MADE WITH LOVE

SO, what started off as a joke to my husband and I when we started on our real food journey - has now become a philosophy. When we go through our food planning, we obviously aim for gold, but in reality we can't always achieve that. Maybe one day I will have enough time or experience or access to a good food supply 24/7, but until then, we make compromises. And we call it: the MADE WITH LOVE standard.

For example, when it comes to animal-based foods, we prefer 100% grass fed cows and happy, free-to-roam-and-eat-bugs chickens, but these aren't always available or affordable. While we are not at this time willing to eat CAFO-raised industrial animal products, we will sometimes dine at places that source animals that haven't been given antibiotics or hormones. And perhaps the chickens aren't pastured all day but they have been given organic feed and not crammed into tiny cages. So in other words, at some level, it was "made with love".

Fruits and vegetables are actually the most difficult thing to find at restaurants. Many restaurants say they try to source local, organic as much as possible - but what does this mean? Usually, it means a couple sides may have organic ingredients. You have to rely on the word of the owner, unless the farms are listed on the menu - a good indication that they have quality food suppliers, but not proof positive. However, while we avoid chain restaurants like the plague (I'm talking Chili's - no Chipotle), a local restaurant that prepares fresh food from scratch is a great alternative.

Or maybe I'm just too tired to cook from scratch at home, or just seriously in need of something different. Well, that's why we have canned salsa, raw kale chips, Food for Life tortillas and bread, and snack bars. They aren't the best, but are arguably better than fast food or macaroni and cheese. There is no way splurging on walnuts and almonds and dates is comparable to eating a big mac.

Although I try my best to keep my household supplied with unprocessed, whole fruits and veggies and spoiled livestock, I'm not perfect. But knowing that there are good options for those times and what those are, where to get them, or keeping a stash stocked in the house can help you stick to your diet without starving. As long as it's made with love, it's ok by us.



What do you consider to be made with love?