This is part 2 in the video series, Switch Over to a Real Food Lifestyle in 10 Easy Steps. You can click here to view the previous video (step 1) and here to view the introduction video.

Step 2: Cook From Scratch as Often as Possible

If you are new to cooking meals from scratch, it can seem like a daunting task. I pinky promise, it’s not hard. It just takes some planning ahead and setting a little time aside for it. This week we’re talking about why it’s important to cook from scratch as often as possible and I’ve shared how simple it is by showing you how to make taco seasoning in less than a minute. You can find the my homemade taco seasoning recipe here.

Your Challenge

This week’s challenge is to cook one meal from scratch that you’ve never cooked before. Like I promised, I’ve included a huge recipe resource list as well as a few of my favorite meal plans to help you in your real food journey. Meal plans are great because someone has already done the guess work for you — all you need to do is cook it!

Don’t forget to come back and tell me all about your experience! Was cooking from scratch easier than you thought? Was it tasty? When shopping for your next meal, remember to read labels and choose as natural ingredients as you can afford.

Meal Plans

—> Tight budget? Tara over at We Got Real has a real food nourishing meal plan that feeds 4 mouths for $80 a week!

—->Want a meal plan that is complete with printable meal plans (so you can put it on your fridge) and shopping lists? Kristin over at Live Simply has just that (along with delicious food).

—->Tiffany over at Don’t Waste the Crumbs not only shares her meal plan but also shares what she actually ate. This way, readers can see how realistic meal plans are and how close she sticks to them.

—-> If you’re looking for more of an allergy-friendly meal plan, Sarah from Real Food Outlaws has meal plans that do not contain any recipes that have grains.

Short on Time?

Check out Real Food Girl Unmodified’s 30 minute Monday series. There are amazing recipes and they really do only take 30 minutes to make. She’s even got a 60 minutes or less category on her blog that features from scratch recipes that can be made in under an hour.