Making the Switch to Eating Real Food

 

In the world we live in today, it’s incredibly easy to buy food by walking into any grocery store and throwing food in our cart.

But easy doesn’t always mean that is the best option for us – and some of us are starting to question the food we are eating, and in the process perhaps, looking to clean up our diet.

This “real food” movement isn’t something that’s new – it’s been around for a while. When you tell people that you haven’t been to the grocery store for quite a long time, they tend to get very quiet and ask you how you can do that…  what do you eat?  What do the kids eat? What about the snacks and crackers they are used to?

Real food is a simpler type of eating – it’s all about keeping your crock pot, mixer, and food processor/blender handy so you can make your own things at home…  In a time when we are all about convenience, that’s hard for some people to wrap their head around.

We have jobs – those jobs require us to work many hours.

Many of us have kids (we have 5… so we know how that is too!) – obligations, activities, church commitments, and obligations to spend time with our family too.

So how does a processed food family switch to eating real, wholesome food?

First, it’s important to understand why you would want to move away from processed food – which can be highly addictive and full of empty calories and nutrition.   Switching over requires that you make a commitment to yourself to eat better – food with real ingredients, that might not be as convenient as say… opening a box or buying something pre made.

Because in the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion–most of what we’re consuming today is longer the product of nature but of food science — Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food

What is Real Food?

Real Food is entirely different than buying processed. It IS possible to avoid a grocery store trip – it means stocking ingredients in your pantry that you can use to make meals – real meals. And these real food meals don’t necessarily take much more time – just a willingness to change your habits.

Whole Food: Food in it’s natural state.

Fruits & Vegetables:  Local and organic if at all possible. A great place to start is to check & see if you have a CSA in your area.

Dairy:  Organic, raw dairy from grass fed cows – or, goats.  Not processed grocery store milk, sour cream cheese or yogurt. Avoid ultra pasteurized dairy, and opt for full fat raw dairy and use that to make your heavy cream, sour cream, and yogurt. Buy live {raw milk} kefir grains from your local farmer and make kefir yourself.

Seafood:  NO farmed fish – instead, wild caught fish that will run you more in cost.

Fats:  Butter from grass fed cows, ghee, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil (unrefined if possible) and lard.  Try to avoid using Crisco and processed butter in store.

Eggs:  Best from chickens that are roaming free, eating bugs and worms (along with Organic feed), with lots of pasture to keep them healthy.

Meats:  Animals raised to eat grass and spend time on a pasture each day – better to buy from a local farmer that you are familiar with, too. It’s best to use all of the parts of the animal – bones for broth, too.

Grains/Legumes:  Whole grains – or, substitutes like coconut or almond flour, along with dried beans, and seeds for baking.

Sweeteners:  Natural sweeteners including raw honey and maple syrup are best.

That commitment can’t be a wavering commitment that comes and goes. Your mindset needs to change. your priorities need to shift, and your values need to change.    Not everyone may like cooking or food, but it’s not something that can be ignored as every aspect of your life depends on your ability to consider food as a valid part of your healthcare regimen.

Here are 10 ways to Incorporate {Real} Whole Food in your Family –with a limited budget.

Some of these may be more difficult than others …. but recognizing where you are right now is the best place to start. Having a plan to move forward in a different direction is the next step.

It takes time to make these changes, but they can be done in small steps… getting started is the hardest part. 

1. Clean out your pantry, fridge and freezer and determine what’s processed and what’s real food.
2. Eliminate those processed foods.
3. Develop a list of options you need to transform those areas (Fridge, Freezer and Pantry) to determine what you need to stock up on for real meal solutions that are doable for your family.

See the healthy pantry staples we stock in OUR pantry by heading HERE.