• Start Here
  • About
    • Companies I Work With
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Juggling Real Food and Real Life

Real Food. Real Life. Real Fun.

  • Home
  • Real Food Recipes and More!
    • Easy Real Food Recipes Index
    • Plan Your Meals
    • Real Food Tips and Tricks
    • Kids In The Kitchen
    • Pantry Essentials
    • Real Food Breakfast Recipes
  • The Real Food Experience Challenge
  • Shop
    • Coupons and Special Deals
    • Retail Deals
    • Flirty Aprons
  • Real Life
    • Freedom From Clutter in 40 Days
  • School Lunches
    • Lunch Box Resources
    • Favorite School Lunch Supplies
  • Positive Sports Parenting

Real Food

The Real Food Experience ~ Make Your Own Junk Food – Juggling Real Food and Real Life

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today.  One of the best strategies to avoiding artificial ingredients that I have found comes from the author Michael Pollan.  In his book, In Defense of Food, Pollan says, “Eat all of the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.”  I love this quote.  It is often running through my head when I get the munchies or start craving my old favorite junk food items.

 

Michael Pollan In Defense of Food

We all know junk food is called “junk” for a reason.  It’s full of all sorts of artificial ingredients that are really terrible for us.  Junk food also has high amounts of salt, sugar, and fat.  All things we look to limit when living a real food lifestyle.

However, every once in a while…………..we get a craving for something on the not so real list.  What is a real food eating family to do?  We follow Michael Pollan’s advice and we cook it ourselves.  Pollan’s logic is that we eat junk food because it is so easy to grab and requires little or no effort to prepare.  It is also inexpensive.  I dare say cheap.  There are always coupons and sales for junk food.  There is lots and lots of advertising to make sure we include plenty of junk food in our grocery cart each week.

This week’s goal:  Remake one of your favorite junk food cravings into a Real Food recipe.


You heard me………….  We are eating junk food this week!  Eat all of the potato chips, chicken nuggets, pizza, and french fries that you want.  You just need to cook it from scratch.  Cooking from scratch does not mean open the package and toss it on the cookie sheet.  You will be cutting potatoes and chicken and making pizza dough from scratch. Here are a couple of dough recipes to try here and here.  I’ll even encourage you to make a milkshake.  No artificial ingredients allowed!  No artificial colors or
flavors of any kind.

 

Crock Pot Sloppy Joe

One of my family’s favorite real food makeovers has been our Sloppy Joe recipe.  I can’t wait to hear what your favorite junk food to real food transformation is.  Tell me what your family says about the change.  Are they happy to have their junk food back or do they notice the difference?  Do you think you will make your junk food to real food recipe often?  Do you have to use any new cooking techniques to make your junk food?

Can’t get enough Juggling Real Food and Real Life? Make sure you subscribe to our email list so you don’t miss a post. You will also want to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Just look for the buttons at the top to follow us on your favorite social media. We also have a Real Food Experience Facebook group. If you would like to join us, leave me your Facebook email address (the one you sign on with) in the comments below or email me at jugglingrealfoodandreallife@gmail.com.

 

 


7 Comments

« Take the Garbage Out of Your Salad – Juggling Real Food and Real Life
Fruit and Peanut Butter Quesadillas – Juggling Real Food and Real Life »

Comments

  1. Janine Thompson says

    February 25, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    That is one of my favorite quotes ever! Kinda my mantra.

    Reply
    • Juggling Real Food and Real Life says

      February 25, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      Great minds think alike Janine!

      Reply
  2. Brittnei Washington says

    February 26, 2014 at 4:02 am

    Christina, this is honestly what I've tried to do now. I make my own stuff. Like I just explored kale chips. (I was the only one who liked those though) and I have these gluten free sweet potato 5 spice muffins I made that the guys seem to love so I make those, but I've been experimenting finding things so we don't have to try to succumb to old unhealthy snacks for sure. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us at Countdown in Style! Don't forget to stop by Friday to see if you are featured 🙂

    Reply
    • Juggling Real Food and Real Life says

      February 26, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      That is awesome Brittnei! You are taking such good care of your family. Experimenting can be quite fun………….especially when you discover new favorites. I had to let my family know that they might not like everything and that is OK. They don't like all processed food either. I just want them to try new things.

      Reply
  3. Sandra Butler says

    February 27, 2014 at 11:29 pm

    Our favourite "good for us" junk food is organic nacho chips with homemade guacamole and homemade salsa! They have no idea that what they're eating is good for them!

    Reply
  4. April @ 100lb Countdown says

    February 28, 2014 at 3:42 am

    Well, considering when I cook, I end up eating less because I get tired of looking at the food, I guess this is a great technique for me. I'll have to try it in the next week or so! I have some craizness this weekend, tha tI have to be realistic, I'm going to screw up. Thanks for linking up with Countdown in Style.

    Reply
  5. Tameka Brown says

    February 28, 2014 at 5:04 am

    My brother makes a vegetarian sloppy Joe, which mainly consists of portabella mushrooms. He makes the sauce, too.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Sandra Butler Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

logo
Food Advertisements by

Welcome!

Too much to do and too little time? I'm here to help you get real food to the table and keep your sanity.

Let me help you find what you are looking for.

Make a positive change in your life!

 

Kids In The Kitchen

Love With Food

40% off Deluxe - 300x250

SPONSORS

logo
Food Advertisements by

Get Your Mighty Fix!

Learn More About the MightyFix One Simple Change Each Month

Get Flirty in the Kitchen

Latest from our Instagram

Instagram post 17975028422888459 Instagram post 17975028422888459
A sense of humor for sure! What are your thoughts? A sense of humor for sure! What are your thoughts? #reallifequotes #jugglingrealfoodandreallife #relationships101 #relationshipgoals #marriage #marriagegoals❤️
Reader review: I am a super busy mom of 5, (4 of w Reader review: I am a super busy mom of 5, (4 of which are teenage boys)! And this was easy and not time consuming at all. Best part is, it tastes amazing. Huge hit in my household. I just doubled the receipt. Thank you!

If you want to try the recipe you can find it here.
https://jugglingrealfoodandreallife.com/2016/06/easy-recipe-one-pot-smoked-sausage-pasta.html
Today we are sharing 3 fruit recipes that are easy Today we are sharing 3 fruit recipes that are easy and delicious over on the blog.

https://jugglingrealfoodandreallife.com/2025/06/three-fruit-recipes-to-try-this-week.html

Comment RECIPE and I'll DM you the clickable link. 

#food #foodies #realfood #realfoodmatters #realfoodexperience 
#cookingathome #homemadefood
Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers and fat Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers and father figures who love our children with all of their heart. We love you!!
Let's use the weekend to get ready for the challen Let's use the weekend to get ready for the challenge week. What are some of your favorite fruits to eat? Comment "Challenge" and I'll DM you the link to this week's challeng.
This Friday the 13th snuck up on me today. I alway This Friday the 13th snuck up on me today. I always think of it as a “lucky day”. What say you…….lucky or unlucky??
Grab a friend and come along our real food journey Grab a friend and come along our real food journey.  What is your biggest barrier to eating real and healthy food?
Dinner in the crockpot and we’re ready for our b Dinner in the crockpot and we’re ready for our busy day. These kids are going to be hungry at the end of the day and I’m going to be ready! #crockpotmeals #crockpot #crockpotchicken #busymomlife #workingmom #jugglingrealfoodandreallife #realfood #eatrealfood
Follow on Instagram
logo
Food Advertisements by

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread Pancakes Your Family Will Love

Healthy Starts with Whole Grains: A Family Guide to Real Food

Sunshine Sips: Make Peach, Mango, Mint Iced Tea at Home

Drop the Pop and Drink More Real Beverages

Three Fruit Recipes to Try This Week

Want more? Check out the archives.

Copyright © 2025 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in