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Have you seen the new version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans? If not, here is a link – you can find them at the new website realfood.gov. The second sentence in the document? “The message is simple: eat real food.” While the guidelines certainly aren’t perfect, can we just pause for a moment and […]
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 […]
Do you remember our coaching tip last December about the highly anticipated update to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines? If not, we encourage you to check it out here! Federal law requires the guidelines to be updated every 5 years, and since the last update was in 2020, the new guidelines were to be finalized in […]
I have said this at least 50 times in the past few days… I am in total awe of the beauty that surrounds us in our new home. The rolling hills, the fall colors, the peaceful mornings – it’s absolutely breathtaking. And the Farmers’ Market of the Ozarks does not disappoint! We found a wide […]
Have you ever been glamping? It’s basically camping without sacrificing the comforts like cozy beds, electricity, running water, and your own bathroom. If you’ve ever been in between homes, you know the feeling: living out of bags and boxes, bouncing between places – but still grateful for the modern comforts. And with just a little […]
This week was a beautiful reminder that REAL food isn’t just about what’s on your plate… it’s about connection, community, and celebrating life’s meaningful moments! We kicked things off with our weekly trip to the farmers’ market, followed by a heartfelt going-away party surrounded by amazing friends! They called it the Border Hop Bash – […]
Do you ever feel like there’s just too much going on to keep your REAL food routine alive? If you do – we want to help you kick that thought to the curb! With a little planning and determination, you can still enjoy delicious, nourishing meals, even in the middle of life’s chaos! In this […]
Did you read our coaching last week on butternut squash? Did it inspire you to pick one up at the store or the farmers’ market? The season for winter squash is just beginning, so you will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy them over the next few months. While some seasons are just starting, others […]
Did you think our life might slow down after the wedding? Not quite! If you’ve been following along, you know the past few weeks have been full of joy – our son’s engagement, our daughter’s wedding – and now we have even more news to share! Yes, in the midst of it all, we have […]
Our daughter got married! On September 6th, we celebrated her wedding in the mountains of Colorado. It was a small wedding with 15 close family members and friends and the ceremony was beautiful and the whole weekend was a blessing! And yes, we took on the challenge of coordinating the food! Planning a wedding is […]
Welcome to September! I don’t know about you, but we are loving these unexpectedly cool temperatures. Last week, we even enjoyed a few days in the lower 70s, a rare treat at the end of August. As you will see in this week’s recap video, we made a quick trip to Springfield, MO. And our […]
Did you catch our YouTube video on Hatch chilies this week? Last Thursday, we stopped by a local garden center and came home with half a bushel of EXTRA HOT Hatch chile peppers. And we have already enjoyed them in some absolutely DELICIOUS meals including the Hatch Chile Burgers, Hatch Chile Southwest Quinoa, Roasted Hatch […]
Did you catch our weekly recap video last week? If so, you heard me hint at an EXCITING secret…and this week, we finally get to share it with you! (More on that in the video below!) Coaching Tip of the Week Have you noticed yourself craving watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, zucchini, cucumbers, or greens lately? That’s […]
Are you ready for something new?! For the next few weeks, we’re shaking up our Tuesday Coaching Tips – we are swapping our written posts for short, behind-the-scenes videos! We are providing a glimpse into how we make REAL food work in the middle of real life – and we would love to hear […]
Fireworks, enjoying time with family and friends, soaking up the sun at the pool, or relaxing on the lake! If you’re like us, you are probably looking forward to celebrating all things summer – and especially celebrating our upcoming patriotic holiday with family and friends! Just in case you’re inspired to make this red, white and blue […]
Do you wonder whether you should be eating more organic foods? Are you confused about what “organic” really means? This past week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released its most recent Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists, so this is a perfect time to revisit this topic. And let’s face it – there is no […]
Is your New Year’s celebration already underway? Are you indulging one more time before your New Year’s resolution kicks in when you wake up in the morning? Yes, tomorrow will be the start of new routines for millions of people all across the country. That also means all kinds of new diets. And deprivation. It […]
When you go to the store, what percentage of the food you buy is ultra-processed? Would it shock you if we told you this number is over 60% for the average American household? Are you at least a little shocked by this? After all, it is no secret these foods (much of which […]
Have you encountered AI yet? If you haven’t heard of it, we are talking about “artificial intelligence.” Even if you think it hasn’t affected your life, it probably has. I know I have run into it, and I expect it is about to become a bigger part of all of our lives over the […]
“I’m feeling sooooo much better, and that’s after just 2 weeks of eating REAL food!” “In less than a week, my digestive issues have calmed down and I’m feeling amazing!” We hear comments like this all the time! Is it true that you can experience noticeable changes in as little as one […]
We have all heard the advice,“to be healthy, you need to eat more fruits and vegetables.” But what EXACTLY does this mean? And, are there certain foods that are more important than others? In the past, we have featured a monthly “Superfood”, encouraging our members to enjoy that food in a variety of ways throughout […]
Do you know someone who eats the same foods over and over, each and every day? Some people may find comfort in this routine. Others would find themselves in the uncomfortable and frustrating situation of feeling “stuck in a rut.” A few years ago, we ran across someone who literally ate the same thing every […]
Are you confused about inflammation and how it affects your health? Is it good for you, or bad? If you are confused, rest assured you’re not alone. We want to help you understand what it is and how it might be affecting your health, or the health of your loved ones. People sometimes […]
Have you taken the time to step back and look around at the grocery store recently? A couple of times each year, we visit the store specifically focused on checking out the newest products and the latest trends. We did our most recent visit last week and, once again, we kept finding ourselves saying, “Really?! […]
Last year at this time, we provided 21 ideas to embrace a healthy REAL food lifestyle… this year, as New Year’s Day rapidly approaches, we want to help you be the inspiration! We all know the top New Year’s resolution always seems to be to “eat healthier” (right up there with exercising more), […]
Time flies when you’re having fun, right?! Believe it or not, we published our very first Eat REAL America weekly meal ideas and coaching tip 8 years ago, in October 2013. My husband and I were reminiscing about everything we have experienced and learned over the last 8 years and thought you might enjoy some […]
How can we help our kids not just survive, but thrive? A couple of weeks ago, a study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showing that 67% of calories consumed by U.S. youths are coming from ultra-processed foods. Yes, that is over two-thirds! Remember, ultra-processed foods include […]
We are surrounded by “food” in everything we do and every part of our lives! But, have you ever stopped to think about what “food” really is? Are all of the things we eat really “food?” The definition of FOOD is “a nutritious substance that maintains life and growth and nourishes, sustains, and […]
Have you noticed a resurgence in people talking about “Superfoods?” Google saw a huge spike in the interest of Superfoods last week. And, as we turned on the TV on Friday to catch up on the latest news, guess what was on? You got it, a segment on Superfoods! This probably isn’t surprising, as we […]
Sound, sight, touch, smell and taste… we all know the five senses. Which are the most important when it comes to food? Of course, smell…and especially taste! We frequently hear people say, “healthy food just doesn’t taste as good” or “vegetables are just so boring.” Why does this perception exist? One reason is someone […]
Do you feel like you need a chemistry degree to purchase a healthy and nutritious bread at the store? If you have recently evaluated the options in the bread aisle, it just may leave your head spinning! In Michael Pollan’s book “Food Rules,” he says “the whiter the bread, the sooner you’ll be […]
Are you a risk-taker? Now, we are NOT talking about bungee jumping or James Bond 007 stunts where your life’s in danger…just basic risk-taking. Whether we realize it or not, we all take risks every day. We also make decisions NOT to take certain risks. What is risk? Risk causes a lot of people […]
“I let go of the wheel and we fell off the wagon…” We recently had some close friends who had been successful on their REAL food journey tell us they got lazy and let go of the wheel. Because of this, some medical issues crept in and they are inspired to get back on track, […]
How many times have you heard someone say they are trying to eat healthier or following a specific “Diet”, and then they begin to list all the things they are no longer eating? Or, maybe you or someone you know has read an article or received advice that included phrases like… “Don’t eat…” “Limit…” “Avoid…” […]
We all know the nutritional and health benefits of REAL food… …but what if the benefits are much bigger than that? Perhaps there are also significant social and family benefits associated with a lifestyle based on REAL food. The good news is family meal time is increasing…but challenges still remain, especially with our many distractions. […]
Happy Fourth of July! Happy Birthday America! As we celebrate America, our freedom, and everything that goes with it, we thought this would also be the perfect day to celebrate the success of a few Eat REAL America members! Let’s start with Jan… Just last week, her world got a frightening reality check…her […]
ANNOUNCING… We have added a comments section to the coaching tips! Your thoughts and ideas are so important to our community and we want all of our members to benefit…so we encourage you to share your perspective on this one and other coaching tips! Let the conversations begin! We all know the nutritional and […]
What if we could save you several hours this week? Great news…we can! As you may know, the new dietary guidelines were released last week. While the intent is good, we are not sure how “actionable” they are. There is A LOT of information for people to digest (no pun intended)…not to mention, […]
When I first saw the trailer for the documentary “Fed Up,” which was just released on DVD in September 2014, I was intrigued. We recently had the chance to kick back and enjoy some family movie time (which doesn’t happen enough around here), and “Fed Up” was part of the line-up. If we weren’t already […]
Have you ever read something that got you so fired up you just can’t stop thinking about it? A couple of articles did just that to me this week and I wanted to share them with you. First, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released its 2014 Cancer Progress Report last week. The good […]
As part of Eat REAL America’s series featuring local chefs, farmers and others who are great resources for REAL food, we wanted to provide an opportunity to get to know a couple of amazing brothers (Jeff and Rob Schauf, owners of The Flying Stove food truck) a little better. MEET THE FLYING STOVE…WICHITA’S MOBILE CULINARY […]
Superfoods! Lake Superior State University creates an annual list of useless, overused, or misused words and “Superfoods” made #6 on the list for 2013! So, what exactly is a Superfood? The Wikipedia definition of a “Superfood” is: “a food that is considered to be beneficial to your health and may even help some medical conditions.” […]
There was a time when we remember always looking at the calorie content of food. Then we were told to also worry about the fat, and not just the fat, the saturated fat because that was the kind of fat that turned solid on our hips. Then there was trans fat, carbohydrates, blah, blah, blah. […]