I have a new definition of fast food these days.  It started with a bit of education.  I always knew that fast food = junk food.  I understood that to mean that it was high in fat and calories, but it is even worse than that.  If we fill up on beef that has been pumped full of growth hormones, sugary drinks, and deep-fried fries on a regular basis, our bodies are NOT getting the vitamins and nutrients it needs to fight off illness and chronic disease or perform at its best.  There is no way around it.  I’ve heard it said that we should be eating a “Rainbow of Colors” each day for
optimum health.  That is a diet with lots of different fruits and vegetables each day.  Think about the colors you eat at fast food restaurants.  They are mostly brown.

Simply put, that is the logic behind why we had to give up fast food.  However, that doesn’t change how I felt about fast food.  It was quick, easy, came with toys that made the kids happy and I had an association with good times at these places.  I want my kids to be happy, right?  They did give me quite a bit of grief at first, but it has faded with time.  Outside of this challenge week, I do still go out to dinner about once a week, usually for pizza…………sometimes for something better than pizza.  I no longer desire fast food.  I am not exaggerating here…………it just doesn’t taste good anymore.  I am so spoiled with quality ingredients that the dollar menu just doesn’t do it for me anymore.

How did this transformation occur?  One meal at a time.  One week at a time.  Every meal that you can prepare at home will drive you farther down the road on your Real Food Journey.  Make your meal plan for the week, shop for your groceries for the week and then stick to it.  I’ve actually found that I enjoy entertaining in my home more than I did before.  I can reconnect with friends and family around my dinner table much better than I can at a restaurant.  It is so much more relaxing and I don’t have to worry about bad service ruining the night.

From Fast Food to Juggling Real Food fast…………………

1.  Use your tools…………..I love to use my crock pot.  I have a soup cooking in it now.  I also use my food processor all the time.  I can make my meat loaf loaded with veggies in half the time thanks to the food processor.

2.  Chop and prep in your little pockets of time.  Break down meal prep into jobs that need to be done sometime prior to the meal.  Don’t simply think of the time you have right before dinner.
3.  Real Food doesn’t have to be elaborate meals.  We love tacos, breakfast, homemade pizzas, and easy whole wheat pasta dishes.
4.  Prepare extra and freeze if you do have a little more time to cook.  I like to make extra French toast and pancakes and freeze them for quick breakfasts.  If I double the soup batch, I have 2 meals.  One for now and one for the freezer.  I always boil extra pasta to send
with my husband and the kids in their lunches.

5.  Invite your kids and spouse to help.  More hands can really speed up the process of chopping vegetables and shredding cheese.  The kids will love postponing their homework a little longer.

Hope that helps!  Let me know how you are getting Real Food to the table fast by leaving me a comment below.  You can also find more information and fun on our Facebook page.  You can also follow us on Twitter @Jugglngrealfood and follow our boards on Pinterest.