Discover Real Food

Discover real food. Julia Child once said, "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces- just good food from fresh ingredients." Discovering real food is not only a healthy alternative, it can be an adventure as well. First begin by checking out the ingredients of food in your pantry. It won't take you long to discover that there are many ingredients you have never heard of and cannot pronounce. Start looking for fewer ingredient foods at your local grocery store. Compare one item with another and before long this will become second nature to you. Try to do the majority of your shopping around the perimeters of the store. Discover new foods in the produce department that you have never tried. A quick check on the internet will help you discover new ways to prepare these foods. Adding some fresh ingredients to old standby recipes will make all the difference in flavor. You may be surprised as to how well you feel when you start eliminating some of these processed foods and replace them with real food.

Challenge: Find a time to check out a grocery store known for its healthy food choices. Consider this a field trip of sorts. In your Discovery Journal write down the names of foods you find that sound like something you might like to try. Choose one item, and when you return home look for a new recipe using that ingredient. You may want to choose one new item each month to try at home.