Santa’s Message of Simplicity

Do you remember reading our coaching tip over the summer about our celebratory hike and picnic at Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio? 

It was one of those days that sticks with you – it wasn’t fancy…it was magically simple and everything just felt right.  The trails were beautiful, the food was incredible, and the people and conversations were even better.

It was a living example of what Dr. David Katz meant when he said, “healthy people have more fun.”  

In the coaching tip, I mentioned that people traveled from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Virginia to be there.  What I didn’t mention at the time is that we also had a participant all the way from the North Pole!

Yes, Santa himself said there was no way he was going to miss the most flavorful potluck ever!

Early one morning—before anyone else was awake—we managed to sneak in a quiet hike together and catch up on life.

Eat REAL America (ERA): Santa, we’re so glad you joined us this weekend.  How are things at the North Pole these days?

Santa: Ho, ho, ho!  As busy as ever.  The elves are very concerned about “efficiency” this year.  They’ve been asking if we should automate our toy production with AI.  They also suggested we start using it for our Naughty and Nice Lists.  They had big ideas – behavior-scoring algorithms, predictive analytics, elf-powered dashboards.  It turns out AI couldn’t tell the difference between “naughty” and “chronically overstimulated.”

So we went back to our old simple system:  observation, conversation, and paying attention to how people are actually living their lives.

I prefer to look at the basics:

• Are you kind?
• Do you try your best?
• Do you take responsibility when you mess up?

That’s it.  No one lands on the Naughty List for one bad day in the middle of April.  If that were the case, ho ho ho…we’d all be in trouble!

Santa paused for a moment, admiring the sun coming up through the trees.

Santa: Everything moves so fast these days.  I see people rushing, multitasking, staring at screens – even at mealtime.  No wonder people feel overwhelmed!

Back home at the North Pole, we have made all of our meals screen-free.  You can’t truly taste your food while doom-scrolling.  We decided to be the example.  Mealtime is for real conversations.  For laughter.  For actually being there.  No devices buzzing next to your plate.  You know…like the good old days.

What about choosing presents?  Has that changed?

Oh, the elves have their opinions for sure!  Some think we should cross-reference wish lists, optimize based on demographics, and analyze trending SKUs.  They say AI can tell me what children want before they even know what they want.  That feels…well, just wrong!

I have told the elves they’re making it too complicated.

For children, the best gifts spark curiosity or encourage movement, creativity, or imagination.  They should invite wonder, not replace it.

For adults, it’s simpler than we sometimes make it:

• What makes life easier?
• What adds joy, comfort or fulfillment?
• What helps them slow down instead of speed up?
• What adds years to their life – and life to their years?

You know what’s funny?  I used to get letters.  Actual hard copy letters.  Now I get emails, texts, and something called a “shared Google doc.”  I’m not anti-technology.  I just think we’ve forgotten how to live our best lives without constantly trying to optimize them.

I can’t help but think the same thing is happening with food and our health.

Ho, ho, ho!  You’re absolutely right.  Everyone is trying to optimize but they’re losing sight of the fundamentals.

Think about building a sleigh.  You don’t start by optimizing the aerodynamics, adding carbon fiber runners, or installing a supersonic fluorescent lighting system.  You start by making sure the sleigh is structurally solid, the cargo hold is big enough for all the presents, and the reindeer are fed.  If you skip the fundamentals, no amount of optimization will save you.

And I see people doing with health exactly what they do with everything else – tracking, timing, restricting, crazy hacking, overthinking.  Sleep isn’t sleep anymore.  It’s a protocol.  Light is all the rage – blue light, red light, no light.  Food isn’t food – it’s numbers, rules, and restriction.

With all of this, people are somehow more stressed, less healthy, and confused about what to eat for dinner.

We talk to a lot of people who feel overwhelmed about food.

I see that everywhere I go.  People are tired of being confused.  They’re tired of rules that seem to be constantly changing.

The good news?  I see more people asking better questions:

• Where did this food come from?
• Who made it?
• Does it actually nourish me?

That is a good sign – and those are the right questions.

I travel across every continent, visit many cultures, and one thing is clear:  the foods people have eaten for generations – vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains and quality meats – those are the foods that still work.  Ho, Ho, Ho!  I know I’m preaching to the choir here!

I see more people craving something simpler.  REAL meals.  REAL ingredients.  I don’t think people actually want an algorithm to tell them what to eat.  More and more, they’re relearning how to trust their natural hunger and cravings.

Just think about that meal we shared after the hike yesterday.  That wasn’t a “typical picnic.”   It was the most colorful and flavorful potluck I ever attended – and it was all made with REAL, simple ingredients.  Why can’t all of our meals be like that?

Oh, and that Fig and Black Rice Salad?  It is now on our regular menu back home.  And those Almond Molasses Cookies?  Those alone were worth the trip!

What do you think is in store for us in 2026?

I think more people will rediscover that cooking with REAL ingredients makes them feel better – physically and emotionally.  Of course, there will be some that will pretend this is brand new information.  They’ll give it a fancy name like “ancestral nourishment” and charge a lot of money to learn “the secret.”  

I wish more people would embrace your philosophy: “Keep it simple and EAT REAL!”

I don’t think the protein craze is going anywhere.  Protein-enhanced foods and drinks are still all over the wish lists this year.  We’ve even had requests for protein water.  Water doesn’t need protein.  I gently remind people to get their protein from REAL food – and just let water be water!

I also see cooking at home continuing to make a comeback.  There are lots of requests for things like mason jars, cast iron skillets, chef’s knives, microplane zesters – tools that help people make REAL meals.  For many, getting back into the kitchen feels uncomfortable at first.  That’s why what you’re doing matters so much.  Confidence grows with experience and practice – and joy and fulfillment follow.

Santa, what advice would you give someone who wants to eat healthier?

I would encourage them to do what we are doing at the North Pole in 2026.  We are making one new meal from your website every week.  By the end of the year, we’ll have made 52 new meals, enjoyed more variety, and expanded our comfort zones.  We will stop getting stuck in the rut of making the same things over and over again.  And we will find the next level of where the magic happens!

Santa, I love it!  What a fantastic idea!  And just think how their skills and knowledge and confidence in the kitchen will grow.  Making all these meals will become second nature.  Merry Christmas and thank you Santa!

Merry Christmas to the entire Eat REAL community!

As our hike wrapped up, I could smell the coffee brewing and knew everyone was waking up.  One thing was clear to me, Santa wasn’t worried about trends.  He wasn’t chasing insane hacks.  He wasn’t second-guessing the basics.  I think he would say you just need to get the fundamentals right – most of the time.

Eat REAL food.  Mostly plants.  Trust yourself and the rest will follow.

Merry Christmas!