• Recipes
  • Urban Homesteading
  • Organic Gardening
  • Faith and Family
  • Homeschool
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

My Humble Kitchen

food • faith • family

  • New? Start Here!
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Beverages
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Salads
    • Egg Dishes
    • Meat and Fish
    • Pasta
    • Rice and Legumes
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vegetables
    • Sandwiches
    • Casserole Meals
    • Crockpot Recipes
    • Odd Bits Recipes
    • Spanish Food
    • Naturally Sweetened Sweets and Treats
    • Condiments
    • Homemade Jams and Preserves
    • Whole Grains
    • Ferments
  • Shopping Guide
  • eBooks
You are here: Home / Eat Better / A "Real Food" Food Budget / 10 Concrete Steps to Make Your Real Food New Years Resolution A Reality

A "Real Food" Food Budget Canning and Preserving Sustainability

10 Concrete Steps to Make Your Real Food New Years Resolution A Reality

food

Written by Jackie of Auburn Meadow Farm

Right now, while you’re still a-flush with the rosy glow of New Year’s resolve,  it’s the perfect time to map out exactly how you’re going to turn your real food resolution into a concrete plan of action.

1. Begin by defining very specifically what “eating better” means to you.

To me, eating better means eliminating processed foods from my diet and buying directly from small local farms.  Keeping my priorities clear makes it easy for me to make decisions.

2. Be willing to be frustrated, make mistakes, and venture into unexplored territory.

Like a traveler in a foreign land you will have failures, misfires, and food projects may take more time at first.   But trust me on this, when you hit your stride you will be well rewarded for your effort in terms of flavor, value, and nutrition.

And, this next bit isn’t mentioned nearly enough – the personal satisfaction you’ll get is addictive beyond measure.

You’ll be surprised and relieved to find that once you get more comfortable with projects like fermenting, making simple cheese, bread, and stocks that the time invested isn’t all active, full-attention sort of time.  Rather, usually it’s just tucked into a corner or back burner requiring just a peek or a stir now and then.

3. Keep it simple.

My first year canning,  I was a sucker for complex, expensive, and hard to source gourmet recipes. It turns out that although jam made from rose petals is a lovely idea, when it comes to everyday eating, my family prefers jam that tastes like sun ripened fruit, not perfume.

IMG_0354

The home made ketchup’s a hit! I spend my time on food projects that I will use in a year or less. 

Food projects that make my everyday life easier are the basics.  

The more basic the recipe, the more flexible and useful it is as a kitchen staple. When produce, grains, meat, and dairy are excellent and at their pinnacle of freshness and flavor, I’m happy to set my want-to-be chef ego aside and allow the quality of the ingredient to shine.

That way my project has fewer steps & ingredients, gets done quicker, and flavors can be adapted later to suit the specific recipe. Pantry basics are limited when the seasonings are potent and highly specific.

4. Be willing to trial-and-error your way through these main components of your learning curve

  • Be clear on your new criteria for defining economic value – the lowest price is not always the best value
  • Explore new sources, methods and schedules for purchasing local, farm fresh ingredients
  • Develop food storage/preservation strategies and timing
  • Adapt meal preparation and cooking habits
  • Create a system for managing leftovers effectively
  • Prepare a ready solution for on-the-fly meal emergencies
  • Open your mind and give new ideas a chance

5. Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to change everything all at once.

If you have no real routine other than processed ready-made foods,  consider investing in a real food planning subscription to help you establish some solid practices and systems. Simply follow your plan precisely and soon enough, those excellent ideas and habits are yours.  Look for the real food menu plan coming soon from Diana right here at A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa.

If you do cook and already have a familiar meal rotation, start by adapting what you’re already used to. You don’t want to set yourself up for resistance by shocking your family with a sudden 180° about-face. Your soda drinking, meat and potatoes loving family is not going to be on board with a sudden switch to kefir, kale, and a daily dose of homemade sauerkraut.

6. Start by, first, making a short list of the commercial staples you rely on most

  • Tomato products, and sauces
  • Processed dairy products like yogurt, margarine, and cheese
  • Chicken, beef, and veggie stock
  • Commercial white flour
  • Pastas, and quick rice mixes
  • Items like dry soup mix, Bisquick, and packaged cake mixes
  • Canned soups, and stews
  • Store bought breads, cookies, and crackers
  • Chips, pretzels, and salty snacks
  • Frozen convenience foods, and ice creams
  • Sauces, mayo, and salad dressings
  • Boxed cereals, toaster pastries, and protein drinks
  • Factory farmed meats, and eggs
  • Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, and bacon
  • Vegetarian/vegan meat replacement products
  • Frozen meals
  • Processed juices, beverages, and sodas
  • Don’t forget to consider your pet food purchases…

 7. Once you’ve identified the category containing the most commercial food purchases you’d like to change, you know exactly where to begin.

103_0546

This post-Easter project turned out to be amazingly useful and has become a real staple in my kitchen – Mexican style pickled eggs. A perfect way to preserve that glut of freshly laid eggs to enjoy later.

Take advantage of the slow winter months by paying close attention to your food consumption. What staples are you buying, and in what quantities? This knowledge will help you decide what projects to devote your attentions to when harvest time comes around and what quantities you’ll need.

Select just one or two areas to master before taking on more. Be careful to avoid taking on too many overlapping projects at first. You’ll feel less overwhelmed and the defeating feeling of watching produce rot on your porch because you took on more than you could handle is a disheartening one we’ve all shared.

8. Know you can accomplish a surprising amount with no exotic ingredients or specialized equipment. Don’t be daunted by all the expensive and fancy products available for food preservation.

If your budget is tight, you don’t need new, expensive, and/or fancy gear to get started. Honestly, you won’t appreciate it at first anyway. Visit yard sales, flea markets, and second hand stores now while your weekends aren’t so action packed.

Don’t forget overstock stores like TJ Maxx, Burlington, and Tuesday Morning. Sometimes you’ll find great kitchenware bargains there including items such as

  • a thick bottomed stock pot
  • a good colander
  • mesh strainer
  • a good knife & cutting board
  • stainless steel spoons
  • good wooden spoons
  • mason jars in pint and quart sizes
  • fresh lids and bands
  • a basic canning kit with tongs & funnel
  • some straining cloth (old tight-weave pillow cases or dress shirts work just fine)
  • some non-terry tea towels
  • some large non-reactive bowls

All these items would be a good start for food preserving – if you have a slow-cooker, all the better.

103_1418

These soft cheese balls made from home made quark and preserved in olive oil are a perfect and simple way to stretch the shorter life of fresh-from-the-dairy milk. Easy, take no special equipment and are useful and delicious. 

9. Invest in the most basic, inexpensive and comprehensive of books

The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Add a copy of the ever useful all-purpose Stocking Up, and bookmark the National Center for Home Preservation on your computer and you’ve got all you need for a solid start.

Of course I say need – in case you haven’t noticed there is a canning/preserving/real foods renaissance going on with lots of beautiful and inspiring blogs, books, and products. Don’t forget to use your local library if your book budget is limited.

Start small – persevere through your initial mistakes and frustrations and set yourself up for success by not over committing yourself. Keeping a journal or notebook with the details of your experiments is extremely useful.

10. Most of all, be patient with yourself. This is a life shift, not a fad.

103_1890

Buying meat by the quarter or half means learning to use cuts I’m not so familiar with. Ended up being an enjoyable adventure… home made braesola ready to gobble up with a little oil and lemon.

You are in it for the long haul, aren’t you?

What real food wishes are you planning to make a reality in 2013?


19 Comments

« Spain in Iowa’s Traditional Menu Plan on a Budget!
Simple Lives Thursday, #129 »

Comments

  1. Maranda says

    January 9, 2013 at 9:11 am

    Where can I find the cheeseball recipe?

    Reply
    • Diana Bauman says

      January 9, 2013 at 9:34 am

      Maranda, the cheeseball recipe is a traditional labneh or yogurt cheese. It’s made by draining yogurt of all whey and then rolling it into balls. It’s then placed in a mason jar covered with olive oil and spices. I don’t have one on my website yet, but Jackie may over at her place!

      Reply
  2. Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

    January 9, 2013 at 10:53 am

    Hi Maranda,
    Glad you like the cheese ball recipe. Sounds like I need to post it although it’s so simple it’s hardly a recipe. Simply drain yogurt or soft cheese and form it into tablespoon-sized balls.

    Air dry if needed in the refrigerator overnight, gently pack into a sterilized jar, add herbs if you like and cover completely with olive oil.

    Make sure when storing to keep the cheese always submerged in oil and to avoid using your fingers or unsterile utensils to fish the balls out and they should keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

    Reply
    • yissell says

      January 9, 2013 at 3:51 pm

      Hi Jackie, thanks for sharing this recipe. I’ll try it today, since I just made yogurt cream 🙂 Can you give me some advise about what herbs would do better? Or it’s a matter of preference?
      Thanks, 🙂

      Reply
      • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

        January 9, 2013 at 6:05 pm

        Hi Yissell,
        I’m not overly scientific about the spices.

        Sometimes I don’t use any, often I just use a bit of coarse sea salt & coarsely ground black pepper. When I have them, I like some fresh chives and/or parsley.

        Some people use dry spices too for a more highly seasoned spread.

        I happen to love the clean flavor of the fresh cheese and the olive oil I use and that’s seasoning enough for me 🙂

        Reply
  3. Ann says

    January 9, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Great article Jackie – and thanks for sharing your cheese ball recipe – I had the same question in mind when I saw that gorgeous picture.

    Diana, I’ve been enjoying your site! Thanks for the great writing and recipes.

    Reply
  4. Isela says

    January 9, 2013 at 7:28 pm

    Really enjoyed reading this article. It really put me back in perspective to where it is that I wan’t to be and how I need go about it.

    Reply
  5. Tammy says

    January 10, 2013 at 7:35 pm

    I’m so glad you wrote this as I had forgotten all about those lovely pickled eggs!

    Reply
    • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

      January 12, 2013 at 4:44 pm

      Well Tammy, soon enough it will be Easter and there we’ll be with a glut of hard boiled eggs again 🙂

      Reply
  6. BiggSis says

    January 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    Great advice here. Although we have made big inroads into healthy eating, we could definitely do more canning and preparation of expensive staples and condiments. Thanks for such a helpful and concise approach to living more sustainably!

    Reply
    • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

      January 12, 2013 at 4:50 pm

      I’m glad you found it helpful BiggSis. There’s nothing more satisfying than a shelf full of staples you’ve canned yourself 🙂

      Reply
  7. Karin@yumandmore says

    January 11, 2013 at 5:33 am

    I both enjoyed this post and shared it! inspiring!!

    Reply
    • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

      January 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      That’s great Karin, thanks for letting us know 🙂

      Reply
  8. Amy D. says

    January 12, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    Aw, I got all excited about the homemade ketchup, but I can’t find the recipe. 🙁

    When will you be posting it? 🙂

    Reply
    • Diana Bauman says

      January 12, 2013 at 1:47 pm

      Amy, I’ll have to get a homemade ketchup recipe up soon or if Jackie has one at her blog, Auburn Meadow Farm, maybe she’ll share that with us.

      Reply
    • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

      January 12, 2013 at 4:46 pm

      Hi Amy,
      I guess it looks like I’ll be writing about ketchup in the very near future. Stay tuned 🙂

      Reply
      • Jackie @Auburn Meadow Farm says

        January 24, 2013 at 1:50 pm

        If anyone’s still interested, here’s the link to an article featuring the ketchup and a link to the printable recipe:

        http://auburnmeadowfarm.com/2013/01/24/building-your-real-food-pantry-plan-for-a-tomato-workhorse-you-can-count-on/

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. ten tips to turn fuzzy “eat better” resolutions into reality | Auburn Meadow Farm says:
    January 9, 2013 at 7:08 pm

    […] And, if you do really, truly mean it, come on over to Spain in Iowa with me to start turning that fuzzy idea into a real plan of action.  […]

    Reply
  2. building your real food pantry: plan for a tomato workhorse you can count on | Auburn Meadow Farm says:
    January 24, 2013 at 10:38 am

    […] recently, while writing this for A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, it struck me that now actually is the perfect time to talk about putting up […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

 

My family of 7

I’m Diana – mother of five, proud wife, and daughter to an amazing God. Here you’ll find an encouraging community seeking to nourish our families both physically and spiritually. You’ll find us in our kitchens, gardens, and homeschool rooms pursuing a simple life in food, faith, and family.

Read More…

Real Food, Faith, and Family Straight to Your Inbox!

PLUS, receive my eBook a Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours and a Real Food Menu Plan Printable FREE!

Living Foods

Fermented Buckwheat Crunch - Gluten-Free

Fermented Buckwheat Crunch

How To Make Milk Kefir - A Probiotic Yogurt-Type Drink | myhumblekitchen.com

How To Make Milk Kefir – A Probiotic Yogurt-Type Drink

Charlotte Mason Homeschool Planner

Winter Recipes

Honey Sweetened, Christmas Granola - Candy Canes and Chocolate Chips | myhumblekitchen.com

Honey Sweetened Christmas Granola with Candy Canes and Chocolate Chips

A Simple Beef and Barley Stew | myhumblekitchen.com

A Simple Beef and Barley Stew

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Fudge Brownies | myhumblekitchen.com

Almond Flour Fudge Brownies

A Vegetable Curry

Quick Bake Einkorn Biscuits | myhumblekitchen.com

Quick Bake Einkorn Biscuits

View More Winter Recipes

#probioticseveryday

How To Make Milk Kefir - A Probiotic Yogurt-Type Drink | myhumblekitchen.com

How To Make Milk Kefir – A Probiotic Yogurt-Type Drink

Fermented Buckwheat Crunch - Gluten-Free

Fermented Buckwheat Crunch

Naturally Pickled Leafy Greens and Stems with Onions

A Simple Recipe for Homemade Natural Fermented Pickles

Homemade Yogurt | myhumblekitchen.com

Homemade Yogurt

View More Gut Healthy Recipes

Copyright © 2025 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...