How to Reset Your Real Food Habits This Fall

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Hey there, friends! Let’s be honest… summer is basically a blur of ice cream cones and late-night pizza runs. I may have even said, “Does corn on the cob count as a vegetable if it’s dripping with butter?” (Answer: absolutely.) I usually feel like I need a little reset button for my real food habits. Anyone else?

The good news is that fall is the perfect season to get back on track. It’s cozy, it’s harvest time, and the stores and farm markets are overflowing with real food goodness. Plus, let’s face it—once the pumpkin spice everything hits the shelves, we all feel a little more motivated to get our act together.

So, if your summer eating was a little more “real fun” than “real food,” here are some easy, mom-tested ways to reset your real food habits this fall.

1. Embrace Seasonal Produce (a.k.a. Nature’s Reset Button)

Fall produce is amazing! Apples, pears, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes—basically everything that pairs perfectly with cinnamon. Stock up at your local farmers’ market or grocery store and let the season guide your meal planning.

Pro tip: Kids are way more likely to eat (or at least try) veggies when you call them “fall flavors.” For example: roasted carrots with maple glaze sound way cooler than just… carrots.

2. Bring Back the Soup Pot

Soup is the unsung hero of real food. Toss in whatever veggies you have, add some beans or chicken, and suddenly you’ve got a warm, comforting dinner that stretches for days. Plus, nothing makes you feel like you’ve got your life together quite like simmering a pot of soup on a crisp fall evening. Bonus: Soup leftovers make excellent lunches—no drive-thru required.

3. Pack Lunches Like a Pro (Or at Least Try)

Back-to-school season is the perfect excuse to stop eating random snacks at your desk and start packing real lunches again. A little planning goes a long way here. Think whole-grain wraps, cut-up fruit, and maybe even those cute little divided lunch containers if you’re feeling Pinterest-y. And hey, if all else fails, an apple and some cheese is still a win.

4. Reclaim Family Dinner Time

Summer schedules can be all over the place but fall brings back a little routine. (Well… until sports, homework, and the fall carnival show up, but let’s enjoy the illusion while we can.) Use this time to bring everyone back to the table. We are more likely to eat nutritious food when we are sitting at the table together. Even if it’s just two or three nights a week, eating real food together is a reset for both your body and your family connection. Bonus points: No phones at the table. Yep, I said it.

5. Don’t Forget to Hydrate

For some reason, we’re all pros at drinking water in the summer. However, the second the weather dips below 70 degrees, suddenly coffee becomes its own food group. I’m not saying give up your pumpkin spice latte (heaven forbid) but try balancing it with a little H2O. Your body will thank you, and your skin will glow even under those fluorescent classroom lights at parent-teacher conferences.

If you want to get serious about your real food journey, try a challenge week. Each challenge is an easy weeklong challenge that will help you and your family make the transition from fast food to real food. Think of them as baby-steps towards your healthy eating goals.

Wrapping It Up

Resetting your real food habits this fall doesn’t mean you have to overhaul your whole life. Try starting small. Add more seasonal produce. Make a pot of soup. Pack a real lunch. And the best idea of all is to bring your family back to the table for meals. Before you know it, you’ll feel a whole lot better. And maybe, just maybe, it will be a little easier to pass the Halloween candy aisle.

So tell me, what’s the first real food habit you want to reset this fall? Let’s cheer each other on while we juggle this real food, real life thing together! Let’s keep encouraging all of the busy mamas in our group. You got this!

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