Mid-Week Motivation: Keep Choosing Natural Sweeteners

Hey there busy mom! We’re right in the middle of Week 6: Choose Natural Sweeteners, and I’m so proud of you for the swap-work you’re doing so far. You’ve taken another meaningful step toward feeding your family real food that supports their health — and your sanity.

If you’re feeling a little stuck, overwhelmed, or just wondering “Is it worth it?”, this post is for you. Let’s refresh WHY we’re doing this and give you some practical tools to keep going strong.

Why This Change Matters

You may remember when I dug into the ingredient lists on everyday food items and discovered how much added sugar and hidden sweeteners were sneaking into our lives. For example, taking a look at a flavored instant oatmeal package revealed “sugar, natural flavor, caramel color…” and more than I wanted my family eating.

Switching to natural sweeteners is about more than just “less sugar” — it’s about choosing foods with integrity, fewer hidden additives, and better steady energy for the whole family. When we make these small swaps, we’re helping stabilize our blood sugar, reduce energy crashes, and train our tastebuds to find satisfaction in less-processed sweetness.

Real-Life Check-In

Take a moment today and ask yourself:

What did I eat yesterday that was surprisingly sweet?
Did I reach for sugar out of habit or boredom?
How did I feel after that sweet choice — energetic, crashed, or somewhere in between?

Recognizing patterns gives you the power to make smarter choices. For example: if you always add white sugar to your tea or coffee, that’s a habit you can change this week.

Small Swap Wins You Can Do Now

Here are four quick and doable swaps you can implement today or tomorrow:

Instead of white sugar in your tea or coffee, try a teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup.
When baking this weekend, reduce the sugar called for by ¼ and use unsweetened applesauce or coconut sugar in its place.
For breakfast, drizzle maple syrup over oatmeal or pancakes instead of syrup loaded with high-fructose corn syrup.
Keep some raisins, dates, or fresh berries on hand — naturally sweet, with fiber and whole-food goodness.

In fact, on the Juggling Real Food site I referenced how using pure maple syrup instead of packaged sweetened breakfast bowls helped ditch unwanted “food-science” ingredients.

Encouragement When It Feels Hard

I get it — this is a busy season of life. Maybe you’re short on time, short on energy, or just want to give your family what they know and love. That’s totally okay. Here are some reminders:

Progress, not perfection. If you swapped sugar one meal this week, that’s a win.
Tastebuds adjust in time. That overly sweet cereal or sauce may feel “normal” now, but your taste is changing. Give it two-three weeks and you’ll notice how intensely sweet things used to be.
Celebrate the small wins. Did you choose honey in your tea for an entire day? High five!
Fall forward. If you slip into a sugary snack, note it, dust yourself off, and move on. The habit is built in the many small choices you make — not the ones you miss.

What to Celebrate (and Share!)

By this mid-week point you might already have a few “aha” moments:

A baked good tasted great with coconut sugar instead of white.
You noticed you weren’t craving sugar after breakfast as much.
Your child asked, “Why does this taste less sweet?” and you felt proud of your change.

Share it! Comment on this post, tag me over on Instagram, or post your swap on Facebook with the hashtag #RealFoodChallenge. Your story encourages someone else who’s waiting for permission to start.