• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact

Whole Food Bellies logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Recipes
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Why Hello

    Whole Food Eating

    If I were to have just one eating rule it would be to just eat real food.

    I am not going to give a big spiel about what is and is not real food. Chances are we would disagree on lots of bits and pieces and if I were to try and address all the possibilities and exceptions I would end up with a pretty huge essay....and who wants to read an essay?  ( truth be told I would totally want to read that essay but we will leave that for another day).

    In its simple form real food is:

    • Fruit and Vegetables: Food which only has one ingredient
    • Dairy: be sure to check the labels and only buy whole and plain versions. This is especially in relation to yogurt as otherwise you are opening yourself up to lots of colours and sugars. I would avoid anything marketed to kids in this section as they really pump the sugar into those things
    • Meat: It may be more expensive but opt for local, grass fed and humanely raised where possible (if you need convincing then watch Food Inc). For us we were able to get around the cost issue by reducing our intake of meat
    • Seafood: Wild caught and sustainable. A lot of places will have this information on the label in the deli - if theres no information available then chances are its not worth buying
    • Dried fruit, seeds and nuts: again look at the labels to make sure no sugar has been added
    • Sweeteners: use natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. Try to avoid refined or artificial sweeteners. There are plenty of alternatives out there that taste just as delicious without being horrible to your body
    • Grains: Opt for 100% whole grains (i.e. no white bread or white rice) - it may take a little getting used to but once you make the plunge you won't be able to go back as the whole grain versions just add a whole new depth of flavour
    • If you do buy packaged foods (and hey it's going to happen occasionally) look for something with less than 5 ingredients. You should know what all those ingredients are, and be able to pronounce them, if not then try to move on

    Of course there are lots of other things to consider but like I said don't want to write an essay (I really  do want to write the essay, and I probably will, but for the moment I am refraining).

    Personally I find that the easiest way to go about eating real food is to shop at the local Farmers Markets. This way you will likely be getting produce that has been grown and produced locally. There’s a higher chance it will be organic or at least grown using organic methods (pretty much the same but without the farmer having to go through the expensive process of becoming certified organic). There is less chance of getting factory farmed meat, chicken and eggs which is better for everyone involved. Plus, depending on the market, it can also end up being a hell of a lot cheaper than the supermarket!! We get everything we can from here and just a few bits and pieces from the shops.

    In terms of Eating Out….this depends on how strict you want to be. I am not strict (well not really). We are good about 80-85% of the time. During the week we try to make sure everything we eat is homemade using the above rules. On the weekends we get to cheat - we usually eat out once or twice, sometimes go for ice cream and sometimes get treats from a local bakery. But in all honesty we tend to make good choices on our treat days now as well. We don't have fast food but will choose restaurants which use quality ingredients. The number of treats we buy have seriously declined over the last couple of months as the craving for sugar and naughty foods becomes less powerful as we continue our whole food journey (seriously when we first moved to the US I was well on my way to becoming the donut queen and now I cant remember the last time I had one).

    However, even if you just change one thing in your diet to real food, know that you are doing something amazing for your own health and the health of the environment!

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

    I am so glad you are here!

    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

    Forget about hunting down weird ingredients and making trips to specialty shops.

    We are going to make the most of what is available at the store and farmer's markets all whilst enjoying some delicious meals the whole family (hopefully...if you have fussy eaters I guarantee nothing) will enjoy.

    Pop on that apron and let's get creative in the kitchen!

    More about me →

    New Recipes

    • Healthier Banana Date Salted Caramel Smoothie
    • 15 Savory Chia Seed Recipes (no puddings!)
    • Cooked Teriyaki Salmon and Rice Poke Bowl (Air Fryer)
    • Salmon Avocado BLT Salad With Herbed Ranch Dressing

    Summer Salads

    • Zesty Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad
    • Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette
    • Lightened Up Creamy Pasta Salad
    • Summer Stone Fruit and Spinach Strawberry Pecan Salad

    Snacks

    • Banana Blueberry Pancake Protein Smoothie Recipe
    • Ombre Banana Raspberry Smoothie Recipe
    • The Creamiest Banana Cinnamon Roll Smoothie Recipe
    • Hydrating Pineapple and Grapefruit Smoothie

    Sweet Snacks

    • Almond Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
    • Candied Matcha Nuts
    • 5 Ingredient Coconut Matcha Energy Balls
    • No-Churn 4 Ingredient Strawberry Sherbet

    Savory Snacks

    • 5 Ingredient Cheddar and Riced Broccoli Fritters
    • Creamy Lemon Beet Hummus Recipe
    • How To Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Roasted Za'atar Chickpeas in The Air Fryer

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    Copyright © 2022 Whole Food Bellies