follow the rules except for my rice! haha :)
Green Fury says
Indeed, eating is supposed to be pleasureable as well... so if you can't live without your white sticky rice don't make yourself suffer :)
100 Days of Real Food says
Kate - Here is what Michael Pollan recently said about white rice: "In general you're better off eating brown rice than white, which (unless it has been fortified with vitamins) is pretty much pure starch. But a little white rice isn't going to kill you or give you diabetes. Especially if you eat it with lots of vegetables and some fats, which will compensate for the lack of nutrients and slow your body's absorption of all that glucose. That said, the Harvard School of Public Health estimates (how, I don't know) that changing from white to brown rice will reduce your risk of diabetes by 16 percent.
Yes, it's true that people have been eating white rice for centuries. But the rice has changed, and so have we. Millers today do a much more thorough job of "polishing" rice than they once did — that is, whitening it by removing the nutritious bran and germ from the grain. (The same is true of "white flour" as well — it's a whole lot whiter now than it used to be and therefore less nutritious. Nice going!) As for the eaters of old-timey white rice, chances are they were working in the fields, and so burning those extra carbs that sedentary people store as fat."
Ash D says
It did state on the original rules that you can drink wine :)
Cori says
Can you drink wine?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, of course! I don't think I would have survived the pledge otherwise :)
D O Miles says
As for laws regulating "Raw Milk", they were not enacted against ecoli, rather TB. Since tuberculosis is once more rampant in the world I applaud the law though I hate pasteurized milk for my own consumption. But having spent some of my childhood on a dairy farm and in the testing lab at a milk distributor and having seen the filth in barns and corrals on dairy farms all over this country I can speak this with some authority, "Do not drink raw milk, unless you know the cow and the dairy farm very well and that the cows are tested often for TB."
As for the all organic, most of it really isn't and for stuff that is raised with out the expense of insecticides and chemical fertilizers, why does it cost so much more than non organic?
You lucky people who can hop in your cars and go to farmers' markets and area fruit and veggi stands. I have to cab to a market once a month, cutting my food budget by $30+ each month and take what I can get and that isn't much unless I want salted, sauced, MSGed prepared foods. Scream and yell at your super market manager for real food again! Scream and yell at the distributors that you want real food again!
To those of you who say sugar is so terrible, well I will not say those words but these, "All things in moderation." Want sweet tea? Add the sugar when it is hot and use about 1/8th of what you would use otherwise then add ice or chill it.
Buy my bread at a local bakery? Lovely thought, but where is the extra money to pay the price. Make my own, I did for over 50 years, I can no longer do that.
Maybe I my rich old aunt in the poor house will leave me a million dollars and I can buy a bread machine, hire a car and driver and shop every day and hire a cook to do all the prep work I can not do any more.
Why cannot we get back to common sense. Use what is available, ask people who distribute and sell food for what you want and just stop buying the junk.
Mae says
I've been told that organic foods cost more than their non-organic counterparts because, without the use of chemicals like pesticides and herbicides, more of the crop is lost to bugs or other damage. As a result, farmers need to charge higher prices to make up for their losses. In this case (as in all others) it's up to each individual consumer to weigh the cost against the benefits, and decide what they're willing to pay for.
Sabrina says
I didn't see this in the "rules" post, so I'm just wondering...did you do all organic? Or any specific items organic only, and conventional for others? I buy certain items organic (milk, eggs, cheese most recently) but cant afford to buy ALL organic.
100 Days of Real Food says
If you can't afford to buy all organic then avoid the ones on the dirty dozen list: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/methodology/
Laura says
I went to the grocery store yesterday to check out the whole wheat pasta and to see if there was any acceptable whole wheat bread (there wasn't). However, I have a couple of questions about the pasta. What is acceptable as ingredients? The mainstream brand whole wheat pasta had very few ingredients but I wasn't exactly sure what they were and if it's ok!
Also, I looked at canned tomatoes and and tomato sauce/paste and was wondering about those as well. The canned tomatoes were ok except they listed tomato juice as an ingredient and citric acid. Are these things acceptable?
Thanks for the help!!!
100 Days of Real Food says
For pasta you can usually find some with only one ingredient: whole durum wheat (or something like that...it must say the word "whole" though). For tomatoes I try to buy the cans with the least number of ingredients, but I also like to buy organic b/c they have a thin skin and tend to absorb chemicals used on conventional produce. I also try to find some with very low sodium or no added salt. I've found a couple brands at Earth Fare that meet all these requirements. Oh and tomato juice is fine...citric acid isn't ideal, but sometimes that is all you can find! You might also be able to stock up on some non-perishable stuff like that online if you can't find ideal choices locally. I hope that helps!
Susan says
I bought Walmart Great Value whole wheat pasta today and the only ingredient is duram whole wheat flour :) Good luck!
Loida says
We eat gluten free at home. You can find some great pasta made with quinoa, corn or rice that is made with whole grains. I now prefer quinoa pasta to wheat. It is organic and non-GMO, with more nutrients.
Susan says
I am going through my pantry and we have Mission tortilla chips. The ingredients are: ground corn treated with lime, water, vegetable oil, salt. Not sure if ground corn counts in the "real food" category or not?
Green Fury says
Ground corn can count as real food, just make sure you're not getting genetically-modified (GMO) corn. Also, what's the vegetable oil -- watch out for soy, corn, and palm oil in particular (palm oil plantations are one of the leading causes of habitat destruction in the rain forests of Borneo... destroying habitat for the orangutan).
100 Days of Real Food says
The problem with chips is that they are deep fried in refined oil. Sorry not allowed during the pledge!
Green Fury says
Well, the oil doesn't have to be refined. The deep-frying of chips can be done with an unrefined high-heat oil like peanut oil. Chips can also be baked.
Kathy says
After finding your website, I spent two days reading both the 100 day and 100 day Budget posts as I was so intrigued about how you did these projects. I would love to try this, if not for 100 days, then maybe the 10 days, as both my husband & I want to lose additional weight and eat more healthy (along with saving money- our food bills are awful. However, I'm just not sure if we would be able to. I am assuming you don't work outside the home and you seem to spend an awful lot of time in the kitchen. Though I don't have small children at home, I don't get home from work until 5:00 (one day 7:00) and my husband is in bed by 8:30 at night because we both get up early. I am also vegan and hubby is not, so even though we eat a LOT of fresh produce, I do not eat any animal products, and the cost of non-animal products is considerably higher. Also, most items have more than 5 items in them. You are also fortunate to live in an area that has many sources of organic fresh items. We do not. To find anything organic within a 30 mile area(that is not all moldy and shriveled) is rare (& costs a small fortune). We only have one small farmers market during the summer months, which consists of about 2 tables of produce. We also have ZERO restaurants that serve Local foods. I would LOVE to eat real food using a budget, but I am very skeptical that we would be able to do it and not go hungry. I am not trying to make excuses, it just seems a bit overwhelming. I am however, willing to give it a try. I will see what hubby thinks, but I wish our area offered some good options. I will continue to read your posts to see if I can find some helpful tips. I really want to be able to do this. Thanks for the site. It is very interesting.
100 Days of Real Food says
I wish you the best of luck...if you really put your all into it I bet you will uncover some new resources and tips that you never thought of before! Also, check out http://www.localharvest.org/ and http://www.eatwild.com/ to see if you can find some more resources in your area.
Anon says
I must say, forcing this on your children must drive them nuts. They will grow to hate you for being such a horrible mother.
Green Fury says
Woe! That is like totally uncool... Try turning this around on yourself; maybe you are the horrible mother for allowing your kids to eat all the processed, chemically-altered, genetically-altered junk that's in the market today.
Green Fury says
Sorry, that wasn't very nice to say it that way -- I definitely don't want to accuse anyone of being a "horrible mother". I guess what I meant was to try looking at it from the oppositie perspective. We're all starting at step 1, since our society is built around fast food, junk food, and highly processed foods. The challenge is to escape from the norm.
Arcadie says
Gosh, if you aren't interested in this program, don't come back. Mean people need help. This is a great site and concept!
Natasha says
~WOW could you be anymore bitchy!! This woman is not only take the time to ensure that she and her family eat healthy,she is taking the time to share her knowledge with us,saving us the time of researching every little thing.WOW Just Wow,maybe if you kids grow up to be the size of a house from all the junk food that you seem to think is better ,they will hate you!!!!
Natasha says
this was aimed at ANON BTW
Monica says
Just my guess...this message from ANON was not from an adult, whether father or mother. I'm guessing this post was from an adolescent or teenager who panicked at the thought that his/her parents would join this movement to eliminate processed, fast and other junk foods from our diets. Bless his/her little heart! : )
Ann says
Are we allowed to drink soy milk?
100 Days of Real Food says
As long as it doesn't have any sweeteners or more than 5 ingredients!
Green Fury says
... but soy isn't exactly healthy for you. Soy mimics estrogen, and also contains higher levels of phytic acid than other legumes. Soy should really only be eaten if fermented, as in honest-to-god soy sauce, bean curd, and miso.
Jessica says
Oh and one more thing- my husband CANNOT consume any pastuerized dairy or he gets very sick. However, he can consume as much raw dairy as he wants, without any reactions. It's just nice having the option if you want it.
Jessica says
Are you familiar with the Nourishing Traditions cookbook and Weston Price's work? It's all whole food based recipes and there are so many great articles on Weston Price's website.
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, I am...but honestly some of there stuff is a little more "hard core" than we'd like to go.
Tristine says
I noticed your list said no Cain juice. I used to buy a grape all fruit spread for my daughter who loves grape "jelly" however; since moving to a new state I can no longer purchase the product. I finally found one place that carries an organic grape jelly that only consists of organic concord grapes, natural pectin, and organic Cain juice. Would this product truly be considered unacceptable for the the Real Food challenge. The Cain juice is the last item listed.
Jan says
Just read the yahoo article. Could it have caught my eye at a more perfect time? What a gift. Thank you for everyone's comments and sharing. I have determined to get healthy. I'm working out with a trainer 5 times a week. (Sessions already paid for, thanks to my son not using them). I'm losing weight and getting stronger. One of my trainers told me it is important to eat my 5 or 6 meals the same time every day. It's been a challenge. I had also set a food budget recently of $125.00 a week for my 17yr old son, 14yr old daughter, and myself of course. And I've been wondering how I'm going to achieve this budget goal. My children would love for me to cook more. They get tired of fast and boxed foods. My father was on a raw food (no dairy, meat, wheat grains) eating program while treated for his cancer. I participated in some wonderful classes in food prep. Eating raw, organic foods is expensive. And eating healthy is a part time job. Total commitment. Still eat some dairy, wheat and meat however. In fact I learned that sardine bones, which you can use a tongue depressor to clean the meat off if you don't want to eat it, is a strong bone builder. Any way, this information is going to be priceless for me and my family. I'm excited!!!
Green Fury says
You forgot about oils! Here's a suggestion for what you can and cannot eat in the oils category:
Can:
Butter -- as long as it's organic and from pastured (i.e., 100% grass-fed) cows
Olive oil -- extra virgin is the best
Coconut oil -- cold pressed
Sunflower oil and peanut oil -- cold pressed (unrefined), if necessary for high-heat cooking such as stir-fries
Cannot:
Corn and soybean oils (these are more often than not from GMO crops, and even if they aren't the oils are bad for your body)
Hydrogenated oils/margarines -- also known as "trans" fats
Canola oil (it's from a non-edible plant, bred to be "ok" for human consumption - avoid it)