Food for My Family

...one plate at a time.

Real Food on a Real Budget: A Giveaway

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This past February at Blissdom I met Stephanie from Keeper of the Home, and I instantly realized that we had a few things in common, the least of which being we both strive to raise our families on a diet that consists of real food.

In Stephanie’s book Real Food on a Real Budget: How to Eat Healthy for Less she starts by taking a look at your family’s budget. She shares tips on meal planning and gardening, and she even takes a long look at how to make couponing work on a “real food” diet. She also covers the importance and reasons for eating seasonally and locally

For me, the information in this book solidified what I am trying to do with my own family. The tips that Stephanie shares are invaluable, and she gives several examples of how to make them work for you in whatever situation you may be in at the moment.

Stephanie is giving away a copy of her ebook to one lucky Food for My Family reader! The giveaway will run now until June 24th at 11:59 p.m., and everyone will have three possible ways to enter to win.

The Giveaway

1. Leave a comment. What keeps you and your family from eating real food?

2. Mention @FoodforMyFamily and @KeeperHome on Twitter in a tweet about the giveaway. Be sure to come back and leave a link to your tweet:

Enter to win a copy of Real Food on a Real Budget by @KeeperHome from @FoodforMyFamily: http://bit.ly/9TTo6w

3. Visit Keeper of the Home or Food for My Family on Facebook and let us know you “like” us. Come back and leave a comment so I know you did.


If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of Stephanie’s book, it’s currently on sale for $18.97 for the ebook version and only $21.97 for a paperback copy plus $3.99 shipping. This is definitely worth a read if you’re looking to improve the way your family eats in a real and concrete way.

***The winner is Tara (kryptonite72@…)! Thank you all for entering!***

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. We eat much better, with “real food” when I sit down and write out a weekly menu and then grocery list. I go through my coupons, especially from the Sunday paper and the grocery flyer in there, and then figure out what I can buy cheaply and can use for multiple meals. Last week there were BOGO cherry tomatoes, so I found two different recipes that used them up, along with the normal salads we eat.

  3. We do a fairly decent job of eating real food when we can all sit down together. It’s the food on the run that’s our downfall, especially for my teen daughter who has 4 jobs plus babysitting and housesitting for folks. She eats a lot of yogurt and toast with peanut butter when she only has a few minutes to grab something and I’m at work.

  4. “What keeps you and your family from eating real food?” If I fail to plan well, I end up resorting to convenience. I am getting better about it with practice, tho!

  5. I ‘liked’ you both on facebook! Thanks for pointing out Keeper of the home, it looks like a great resource!

  7. I find it best that when we’re eating real food, it’s much healthier for us, I use more local ingredients and try to save money. I also like the fact that my 3 year daughter loves to eat fruits and veggies and would prefer that over processed foods.

  10. We try to eat real food pretty much all the time. However, I can always use hints and tips on saving money trying to eat healthy. I in turn share these tips with my friends who don’t eat alot of ‘real foods’. Thanks for the giveaway!
    .-= Alissabeth´s last blog ..Savings Saturday – Body Wash Week =-.

  13. I just started getting a basket bimonthly from a local farm, and am loving it! But now I would love to know how to use the great fruits and veggies I’m getting. Plus, I’m always looking to find ways to save money.

  14. What keeps us from eating real food? A few reasons…money, time, and laziness.

    Money….we have a large family. It costs a ton to eat real food, especially in Europe. I try to buy as much of it as we can afford.

    Time…with a large family that has appointments, schooling and other committments, I sometimes find that I don’t have time to cook real food. I need to work on planning out my menus more.

    Laziness….sometimes it’s just easier to grab something and go. This is something I am also working on…providing fresh fruits and veggies…what could possibly be easier to grab on the run?

  15. I’ve tweeted on Twitter but since I am a new user over there, I cannot figure out how to share that link???? @kryptonite72

  17. I think for us sometimes it’s just easier to eat convenience food because of a time factor.

  18. what keeps us from eating healthy food? my lack of skill in the kitchen!! i think we do better on weeks when i have planned ahead but i so often have zero inspiration to plan our meals. i need all the help i can get…this book looks great!

  19. If I don’t plan the meals I’m going to make for the week, I sometimes get too busy and have to resort to something prepackaged or take-out food.

  20. Most of the time what keeps us from eating real food is simply not being prepared with food already in the house. We wait until we are actually famished to decide what to do about lunch or dinner. Then we resort to ordering carry-out.

  21. Did say I like you on facebook I am trying to plan meals on a budget that we need to stick with we eat out way to much!

  22. we eat real food about 95% of the time. we’ve found, over time, prepackaged food/most restaurant food either doesn’t appeal to us, or doesn’t make us feel good. The only thing that prevents us from eating real food are the days that i don’t have time to prepare a full meal —

  23. We do pretty well at eating real food 90% of the time, but if we don’t it is usually due to lack of planning on my part!

  24. The thing that keeps my family and I from eating real food is time….of course. I do pretty well with real food since the economy has not been in my favor but when commitments and responsibilities and just having a darn old bad day pile up on each other and catch me off guard I resort to convenience, which would be pre-packaged, frozen or take-out.

  26. 3 teenage boys and a husband who just doesn’t see things the same way keep us from doing a lot of this. Finances is another big issue, we have a small budget for food and buy what we can but it is not as much as I would like to do.

  29. Lack of time keeps us from eating real food at times. When you’re tired, it’s just so much easier (but not better) to stop at McDonalds. Also, I’ve become wary of pesticides but can’t always afford organic fruits/veges, even those on the “Dirty Dozen” list.

  30. Lack of time and energy keeps our family from eating “real” food. By the time I get home from work I have spend a total of 10 hours or more away from home and it’s much easier for me to ask “What would you like me to pick up tonight” then coming home and cooking a meal that would take over an hour. Besides the fact that I have no energy left from work and then picking our son up from the babysitter.

  34. I would like to eat more real foods, but need to manage my time and budget better to ensure we have fresh foods on hand. They don’t have a long shelf life, so it requires good planning and frequent shopping trips.

  36. For the most part, we do eat real food due to milk allergies and gluten intolerance. I don’t use very many fresh fruits and vegetables as I should. Where I am really bad at using pre-packaged foods is for breakfast, usually cold cereal. I just don’t take the time to cook a good, wholesome breakfast for the children.

  38. We really try to eat real foods. I’m trying to learn more about it (that’s what led me here!) and moving towards a more organic/natural lifestyle all around.

  41. Time really. I love eating Real Food but we are so busy during the week that many times it just easier to grab something fast. During the weekend though, I make an effort to make something much better for us.

  43. Both my husband and I work long hours, and sometimes it’s just more convenient to pick something up on the way home. I still haven’t figured out how to time manage! But I’d love to change my routine… when we DO have time to prepare our own food, we enjoy our meal so much more!

  44. I eat real food 90% of the time, but limited time with having a toddler, being pregnant, working full time…forces me to reach for convenience more often than I like. I don’t always get the time to plan out budget friendly menus for the week, based on sales and such. When I do, I feel like a rockstar 🙂 The book seems like an excellent read! Thanks for sharing!!

  45. For me, I have a hard time making real food on busy days or ones where I’m just exhausted. When I look at the clock and realize it’s 5:45 and dinner should have been started 15 minutes ago, I start to panic and try to think of the fastest (not necessarily best) options.

  46. My husband only cares that food tastes good and he is not really picky about that either!. He has a love of boxed mac and cheese…the orange powdered kind.

    I have stretches of depression and headaches and he is always quick to say “lets just get something quick”. or “you need a break lets just get take out chineese and you can do dishes and grocery shop later”
    He makes it so easy for me to give in and cheat what i value for us and just be lazy.

  47. We eat real food for most dinners- lunches are another story. My hubby’s schedule allows him to be home 4 days a week- which is great for our kids, but he doesn’t enjoy cooking as much as I do… he much prefers the “open box and heat” cooking that prepared foods provide. Over time, I have come to accept that the kids are going to eat boxed chicken nuggets or frozen pizza, but he will ensure fresh fruits and vegies are added as sides(if they’re already cut up, of course!)

  49. What keeps you and your family from eating real food?
    Usually, it’s either cost or that I don’t have the time to sit down and plan a menu for the week!

  50. I am very interested in my family eating real food! And some of the time we do. When we don’t, it is my lack of time, which is honestly my lack of planning. This book looks great!

  54. What keeps us from eating real food is my lack of planning. I need to be better about it.

  57. Sometimes it’s our schedule. Sometimes it’s our tastebuds: Like last night. Sure, I could have cooked a real dinner at home, but a burger from Culver’s sounded so much better!

  58. My daughter has food allergies, so we eat real food most of the time. I need to be better about making bread to go with our meals. I often don’t remember to start the bread in time.

  59. Eating “real food” is good for the body, is good for the brain .. and is good also for the pocketbook! I do I spending almost every day to make sure they can have on your table “real food”.

  61. Time is a big issue, and learning to season properly so that food isn’t just bland. Money is also a consideration as fresh, organic produce is not cheap!

  62. I’m generally pretty good about eating “real” food – living in California, where there’s a 12-month growing season and a farm share to match makes it a fairly convenient pleasure. But what does keep me from cooking on occasion (and falling back on my embarrassing comfort food stape – ramen noodles with olive oil, parmesan, thyme, and just a touch of their packaged chicken-flavored seasoning) is WRITING PAPERS. Alas, the grad school life!

  65. Over the past few years, I have gotten really good at eating “real” food. I just learned to plan my meals ahead of time. One evening last week I was really really short on time and decided we’d just pick up some fast food. And I found I couldn’t remember where the closest fast food joint was. This is a good thing. 🙂

  66. What keeps us from eating real food? Lack of planning, not knowing what to do with them to keep things exciting, the time it seems to take to make “real foods”, and the finances. It seems more expensive, even though I know it’s not. We might be heading this way though b/c my son has severe eczema that might be allergy relate.
    .-= Kari´s last blog ..Simple Woman’s Daybook =-.

  68. I liked you on Facebook, and I like your blog! Just found you, and I’m looking forward to exploring the site!

  69. What keeps us from always eating real food is lack of organization! If I don’t keep on top of menu planning, it’s easy for me to come up at the last minute with nothing for dinner. My son has food allergies and is a VERY picky eater to boot, so it’s a challenge cooking something we all can eat and enjoy. Sometimes it makes me tired just thinking about it! 😉

  70. The hardest thing for me is that kids crave the commercial junk they see advertised everywhere and the things they see other kids eating. My solution was to make the lunch menu very kid friendly (hot dogs, grilled sandwiches, soups, etc) so I can keep the dinner menu “real”. 🙂

  73. I am completely useless in the kitchen. I have burned water. I never learned to cook. I can never figure out how to use the same ingredients through the week to make my menu plans affordable. My husband used to do the cooking for the family but now he has a new job with too many hours for him to be at home to cook. I am pregnant with my second child. We spent the entire fall and spring being sick and we never got sick when the hubby was cooking for us. I have to figure out how to step up and take over in the kitchen.
    .-= Cosmo´s last blog ..Graduation Cycle Chic =-.

  78. Eating real food is my goal, but with a 2 yr. old, one on the way, and being a full time student, I’m not finding the time to cook.

  79. Time and a husband that won’t eat anything that’s green! Even Parsley freaks him out!!

  80. I am working toward eating real foods in our family. Right now, I think our biggest obstacle is being organized in meal preparation and planning and also in keeping real food choices affordable. Thanks for the chance to win!
    .-= Greta´s last blog ..This Week’s Menu Plan =-.

  81. I *liked* you on FB (already had stephanie liked ^_^) also, to answer your question, I just feel overwhelmed and new recipes always seem to take me waaay longer than the directions say it will and we end up exhausted and eating at 8pm instead of 6.. . maybe that’s just us, maybe b/c I’m not a well trained cook.. maybe it’s b/c I’m blond j/k but I’m really working towards changing this, your site and sites like yours are helping a great deal! ^_^ Thank you!
    .-= Mariah´s last blog ..I chose another winner (via random.org) for the SUMMER giveaway! 😀 Delia Acuna Grijalva you won a set of 40 super cute calling cards! Congrats sweet thing!!! Next Monday someone else will win! xoxo =-.

  82. I think the biggest thing that keeps us from eating real food is my chronic illness; before the pain got really bad, I was able to cook most nights. Gah.

  85. Sometimes, time is a huge factor. This occurs quite frequently on church nights {Wed and Sun}, when we have to be at church by 5:30, and hubby doesn’t get home until 5. We are scrambling around trying to get everyone ready, and we do not always end up eating a healthy meal.
    .-= Amy @ Fashion Cents for Mom´s last blog ..Esprit: 20% off {Coupon} =-.

  89. my downfall is also lack of planning.. although I am a good planner most weeks… sometimes things just happen to put you off track with dinner.

  90. mostly because I get busy and don’t plan or if I do, I make it too complicated because I don’t have a list of good recipes I know I can make and my family will love. Thanks for this giveaway! I’ve really wanted her book!

  92. The biggest thing that keeps us from eating real food is that my kids are hesitant to try it if they aren’t familiar with it, so I guess bad habits are hard to break 🙂

    We did start a garden this year to try to incorporate more real foods.

  97. My two biggest hurdles are lack of planning and picky eaters. I did much better when I only had one child, but now that I have three, things are a lot more challenging!

  98. I often buy healthy things during my weekly trip to the grocery store but by the time the week hits, I get busy and overwhelmed that a few fast food meals work their way in to our meal plan. By the time I have the motivation to cook, the good food I bought has gone bad. The next time I shop, I am less inclined to buy so many fresh things fearing I will waste the money again. HELP!

  100. Honestly….knowledge is what keeps me from cooking real food all the time. I have the time, I just don’t know how to utilize all of the fresh vegetables before they go bad, or make a plan to incorporate them into our meal plan efficiently. I also have picky eaters and the process becomes frustrating and wasteful to me…but I am trying.

  101. We live in an area where eating fresh food is very easy but doing it on a budget is not! I shop the farmer’s markets and buy directly from farms but it’s not cheap, so I can’t buy much at a time. I would love to learn to maximize my dollar!

  102. Tweeted and liked! Really really like real food but just don’t always have the time after work to cook the way I want to for my family.

  105. I think ignorance is one of the reasons we don’t eat real food. I have only known processed foods, so it’s hard to break out into an unknown world. I would like to learn, though.

  108. Time — or the lack of it. Sometimes I think this may just require a certain priority shift.

  111. I can’t believe that I found this link on Thursday, 24 June, right before the deadline ends. I have had some health issues and am trying to learn more about “real” food so that I can improve. I also want to be able to establish habits in my little ones that will last them a lifetime. If I don’t win this book, I will probably be buying one!

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