real food

17 Summer Salad Recipes for a Healthy Family Meal Plan

I love eating salads. They feel so healthy and rejuvenating.

I don’t always like making salads. All of that chopping and slicing.

But I know that to have healthy meals for my family, I need to add salads to our weekly meal plans.

So today, I searched the internet (who are we kidding, Pinterest) to find the best summer salads that my family will love.

These are not all keto friendly, but look super yummy and healthy for the family.

17 Summer Salad Recipes for a Healthy Family Meal Plan

Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Salad @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing @ Just A Taste

Kale Salad with Blueberries and Quinoa @ Sunkissed Kitchen

Grilled Watermelon, Feta and Basil Salad @ Cucina de Yung

Mexican Kale Salad @ iFoodReal

Crunchy Detox Salad @ The Harvest Kitchen

Cowboy Pasta Salad @ Belly Full

Balsamic Chicken Salad with Avocado and Blackberry @ Well Plated

Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Salad @ Cooking Classy

Buffalo Chicken Taco Salad @ Peas and Crayons

Broccoli Salad @ Sugar Spun Run

Asparagus, Tomato and Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette @ Cooking Classy

Cobb Egg Salad @ Lemon Tree Dwelling

Big Mac Salad: Cheeseburger Salad Recipe @ Wholesome Yum

Fresh Tuna Salad Recipe @ Nancy Ferrer

Taco Chicken Salad @ Paleo Bailey

Salmon Chopped Salad Recipe @ Primavera Kitchen

Don’t these summer salad recipes look amazing? I am so excited to try some of these out on my family this summer.

Making healthy food for my family can sometimes be a struggle. I have two picky eaters and they prefer meat over salad anyday.

But I keep trying and you should too! I hope these healthy summer salad recipes help give you some new ideas to feed your family this summer!

What recipe do you want to try first? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

100 Days of Real Food Challenge – Fail

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

You know how you get when you start something new. You get pumped up and motivated. Nothing is going to stop me this time!

This is how I was about my 100 days of real food challenge. I really believed that I could change my health and life by eating a 100% real food diet.

I still believe that, but I’m not there yet.

You can read here about my first 30 days. It was awesome!

I was motivated and feeling good.

Then life got in the way.

So what happened? Why did I quit the challenge early? Well, let me tell you . . .

Why did my 100 days of real food challenge fail?

Too much traveling-We had family trips, swim meets, a funeral and more this summer. Lots of traveling makes it very hard to eat healthy. We did take snacks and water in the car, but we ate most of our meals out. Now, you can eat out and eat real food, but we didn’t.
Drama at home-I have 3 teenagers at home and things got a little rocky this summer. Without divulging too much private information, let’s just say they were making more bad decisions than I could handle. It was overwhelming. I got really frustrated and it was just easier to turn to my old habits than to try to make new recipes or even eat on a good schedule.
Lack of motivation -As awesome as my June was, July and August have just been low in motivation. We had a great summer, but it was hectic and sporadic. My motivation to eat real food was railroaded by my emotional tie to food. After all, I don’t drink, smoke or do drugs. So when I need a pick me up, food is my go to. I know this about myself and I haven’t figured out how to change it yet.

What I’m going to do about it now:

Do the best I can now-So, do I give up totally on real food and eat Twinkies and Red Bull all day. NO! I hope to eat atleast 70% real food daily, and work my way back up again over time.
Do another challenge next year-I am planning to do the challenge again in January (the best time to start something new, right?). Hopefully I will have my motivation back after the holidays and I can be more successful.
Keep trying-Habits are made day by day. If you have a bad day, pick yourself up and try again the next day. Consistency is the key.

Now I know some of you will be disappointed in me, that I didn’t finish the challenge. I know some of you eat real food 100% every day already and are wondering what the big deal is.

I wanted to share with you this fail so that you realize that when you fail at something, it isn’t the end of the world. You evaluate what happened and learn from it. If it is something you want to try again, then do it.

[clickToTweet tweet=”When you fail at something, it isn’t the end of the world. Get backup and try again. #realfood” quote=”When you fail at something, it isn’t the end of the world. Get backup and try again. #realfood”]

I believe that eating real food for most of your meals is the way to go. It is healthier and will help you avoid serious health problems in the future. I believe that all of the chemicals we are digesting through our processed food system are making us sick. Also, I wish it wasn’t so hard to totally turn away from the bad stuff and only eat real food. I want to get there eventually. And I want you to get there too.

Do you have any tips for me to do better at eating real food? Please let me know in the comments below. Thanks!

Farmers Market Tips for a Productive Shopping Experience

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

I love going to our local farmers market on Saturday mornings. There is just something so fun and fresh and healthy about that place.

Our farmers market is on the main street of our little town. There are booths full of fresh fruits and vegetables, grass fed meat, fresh eggs and milk herd share signups. There are also booths with wood crafts, pottery, photography and other handmade goods. You can buy bread, baked goods and fresh honey. Usually there is a musician playing live music in the background. It is a lively place that centers around local, healthy food and goods.

For someone that is coming for the first time, all of this activity can be a little overwhelming. Where do I start first?

This is the reason I created this blog post. I want to give farmers market shoppers a guide to help them make the most out of their visit.

What do I take to the Farmers Market?

Cash-There may be places you can use a debit/credit card or write a check, but it is easier for everyone if you bring cash.
A Bag or Basket-You will need somewhere to put all of your new found treasures. There probably won’t be any shopping carts available.
A Happy Attitude-The farmers market is a fun, happy place and you will enjoy it more if you are in a good mood as well.
Patience-It may be busy at the booth you want to shop at. Either wait patiently or move on and come back later when there aren’t as many people.

Where do I start?

I would start by browsing past the booths one time before you get seriously shopping. You can see what is available throughout the booths so that you can see what kind of selection there is and where the best prices are.

How do I act?

When you go to the farmers market, you want to be interested in the farmers/tradesmen that are selling their products.

You can ask the farmer how he treats his garden or his animals. Does he follow organic practices? Does he let his chickens free range? He will be happy to tell you what you would like to know.

You can ask the tradesman about their craft and how long they have been in that trade. Most likely they will be happy to visit (if they aren’t too busy) and you can have a better understanding about the products you are buying.

Why should I go in the first place?

The farmers market is a wonderful place to buy local food and homemade products. It is worth taking the time to buy straight from the farmer or tradesman. You will feel closer to your community and the food you are feeding your family. You are also buying super fresh food that was probably picked the day before the sale. How is that for fresh!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Check out these tips and tricks to make your farmers market shopping experience productive.” quote=”Check out these tips and tricks to make your farmers market shopping experience productive.”]

Tips and tricks to make the experience joyful:

Come early-The best selection for produce, baked goods and handmade products will be in the morning when the market first opens.
Enjoy the Atmosphere-Take a minute to listen to the music or eat a baked good. Soak in the good vibes to remember for the rest of the week.
Haggle-Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices to get a better deal.
Stay late-Farmers don’t want to take their produce back home, so if you are there at closing time you might find really good deals on what’s left over.
Get to know the sellers-The market is a great place to meet like minded people and local farmers. When the SHTF, you will know how to feed your family and barter for supplies because you know how to contact your local farmers and tradesmen.
Tell your friends-Don’t keep this awesome experience to yourself! Tell your friends and family about all of the fun stuff you found at the farmers market. The more, the merrier.

How do I find a farmers market by me?

Check out this website to find a farmers market in your area: https://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

Visiting the farmers market is a great way to spend a summer morning. Just being around so many people that appreciate local, fresh food in a community atmosphere is uplifting. You can find some great deals on organic produce without paying organic prices.

What do you love about your farmers market? Please let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

10 Tips to Save Money on a Real Food Budget

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

I have been eating only real food for 2 weeks now. I know that isn’t long, but it is long enough to see the struggles of staying on budget with a real food diet.

In this post I talk about the struggles of eating whole foods on a budget. My budget for this month is $150 a week. This covers me, my husband and 3 teenage boys (they eat a lot).

I increased the budget from $125 a week when we decided to start the real food challenge. I thought that would be enough, but even that has been a challenge.

My Biggest Struggles So Far:

Meat: I am having a hard time finding good meat and affording it when I can find it.

Dairy: I found a local source of raw milk and I am loving it! But other dairy goods are very expensive in the organic variety.

Bread: My kids go through a lot of bread each day (toast, sandwiches, etc) and 100% whole wheat bread costs more.

Not buying unhealthy extras for the kids: My kids aren’t super thrilled with my new real food lifestyle. They are constantly asking me for junk food and fast food.

My Solutions:

Meat: I am looking for a local source to buy a full cow (or atleast half) for my beef needs. When you do it this way and fill your freezer all at once, it averages out to be cheaper than buying things separately. It does require more up front, but I am working on that.

Dairy: I plan on making many of my dairy products. This won’t all happen at once, but I can start with butter, mozzarella cheese and yogurt. That would help me save money on my budget!

Bread: I plan on making my own bread and bread products (buns, tortillas, etc) to cut down on bread costs. This will also be a learning curve, but I am ready!

Not buying unhealthy extras for the kids: I have told the kids that if they want junk food or fast food, they are going to have to pay for it out of their own pockets. Hopefully this will decrease how much they get and teach them how much all of that stuff costs as well.

Other Tips to Save Money:

Don’t waste food-Buy what your family will eat and eat what you buy.
Shop the sales-Take a look at the weekly sales circular from the store you are going to shop at and see what meals you can plan around what is on sale.
Batch cooking-Cook several meals with similar ingredients. That way you can take advantage of bulk pricing.
Use healthy fillers-beans, oats, rice can be used to fill tummies because they are cheap and easily available.
Barter-do you have something in your garden that you can trade for eggs or meat from a neighbor?
Garden & Livestock-eat lots of eggs (if you have laying hens), veggies from the garden, consider meat chickens to eat more real food on the homestead.
Eat less meat-Meat is usually the biggest part of our food budget (especially the good kind) so try to fit several vegetarian meals into your weekly plan to save money.
Keep track of prices and compare-Keep a notebook of how much things cost so that if you come across a sale you will know if it is a good deal or not.
Meal Planning-Come up with a list of your weekly meals ahead of time. This helps you use what you already have in the fridge and make a grocery list so you don’t overspend at the store. Here is the meal planning system I use for our family.
Buy a whole chicken instead of chicken breasts. Eat the meat and then use the bones for chicken broth.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Are you struggling to afford a real food diet? See 10 tips to help you stick to your budget.” quote=”Are you struggling to afford a real food diet? See 10 tips to help you stick to your budget.”]

Sources for helps with your real food budget:

Grocery Bootcamp by Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs

100 days of Real Food on a Budget by Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food

Real Food on a Real Budget by Ann of Keeper of the Home

Don’t let money get in the way of your real food journey. Use these tips to streamline your budget and keep trying to find new ways to stay on budget. Eating real food is worth the hassle of figuring it out in the beginning. I hope these tips help you save money on your real food journey.

Do you have any tips to save money on real food? Please let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

Getting Started with the 100 Days of Real Food Challenge

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

I have had kind of a hard month. I turned 40 this month, and I am not feeling the way I want to feel.

I have tried to eat healthy, but stresses lately have made me yo-yo from healthy to non-healthy foods back and forth with no consistency.

In the past, when I have consistently eaten only real food, I feel better. I have a better outlook on life and feel younger.

This has been weighing on my mind this birthday month, and I realized I need to eat better to feel better. So for my birthday, I was given an Amazon gift card which I used to buy these 2 books:

100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake

100 Days of Real Food: Fast and Fabulous by Lisa Leake

These (along with Lisa’s blog) got me motivated to start a 100 Days of Real Food Challenge this summer starting June 1, 2017!

Why now?

As I said, I turned 40 this month. That was a wake up call to me that I need to get my health back in shape.
Summer is the best time to find fresh food because of my garden and our local farmer’s market.
Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today! It is never too late to rededicate yourself to a healthy lifestyle.
Through my healthy habits series, I have started some of these rules, but not all of them. Now is the time to get serious!

What are my rules?

The rules above are set by Lisa on her 100 Days of Real Food Blog. I am going to be doing this challenge on $150 a week budget (which is more than we usually spend on food).

My big concern is meat. I intend to use local meat when possible, but I am going to have to concede to using grass fed, no nitrate/nitrite meat from the grocery store when needed.

Besides meat, all of the other rules are very doable. I plan on making my own bread and I hope to find a local source for RAW milk this summer as well.

What do I hope to accomplish?

I would like to lose weight.
I would like to decrease inflammation. I have plantar fasciitis in my heal and carpal tunnel in my arm that I hope to decrease these by eating real food.
I would like to change my taste buds so that fruits and vegetables taste better to me. I know this will happen when I cut down on sugar and artificial flavors.
I would like to have more energy.
I would like to feel overall more healthy. That is hard to quantify, but I know real food will help me get there.

I am actually very excited about this challenge. We have been eating a lot of junk food with the end of the school year. We have been so busy with school, baseball, gardening, scouts, etc that food has been pushed to the bottom of the list.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Click here to get started with the 100 days of real food challenge today! #100daysofrealfood” quote=”Click here to get started with the 100 days of real food challenge today! #100daysofrealfood”]

I want my home to be a island of real food in a sea of unhealthy and toxic food choices. I am making this 100 days of real food pledge for myself (all the time) and my family when they are home.

I have teenagers, so I do not pretend that I can control what they eat all of the time. But by having only real food choices at home, they should be healthy eaters most of the time.

Are you interested in the 100 days of real food challenge? Please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!

7 Ways to Keep Your Kids Happy Eating Real Food

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

I didn’t grow up knowing how to cook real food. I grew up in the land of casseroles, tv dinners and fast food. It was the 80s and 90s and people had moved away from elaborate home cooked meals to quick fixes. Life was just too busy for all of that stuff.

Fast forward 30 years and now I’m a mom. I’ve actually been a mom for awhile-I have teenage boys. Teenagers can eat a lot. Constantly.

You might be preparing a meal when they come home from school (or practice or hanging out with friends or wherever they have been).

They come in and grab a snack, while asking you what’s for dinner. A few minutes later, you serve dinner. They eat what’s on their plate and then get seconds. About an hour later, they are asking what there is to eat. They find a snack or another helping of dinner. Before bed, you find them rummaging in the pantry or refrigerator looking for more food.

How do you keep these kids full? Even worse, how do you keep them full with real food?

Today, I want to talk about feeding kids on a real food diet.

When I say diet, I don’t mean I am restricting calories or eliminating a food group. That is the “diet” we are used to. My teenagers are growing and active boys. They don’t need restriction, they need health.

But let’s face it, kids (teenagers in particular), don’t always like what is healthy for them. They want to eat Hot Cheetos (I can’t stand the smell of these!) and soda, not fruits and vegetables.

So how do we get them to eat more of what is good for them?

7 Ways to Keep Your Kids Happy Eating Real Food

Start at an early age- The earlier you start your kids eating real food, the easier it will be to continue it. I know of a family where the kids had never had any sugar until age 3. That amazes me, but it just goes to show that they don’t miss what they haven’t had.
Keep the pantry stocked- Kids (especially teenagers) are going to go looking for food. If your pantry is stocked with good food, they will have more opportunity to make a healthy choice.
Let them help make the meal- Kids love to help in the kitchen. If they have a voice in what is being prepared or a hand in the preparation, they are more likely to eat the meal before them.
Have them help in the garden- Gardening is very important part of kids learning where their food comes from. They are also more likely to try new things if they helped grow it themselves.
Make healthy alternatives to junk food- Making a healthier version of their favorite treat may make them wary at first, but if you get it right they won’t even miss the unhealthy version.
Don’t keep junk in the house- Your kids will get the opportunity to eat junk food at school or outside of the home. But, if you can keep the junk out of your home, they will get a healthy balance of both.
80/20 rule- This rule means you eat 80% healthy food and 20% of the rest. While it is hard to follow these percentages exactly, just know that you can’t be perfect all of the time. Don’t beat yourself up or get upset if your child comes home from grandma’s house with a sweet treat.

[clickToTweet tweet=”7 ways to keep kids happy eating real food and maybe your kids will choose healthy food too.” quote=”7 ways to keep kids happy eating real food and maybe your kids will choose healthy food too.”]

We all know that we should be feeding healthy, whole foods to our family. But actually getting them to eat it willingly may be a battle. Hopefully these tips will allow you to have less of a fight at meal time with your kids.

You are doing them a great service by teaching them while they are young what is healthy for them. The world isn’t going to teach them healthy habits. It is our job to teach them these things in the home. It is definitely worth the effort for your kids’ health and well being!

Do you have any tips or tricks to share about getting kids to eat (and like) real food? Please leave a comment below. Thanks!

real food

17 Summer Salad Recipes for a Healthy Family Meal Plan

17 Summer Salad Recipes for a Healthy Family Meal Plan

100 Days of Real Food Challenge – Fail