Improving Access To Healthy Foods + 2 Year Real Food Anniversary

Although this blog is not yet two years old, my family is celebrating two years eating real food.  It was June 2012 when I decided enough was enough.  I was tired of being sick and I was worried about what all the junk food I was feeding my family was doing to their health.  We only get one body and one life, you know.  Two years ago, my family often ate fast food three times a day.  It sounds completely insane to me now, but I didn’t know better.  I was busy!  I was just glad that we ate three times a day.  I’m proud to say that it has been two years since I have eaten at one of my old favorite fast-food restaurants.  Although, I will admit to using their restrooms on an emergency basis and buying black coffee every once in a while.  Dang!  Does that ruin my record?

 

It has been two years since I found out about GMOs.  Genetically Modified Organisms are foods that are created more out of science than of nature.  They are NOT hybrid foods.  GMOs are organisms who have had their genetic material altered.  Corn is no longer corn when it is altered.  It looks like corn and tastes like corn, but it is genetically different and able to be patented.  Over 60 countries have banned GMOs.  The US is not one of those countries.  Want to know why there is so much cancer and allergies these days?  Perhaps, we should look at what is different about our food.


During the time I have been shopping for real food, I have seen a difference in the food choices and brands at my grocery store.  I can’t believe how much it has changed.  I choose to vote with my dollars.  If I can’t find a real food version of my favorite ingredients, then I don’t buy it.  If your kidney beans include sugar or artificial colors…………they are not going in my cart.  It has been a bit of a pain at times, but I refuse to give in.  My family is that important to me.  My local grocery store now doesn’t have a tiny little organic section.  It has organic foods throughout the store.  It’s nice to have choices again.  I like to think that my dollar voting is helping.

 

How are the kids doing?  Better all of the time……….my youngest doesn’t even really remember the names of his old fast food favorites.  We played a game the other night.  My husband and I named fast food items and asked him which restaurant they were from.  McDouble?  He had no idea! Interesting……..he doesn’t really like french fries either.  Although, he has discovered that he likes homemade fries with lots of vinegar on them.  My teenager still wants soda when we go to a restaurant or is offered it elsewhere.  He knows it is not allowed in our house.  He now has some new favorite real food meals and that makes me happy.  My daughter has really taking our real food journey to heart.  She has paid attention to what makes her feel good and what doesn’t.  She is leading the charge in reducing our overall meat consumption.  She is happiest with grains, vegetables, and is obsessed with beans.  Her little girl friends must think she is crazy when she gets so excited to find a bean burrito in her lunch box.


Two years has gone by so fast.  It’s hard to believe we are the same family that we were two years ago.  We haven’t gotten any less busy that is for sure………..tell me how three kids can have 5 activities in one night?  Yep!  That’s my Wednesday this week.  We have pulled together as a family and worked really hard to always have real food at our table.  My husband is a master shopper.  Nobody can speed read an ingredient label like he can.  Sure, we’ve made some mistakes and have a lot to learn still, but we are really doing this!


Thanks so much for being a part of our real food journey.  With some luck and a whole lot of determination this time next year, we will meet here again and celebrate three years.

Have you started your real food journey?  Why or why not?  What is holding you back?  How long have you been eating real food?

Don’t Miss The Next Juggling Real Food and Real Life Newsletter!

Make sure you subscribe by email so you don’t miss a single issue. Facebook is showing you less and less of what I post there. The only way not to miss a post is to subscribe by email. You can subscribe by entering your email address to the right of this page. Just wait to see what I have coming. Please also follow us on our various social media. You can easily find me there if you have questions. Twitter is a great place to chat. Follow me @jugglngrealfood and introduce yourself. The Juggling Pinterest Boards are crammed with lots of great information and recipes. Check them out! Come back each Friday for our Let’s Get Real Friday Party. The best bloggers from across the web link up their favorite posts from the week. It’s quite a treat!