This is my first year doing the Real Food Challenge and feel that an introduction is necessary. I am a mother to a 3 year old boy who is extremely picky. I soon realized, that since I could not make him eat everything, I wanted what did get into him the best he could eat. That sent me on quite the google search for how to deal with a picky eater. By then, I realized that not only were his eating habits bad but so were mine. So then I started searching for what really is good for you. That is when I stumbled on the site Not Dabbling in Normal where the Real Food Challenge was taking place last year. In my reading of the blog I heard of a documentary called Food Inc. and went out to immediately watch it. You know the saying ignorance is bliss, well that applies to the food we eat. Before watching that movie eating was easy, I would run to the store buy what looks good and eat it. But, now only about 25% of what is in that store I will buy and I only have one restaurant near me that serves organic meat and most of the food is made from scratch. To be honest it is a lot more work.  But I do feel good knowing that I am feeding my son food that is good for him.

My son was not my only motivator, my personal body was too. I have been struggling with no energy for a few years now and am just getting tired of it. Waking up tired and then having to take care of an active little boy is really hard. Last week,  after learning what sugar can do to you, I decided to cut it out of my diet but still use natural sweeteners like honey and pure maple syrup. But since I don’t actively use them in my diet right now, I went through severe sugar withdrawals. So when I read that the Real Food Challenge was taking place again this March, I thought what a perfect time to really learn and use natural sugars. Also, another goal for the month will be to buy all organic and local meat. Even though I have been trying to do that there are times when I am too lazy to drive to the town 30 min. away to find that kind of meat and end up just buying the normal, bad for you stuff, at the store. But no more!

I would like to share the start of the sugar goal, going through the house and dumping items that had any kind of refined sugar in them.

Pancake syrup.

Down the drain!

I can’t believe I had this lurking in the back of my cupboard. I feel so ashamed

Bye, Bye!

Items to give away.

Is it wrong to donate something bad for you to others?

Next week I will share what I have learned about sugar.