With this whole Coronavirus thing and being in quarantine for days on end, we have been doing a lot of thinking...
and we have made a big decision.
We are taking a break from REAL food!
Yes, we are breaking up with REAL food.
There is such a sense of relief that comes with this decision.
Our lives are so short, we might as well live it up while we can. Now, we will be able to enjoy all the foods that are so conveniently all around us...doughnuts when Sunday church services resume, hot dogs and nachos at the ball fields, and ginormous fried onions and dipping sauces from some of our local restaurants!
Plus, have you seen some of the mouthwatering meals that are available for takeout right now?! We have seen pictures of amazing jalapeno bacon double cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, potato salads, mashed potatoes, fettucine alfredo, breadsticks, fries, shakes, cupcakes, fried pies, cinnamon rolls and so much more!
There are many other things we are looking forward to!
Our Saturday mornings will now be free since we won't need to go to the farmers' market. We may still drop by occasionally, but it will probably be to pick up a scrumptious cinnamon roll, and we don't have to worry about getting there at the crack of dawn to get the best produce.
Breakfast and snacks will be easier. We can throw a couple Pop-Tarts in the toaster or enjoy a bowl of some of those cereals that we haven't had in years. Plus, if we get hungry in the middle of the day, we can just grab some chips or cookies to tide us over until lunch or dinner.
There are so many good deals right now! At our local store right now, we can get 3 frozen pizzas for $11.00! Plus, we can get 8 frozen burritos or chimichangas for just $3.49! Pop those bad boys in the oven or microwave and we are good to go!
We won't have to spend as much time in the kitchen. What will we do with our extra time since we don't have to spend as much time preparing meals? Maybe more TV time?!
No more need to plan and think about what's for dinner. We can just see what we're in the mood for when 5:00 rolls around. Then, we can just throw something in the oven or microwave, or go out and grab something -- this is going to be so freeing!
Our stress levels will plummet. Let's face it, times are stressful right now. Being able to grab a bag of potato chips or a carton of ice cream will be a great way to wash that stress away!
Ok, we better stop in case some of you are starting to worry.
Just in case you haven't looked at your calendar today, it is March 31st, which means that tomorrow is APRIL FOOL'S DAY!
So, happy early April Fool's Day!
Did we have you going there for a minute?
Honestly, it was extremely difficult just to write some of those things! After discovering all the benefits and enjoyment that comes from REAL food, there is NO WAY we could ever give it up!
Even if we have a day or two where our REAL food options are limited (especially when we are traveling), we find ourselves getting irritated and our cravings go crazy for a REAL food meal!
And, just to make sure you knew we were kidding...here's how we really feel about some of the points above:
Yes, our lives are short, but the odds are in our favor for a much longer life - and higher quality of life - by enjoying REAL food. Just look at the people in the Blue Zones!- We are trying to support local restaurants who put love and care into their meals, especially those that use REAL and local ingredients. We are very sad for those who have had to temporarily (hopefully not permanently) close their restaurants.
- Foods like jalapeno cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, potato salad, mashed potatoes, breadsticks, fries, cupcakes and pies can absolutely be part of a REAL food lifestyle...we just think the taste and nutrition are so much better using REAL ingredients.
- We absolutely LOVE our trips to the farmers' market every Saturday! Our week feels empty without the freshly-harvested produce and we thrive on the opportunity to catch up with all of the amazing farmers and producers.
- Breakfast and snacks can be just as convenient - and way more delicious - with REAL food!
Enjoying REAL food doesn't have to be more expensive. With a stocked pantry, using in-season ingredients and a little planning, we would argue it can actually be cheaper to eat healthy, enjoying REAL food. (Check out the abundance of kale Zonya can grow in a garden...with help from her hubby Scott!)- Before our REAL food journey, we tried to minimize our time in the kitchen. Now, we enjoy spending time in the kitchen! We love preparing our meals and this is where some of our most important conversations take place.
- It really doesn't require much time to plans meals. It can actually be fun to try to come up with new and exciting ways to figure out how to use the in-season ingredients and to satisfy whatever your or your family's cravings may be.
- Comfort foods are a myth. While eating a bag of chips or a carton of ice cream may provide some short-term comfort, this can actually increase your stress levels further. Because after you've over-indulged, now you are even MORE worried about your weight, diet and health, which causes even more stress...UGH! What a vicious, never-ending cycle!
We are so sorry if we caused anyone any anxiety when you first read this!
Rest assured we LOVE REAL FOOD more than ever and we hope to continue to inspire and motivate others to do the same!
Especially with the current situation, this is the perfect time to savor and enjoy all the flavor and nutrients REAL food provides! Some may be really enjoying the increased cooking at home, some may be dreading it, but we would definitely encourage you to savor it!
A friend of ours recently commented that this quarantine has brought their family together again for dinnertime...after the 9th day of dinner together at home, their 11 year old daughter said, "this is kind of weird for us, but good!"
Are there any surprises or blessings have you discovered?
you got me!!!!! lol
Ha! Hope we didn’t make you think we were crazy for too long!
Oh my!!!!!
I was like no wow this can’t be true. I was thinking but, we have plenty of time. I was wondering is Zonya O K? Glad I read the rest HA HA.
Well you movetated me. I’m working at home for at least another month. I said this is a chance of a life time to focus on exercising and real food. no excuses or a lot less. I may need to switch some up with food limitation but I will give it my all and I know I’ll benefit from it. keeping a positive attitude. Who is with me? We got this!
You are so right! We can focus on all that is bad at this time, or focus on all that is actually better with this time at home on our hands. And there is still plenty of great produce! YES YES…I’m IN!!! Exercise and REAL FOOD…Let’s make April an Awesome Month!
When shopping for groceries, the healthy produce is usually available during the pandemic. That’s okay if the processed food is cleared off the shelf. With real food you have many options in creating your meal. With the down time, cooking is not rush and more enjoyable to create and serve.
So True Rita. Good for you for seeing what’s still good during this crazy time. We can do this.
Knew it! I said No way would you ever say game over! LOL! We need you now more than ever! After 30 years of outpatient nursing I have been reassigned to bedside nursing for the time being. My stress level is through the roof. At least I know when I get home from work my husband has a delicious Real Food dinner ready for me which also provides healthy leftovers for me take to work the next day. Thank you for keeping it going!
Thank you so very much Patty for serving on the front lines. And so glad you have that “keeper” of a husband! Glad we added some levity to your day!! Keep on keeping it REAL!
GREAT April Fool’s joke!! LOL! Love it. You had me worried for a second. Thanks for defending all the crazy statements you made – good reminders for me during this unprecedented time.
Thank you! Hope we didn’t make you panic too long! I read today that our friend Dr. Jennifer Jackson agreed, “REAL food is the key! It won’t completely prevent you from getting the virus, but REAL food sure will help you survive it!”
I thought you had completely lost your minds!😂
Real food is the best medicine for these restless times. Can hardly wait to start getting our favorite veggies from the local farmers market!!
I knew you would think that! HA! And, you are so correct — we cannot wait for those spring and summer veggies at the market! Thank you for letting us know we at least we got your attention!
You got me! I thought WHAATT? I was thinking, not us, we are still going to eat real 🤣
Love that you thought that! You both have become just like us, once you experience the amazingness of REAL food, you will never go back!
Just a few minutes before I clicked on this email link, I was thinking, “Oh, tomorrow’s April Fools Day and there won’t be any April Fools Day pranks; awwwww…” I started reading the article and realized there IS still something to joke about these days! Thanks for filling the void, ladies!
Thank you for sharing – we all do need more things to smile at right now for sure!
Hey Beverly Exercise Larsen! Great to see you here in the EatRealAmerica.com community! And you being quite the jokester…glad we almost got you! xxxoo!
Great joke! I was a little stressed reading that at first but in the back of my mind I knew it had to be a joke to make a point. I was not even thinking about it being April Fool’s Day! 🙂 I have told my husband as well as others that I was so happy that we started this in January and were well-established in the Real Food routine because we have little to no processed food or junk food in the house anymore and we no longer crave it anymore because it has been out of our system for so long. Otherwise, with the daily news and the uncertainty of everything, it would be so easy to fall prey to stress eating. I also feel that we are both so much healthier and have the good nutrients in our system so that our immune systems are so much stronger. I have lost over 30 pounds and my husband has lost over 10. We are just so pleased with this program and ourselves. We love the chocolate banana ice cream-it makes us feel less like we’re depriving ourselves! Thank you!
WOWZA! Thank you so much for your comments — we are so incredibly proud of both of you! You completely made our whole week – thank you for the inspiration and for sharing your successes! (And, sorry we made you panic just a little bit!) We completely agree, especially during this time, it is reassuring to know that REAL food can help us stay healthy! Thank you for joining us on this REAL food journey!
Priceless! I am thankful for REAL food during these times. I have loved having my daughter from college home and spending more time cooking and playing together. Badmitton has been our go-to exercise and Eat Real is my go-to menu for supper. Thanks Ladies!
DeAnna – Thank you so much for the feedback! We are so grateful for you! As difficult as it is, we are trying to savor this quality time with our families as well, including having our college student home too! Thank you again!