Is it just us, or do you feel like you have something bottled up and ready to burst out in 2021?!

After the year we have just experienced, we feel like 2021 is the time for something significant to happen, right?!

We all know that 2020 has been challenging in SO MANY ways.  It is probably the strangest year any of us have ever lived through.  For many, this year can be summed up as “let’s just survive, and then things will get better.”

Fortunately, we were able to adapt and stay engaged with the Eat REAL America community through our coaching tips and meal ideas, virtual cooking livestreams, a new self-paced online video program, a series of “From the Farm to Your Fork” videos and much more!  Plus, we (Krista) still had the opportunity for some in-person engagements including a series of cooking demos at our local Kansas Grown farmers’ market!

The feedback we received this year has thrilled us and, quite honestly, has often brought us to tears.

We are truly humbled that so many people have literally transformed their lives by discovering that eating healthfully and deliciously really is as easy as “keeping it simple and eating REAL FOOD!”

Remember Beverly and Ken, whose story we shared back in June?  Bev sent an e-mail this past week that left us completely overjoyed…as they continue to experience amazing results, Ken’s specialist recently told him his numbers are perfect and said, “whatever you are doing, keep it up!”

Another member recently shared that she had her best cholesterol numbers she has had in years, which she said is particularly remarkable because a knee injury has kept her from exercising for several months.

We can’t even begin tell you how much it warmed our hearts to hear that one of our cooking presentations was someone’s “best day during COVID!”

We are over-the-moon ecstatic about these stories and are blessed to do what we love each and every day.  And, we plan to continue to provide inspiration and motivation until we can’t anymore (which we don’t expect to happen for a very long time)!

Just like many of you, we have been giving a lot of thought to what “our thing” should be in 2021.

We have had discussions about pursuing an all-out effort to transform the culinary curriculum in our schools.

A recent social media post got us fired up on this — it was about how our local high school FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) class was learning how to make these Play Dough Cookies.  The ingredients?

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¾ – 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 colors of paste/gel food coloring
• GLAZE- 1 c powdered sugar, 2 Tbl. Milk, 1 tsp. vanilla

Really?!  These are the life skills we are teaching our kids?!  We could (sort of) understand if this was just a one-time, fun thing to do with the kids, but unfortunately these classes are loaded with lessons that teach our kids how to make all kinds of “meals” with ultra-processed foods (everything from biscuits to cinnamon rolls to hash brown casserole to pigs in a blanket and more).

Just imagine if we could teach our kids all about REAL food!  Where food comes from, how it is processed, how to prepare REAL food in a way that is delicious (including how to roast veggies!), how to read ingredients labels…giving them the knowledge and confidence that can set them up for good health and vitality for the rest of their lives!  Heck, this same curriculum could be life-transforming for many adults.

Should pursuing an effort to transform our schools’ culinary curriculum be “our thing” in 2021?

Another opportunity we have been discussing recently came to a head when we heard a small group talking about how eating healthy is just too expensive (as they filled their carts with frozen pizzas and sodas).  What if people felt like they had more – or better – resources targeted at how to enjoy REAL food on a limited budget?

Should “our thing” in 2021 be finding a way to help people see that eating healthfully really doesn’t have to be more expensive – and give them the resources they need to make it a reality?

We also recently had someone tell us, “if I could come spend a weekend with you and learn how to plan, shop and prepare meals, I feel like I could make the change I know I need to.”  We have heard this theme from many people over the past 12 months.

Should “our thing” in 2021 be developing a 2-day immersion program where people can learn and experience how to live a REAL food lifestyle (and, of course, have a lot of fun in the process)?

There are just SO MANY opportunities we could focus our time and attention on!  Yet, we know that focusing on too many things means we won’t make meaningful progress on any of them.  We are continuing to work on narrowing our focus on how we can have the most significant impact in 2021 and, of course, we would love your input!  You can leave your thoughts in the comments (or contact Krista at krista@eatrealamerica.com or even call me at 316-655-6903).

If you have the same feeling…like something needs to burst out in 2021, don’t ignore it!  A sense of unease is the first step to accomplishing something meaningful!

Yes, wanting to do something significant can be scary, but the journey is so worth it!  And, isn’t that how we all fully utilize those gifts and passions with which we have been entrusted?!