Real Food Confessions: Debra from Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes & Danielle from More Than Four Walls

For today’s Real Food Confessions, we have two lovely ladies!  One is a former contributor here, and one is a current contributor.  Read what Debra of Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes and Danielle of More Than Four Walls have to say!

Debra of Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes

How “into” real food are you?

It’s hard to really say. My friends and family think I’m super into it, but I do not especially when  read all the real food blogs. We try to eat fairly healthy. Cook mostly from scratch and buy things such as meat and dairy from farms, grains non-gmo, and some produce organic. We have a budget though and food is not my highest priority, by far. As a homemaker taking care of my family is, sometimes that is very entwined with food and sometimes spending the time and money to cook real food is the opposite of what I need to do.

Both my husband and I are passionate about real food, but I have no qualms with occasionally ordering pizza and getting an Arby’s sandwhich.  I’d say we eat real food 80% of the time, but there are stretches, such as during our recent move, that I feel it is better to not worry about it.

What is one food you just can’t make yourself?

Healthy and yummy pie crusts. Yogurt and bread are next on the list.

How much of what your family eats is *really* homemade?

Quite a bit. Right now almost all of it because of an elimination diet. But it depends on the season in our life. I have gone as high as about 95% and very little during moves and times of high stress. In the recent past we ate out/ordered in about twice a week, but that’s not really in our budget right now.

What is one junk food or processed food your family still eats?

Pizza. Can’t seem to get it right at home, so I won’t put forth the effort.

What is the worst thing your family’s eaten in the last few months?  Why? 

Probably pizza. Wow I’m boring. More recently food from W3 because we can have it on our elimination diet. Nothing healthy about it, but we can eat it.

What’s one area where you won’t compromise, no matter what?  Why? 

Nowhere. I will eat anything put in front of me by a host, and will probably at some point buy most things I try to avoid for one reason or another. A possible exception would be things we discover we are allergic to during this diet. But, I’m not deathly allergic to something, so if I was starving of course I’d eat it. Quite often when I say I will never do something I find myself doing it shortly afterwards for sanity, budget, or another reason. I think God is trying to teach me humility!

What’s your best tip for eating real food in the real world?

Relationships are more important then food. I do think eating healthily is important, but am fine with eating anything I’m not allergic to on occasion. Do what you can, work hard, but remember priorities is always people, not food. There are seasons in life. Don’t beat yourself up when you do compromise. Pray about what you feel like God should have your priorities be during that season.

Debra is first and foremost a daughter of the King of kings. She and her husband live in Wichita, KS where they raise their two kids, a fantastic toddler boy and precious baby girl. Debra is a full time homemaker whose ministry begins with her family. She spends her days being a helpmeet to her husband, loving on, teaching and nursing her two kiddos, cooking healthy food, learning how to use a crock pot, keeping home, crafting, and then chronicling the ensuing excitement on her blog Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes. You can also find her on facebook, where she shares quick tips, awesome links, and funny sneak peaks into her day.

Danielle @ More Than Four Walls

How “into” real food are you?  (how long have you been doing it, how many different foods do you make from scratch, etc.)

I’ve been studying real food since January 2010 when I found out I was pregnant.  I had heard of a different way to eat and prepare foods but the Lord really spoke to me when I got pregnant.  The food we put into our bodies effects so much and of course being pregnant the totally helpless child growing inside you needs the best possible nourishment they can get.

I try to make all of our meals from scratch.  By scratch I mean no “boxed” foods.  I don’t make my own pastas (yet) but I’ve found that homemade “Hamburger Helper” is so much better than the box and doesn’t take any more time to make.  Even working full time I still commit to making food that is healthier than boxed mixes.  The same goes with making yogurt and homemade pudding.  Yogurt takes so little active time it’s a no brainer and pudding I make while I’m making lunch or dinner since I’m already at the stove.   My favorite homemade item is definitely homemade sour dough English muffins.  They are the best!  I make a batch on Friday night or Saturday morning to get me thought the week.

What is one food you just can’t make yourself? (even if you’ve tried a lot…!)

Bread.  Besides the English muffins the art of bread making has alluded me.  I can get a recipe right one time an then it will flop thereafter.  A friend gave me a roll recipe, I tried them and they were awesome….that was probably 6 months ago and I can’t get them to turn out to save my soul.  We grind our own flour and use a combination of that and organic white spelt and I always feel bad wasting it when I’ve used 5 cups and all I end up with a massive lump of baked something that is suitable for beating away burglars.

How much of what your family eats is *really* homemade? (vs. storebought, restaurants, etc.)

Our family eats about 75% homemade.  Since I’m back to the office full time now I find I eat out at restaurants more than I care to. It’s sometime necessity when we have a lunch meeting and it’s not acceptable to use the old “I’m not hungry” trick.  Also, I’m struggling with my job and some days leaving the office for an hour to go to Panera Bread is a welcome relief.  As a family we limit our restaurant visits to once per month (date night) though my husband will frequent a fast food restaurant while he’s out and about.  He isn’t so “on board” with this whole real food thing. He requests twinkie-like snacks for his lunches and white sugar for his coffee.  Of course the meals I make he eats and (mostly) enjoys but he is not about to give up the twinkie for a date bar.   I’m more cautious about what our son eats because I want him to have the best possible food in his little body.  His grandmother, who watches him while I work, gives him some things I would not but I’m blessed to have him at home being kept than elsewhere so I have to let it go sometimes.

What is one junk food or processed food your family still eats?

For my husband it’s the twinkie-like treats and Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies.  For me, it’s Panera Bread.  The little guy, it’s the crackers his Gram brings him or the French Fries we have if we’re out with Daddy.

What is the worst thing your family’s eaten in the last few months?  Why?

Wendy’s.  During the Homeschool Convention.  I forgot to pack lunch, the lines and prices at the convention hall were crazy so we went across the street to Wendy’s.

What’s one area where you won’t compromise, no matter why?  Why?

Raw milk.  Milk can be the base for many foods and treats.  Raw milk is milk in the form God intended it to be in.  Whether its goat’s or cow’s milk, raw is the only way to go.  When God spoke of the Land of Milk and Honey I doubt the Israelites were dragging around pasteurization machines in the desert so they could pasteurize the milk when they got to the Promised Land.

What’s your best tip for eating real food in the real world?

The best advice I can give someone for navigating a real food journey is to stay balanced and stay focused.  Make a plan for your family.  What foods do you want to try first? What is the first thing you want to replace in your kitchen?

When we started drinking raw milk I felt good about making that first step.  Then I read an article that just any raw milk won’t do. It should be from pastured cows. Ok, I found a pastured cow source and we started getting our milk there.  Oh but wait! They shouldn’t be Holstein cows, no, no…they must be Jersey cows because Jersey cows have a better blood line, more Beta casein, more cream in the milk and they can dance a mean salsa in the fields.  I actually felt bad that I wasn’t buying Jersey cow milk.  But we must keep things in perspective.  Are you taking steps to head in the right direction?  Are you eating better than you did a year ago? Six months ago?  Don’t allow all of the good information you will find to overwhelm you.  For me, I prayed about what the Lord wanted me to start with and what he wants me to do next.  In doing this, the journey has been almost effortless and it has surely been low stress.

Danielle is wife, mom, blogger, homemaker and full-time employee.  There’s a bit of everything going on in her life right now! Until the Lord releases them from being a two-income family Danielle is learning to juggle her desire to be a fulltime homemaker with her reality of working full time.

What’s your biggest “struggle” with real food?