I was first introduced to the idea of eating “Poorganic” from my blogging colleague, Katrina, over at The Poorganic Life. Mainly because she’s the first person to ever really define what “poorganic” means. After ruminating on this term for months and talking with Barry VERY REGULARLY, I’ve determined that our family is Poorganic too.
So, I’m coming out! I’m standing with Katrina! I’m saying THIS IS NOT A WHOLE FOODS BLOG. I am not a whole foods blogger. I am not part of the real food community. I’m an imposter. I’m a sheep in hot dog’s clothing. I am a frugal living blogger who blogs about food and life. I don’t really want to be lumped into the “whole foods/organic/clean eating” movement. Take me out, thank you.
Katrina says Poorganic “…is about keeping our family, faith, food, and finances developing organically, naturally, and gracefully. At the same time, we try to do this on humble means and hopefully, a humble heart.” While Katrina and I don’t see eye-to-eye on many things (we are savers and preparers and she is not), we are very much alike in other aspects. So, I’m taking her Poorganic term and applying it to our life – with our definition.
Eating Poorganic for us means: we seek to eat good, local food when we can – living within our food budget – not always seeking out organic, but choosing nourishing foods even if that means I shop at Kroger and buy conventional lettuce. And we try to keep our sanity intact, which means we buy some foods pre-made instead of spending our entire lives in the kitchen.
I have found that within the “real food movement” there is a lot of condemnation from people (no, not everyone…I said a LOT – this doesn’t mean I’m pointing fingers at YOU – unless you think I am, then maybe I am). They get on a real food kick and revamp their entire life – while doing this, some of them can also become a wee bit too hardcore and start alienating themselves from friends and family. I’ve seen it – I’ve almost been there…but I’m coming out. I won’t live there.
I’ve already spoken out several times about food not being God – I’ve told you that cheap coconut oil is sometimes okay…I’m not your average blogger, y’all. I seek to show you guys grace. I seek to take your hand and walk with you along this food journey – I seek to learn WITH YOU – I seek out peanut butter and chocolate combinations. Oh wait – that doesn’t really fit here.
In the past few months, Barry and I have slowly distanced ourselves from the “real food movement.” Why? Because we didn’t really like what we saw there – and we always want to make sure that we don’t distance ourselves from those who need us: those struggling with their budgets, those struggling to make ends meet so they can stay at home with their babies, those who live on one income, those who want to eat well, but can’t afford the high prices of their local farmer’s markets. Those people. You guys. Us – we’re walking together.
Here at the Myers house, we seek to eat foods that are good for us. We know we need to take care of our bodies so that our lives here on earth (albeit short) won’t be utterly miserable. But we also seek to live a life of acceptance and love…and that means if you eat frozen pizza and Hamburger Helper, you’re still welcome here. I still love you. I won’t make you feel badly for eating it – unless you put it on your credit card. 😉
I feed my family good, whole foods when I can. But I don’t spend all day in my kitchen – sometimes I want to play outside with my kids, read a book, or have a last minute trip to the Fair. This means that sometimes I feed my kids purchased cheese crackers – I don’t make my own tortillas any more – shocking…I know.
I will continue to blog about real food – because that’s what we’re eating MOST OF THE TIME. But I am no longer a whole foods blogger. I am a Poorganic blogger, like Katrina. I will teach you to live below your means, to save, to eat the best that you can with your current budget. And I’ll hold your hand while we walk this road – and I’ll love you, no matter if you eat all organic or if you’ve never had organic lettuce in your life. But, I won’t share my chocolate peanut butter things with you…you’ll have to find another friend for that.
I love cooking and baking and about four years ago decided to eat better. We were doing great but what ever happened 8 months ago just threw me into a downward spiral. I have two boys under 3. I haven’t been able to cook anything except pancakes. For a while its as if i am at war with food. And everyone out there seems to be saying you have to eat the best of the best all the time. With all my crazy struggles i have been having with food this is what I needed to read. These are the words that just got my brain out of crazy town 🙂 thank you so much
I’m so thankfully this post spoke to you! Take it a day at a time – you’ve got this, Samantha!
Julie, Humorous Homemaking Team
It’s really about balance. We do eat mainly organic, but we also enjoy McDonald’s French fries! I try to stay away from any group that condemns rather than uplifts. Especially in the online community. This post will give grace to people, not give them something else to feel guilty about – I had a Saunders Bumpy Cake last night, it reminded me of ho-ho cakes and it was delicious…so there.
McDonald’s really does have the BEST fries, don’t they? I wish I knew their secret.
Thank you for this 🙂
I’m a stay at home, homeschooling momma of 5 and the wife of a Fire Captain. I buy organic when it’s on sale for the same or less as “regular” food. I shop at Aldis and Ingles most most of the time. I called Ingles and they don’t have pink slime in their ground beef! I can’t afford grass fed, organic, free range everything and I’m ok with that. I do well where I can and trust that Gods “got this” where I’m lacking. I cook at home all the time, we rarely eat out. I’ve been packing our snacks/lunches for the last 3 weeks every time we go out. We still order out every now and then and I pack my hubby a good breakfast and lunch but sometimes he still has to get something on the run for supper when he’s on shift ( he works 24 hour shifts )
More often than not they actually cook a meal though! I love reading your blog. I do follow a lot of the whole food blogs too and I always end up feeling like a failure by the time I finish reading…so I stopped reading a lot of them. I love your honesty. Thank you. You make this super busy momma not feel so alone in the blog world 😉
You’re so lucky to have Aldi! I mostly get to shop at Kroger and occasionally Trader Joes if I am out of town.
Hi Stacy,
I’m lucky I’m not in debt (except a HUGE school loan) so I’m good. My parents raised me the cash n carry way. I try to stay in my budget, but I’m so bad. You’ve been teaching me that eating out twice a day is really a dumb thing to do. I really have enjoyed trying some of your menus. Only some since I am new to the party. 😉
🙂 Save your money and pack! You’ll be astonished at how much you can save.
Me too! Me too! ; >) I would love to eat more of the ‘good things’—organics, grass fed beef, raw milk—but I don’t think it’s wise to go into debt to do it. So we do what we can and don’t feel guilty about it. Thanks for the post!
Thank you so much for this! We are one of those families trying to raise a family on one income so I can stay at home with our babies, and get out of debt at the same time – I need this encouragement so much! I have recently been overwhelmed by all diet controversies I’ve been reading about, which is healthier, how to afford it or fit it in our schedule – after crying out to the Lord I really felt him comfort me to just do what we were able and let the rest go. It was so freeing! And this is such a confirmation of just that! Thank you again!
I love how God comforts us. 🙂
I appreciate that don’t want to food to become a “GOD” and that you won’t judge us if we eat some “bad” foods. I started the less processed food journey to manage a chronic health condition better. The good news is I need less medicine and feel better. The bad news is that when I have mainstream highly processed food, even a little, I get sick. This makes me overly cautious of what I eat. I am trying to find more organic or minimally processed foods so I don’t burn out. This is just to say that some of us “stricter whole foodie” are that way because are bodies can’t take much compromise. And just because I need to be strict doesn’t mean I think everyone needs to.
Different people have different circumstances – just because you’re eating healthy and avoiding processed foods, doesn’t mean you’re making it an idol. 🙂 We just have to be careful that we don’t…something that I have to constantly remind myself of.
Love it! And right there with ya.
I know you are, girl. Fist bump.
Stacy I think you just described where I’m at too. I almost did away with mom blogs because everyone was jumping on the “whole foods” band wagon and after 16 months of trying that myself, I just wasn’t able to do it and my family wasn’t enjoying it. I also don’t enjoy being in the kitchen, it adds stress to my life. So I’ve settled on a mix between local/farmer’s market, some grocery store organic, some non-organic grocery, and allow the packaged stuff to come and go as needed. I will not take on more than one “urban homesteader” project at a time, and I will not condemn myself for not making all my own beauty/health products. I do my best based on my budget, my sanity, and my energy level. And I am perfectly fine with that. I also want to note that one of the main reasons I have distanced myself from the whole foods movement is because of all the stories of burnout that mom’s of young children have had. Frankly I am not surprised, the pressure that is potentially involved in that lifestyle can only be managed by a select few.
I don’t want to die early from stress. It ain’t worth it. Pass the purchased tortillas, please.
I loved this. God does not want us to be in bondage by anything. I have been there in the form of an eating disorder…and for a long time it reared its ugly face in my obsession over “real food.” I would not eat anything I had not prepared myself and I was miserable and exhausted. Now if the choices are inorganic veggies or no veggies, I choose inorganic. And yes, I admit, I eat my paw’s homegrown corn that he did not grow organically (gasp…GMO’s) but has grown the same way for over 90 years.
I love reading your stuff. Thanks!!!
Girl – totally been there with the eating disorder. Thanks for your wonderful comment!
I love you Stacy!!! Your post made me laugh then cry! Thank you for being passionate about helping people like us stay home with our babies!! I’ve been home raising people for 18 years…on one income and we aren’t talking millions here we live on under $50,000 a year…your blog has served me well these past few years. We are getting debt free, I also eat THM, and feed my family the best I can without making food god. I love Jesus and I love that you do too!! I started following your blog right after you went from coupon queen to whole food queen and I’m so happy I get to follow you as a poorganic queen too!! You are amazing and God is using you to bless so many…so keep it up!!
I’m sorry I made you cry!!!!
I found your blog a few days ago and have been reading and laughing! I love your writing style! Laughter does a body good and stress does a body…well…bad. And I think stressing ourselves out trying to eat “whole only” counteracts all the “good” in those foods! As my wise grammie said “everything in moderation doo and you’ll be just fine” (yes, im doo and grammie gave me that nickname and Im not going to argue with grammie 🙂
Thank you for sharing with us!!
deb….doo
🙂 I agree with Grammie.
Thank you Stacy! I’ve been on this ‘movement’ for a few years now. I love how much I’ve learned and the changes my family has made, but I’m done with the guilt! I have a husband who is never home, and when he is he is swamped with paperwork, a huge acreage (which we’ll one day have our own animals on), three children 5 and under, a mother up north (way north in Canada) who needs a grocery order sent to her once a month, and is a huge job for me to organize, and I homeschool. I am lucky if I get to get by 11, and feel guilty if I am not up before 6. I get the opportunity to be on my own every few months for a evening, by which point I’m usually so frazzled that I’m shaking and in tears, and too exhausted to even enjoy it. I put movies on for my ‘big kids’ sometimes when I should be making dinner or cleaning to enjoy a nap (while the toddler naps) every month or so, but I really should be doing it a few times a week. I often find myself in the grocery store, with one or two crying, overtired children, putting BACK the can of organic beans, or whatever else, that is on a GREAT sale just because it’s canned in a tin and I should really ‘get more organized’ and just soak and cook up a big batch my self, then freeze or can them, because ya know those cans contain BPA. THEN, because we’re a hour drive out of the city (and it’s already 6pm and I need to unload the van, the kids, still clean the fridge, clean the kitchen when I get home) I run through mcdonalds to get the kids something to eat since the kids won’t eat the crazy ‘foody’ wierdo wraps that the organic store stocks. It’s crazy! I secretly LOVE that when my Mamma is home she buys me some processed foods and hides them in my cupboard. Then when I’m at my limit she tells me to go make some KD for the kids, put on a movie, and chill out 🙂 I’m tired of hearing that if I want to be healthy I have to choke down a cup or two of bone broth every day… ieww.. Don’t get me wrong, I think bone broth is amazing, and practical, and economical, but why not just some friendly suggestions for soups, or freezing it into ice cube trays to later use in gravies, or whatever! I love to cook and I love to eat well, but I just can’t do all expensive raw cheeses, etc. So thank you. I feel SO much better that I have company and I’m not crazy! My goal is always to improve our health through our foods, but I swear, my super healthy Great Grandma who lived on the farm NEVER toted three children to several appointments, errands every week, went weeks or months without much in adult conversation, or home schooled. PS. I’ve actually connected with a few awesome farmers who every year give me FREE produce to help my feed my family. The ‘work’ is worth it, but there is no reason to feel so guilty if everything is not perfect. Also, who is the world has the time to not only cook ‘perfectly’, but then take all the perfect food photos?! As my last rant, I’d love the ‘real food bloggers’ to post helpful suggestions to starting a stock of essential oils, you know, for those of us who can’t just drop $500 to be all stocked, all at once? Like which one or two to buy first, then how to go about this! Ok. I’m done, thanks again Stacy. Voice of reason. I secretly consider you a great friend, that I just haven’t met yet 😉
🙂 Thanks for feeling comfortable enough to comment here. That means a lot to me. I think you’re doing a fabulous job, mama. And I don’t drink bone broth either – kinda makes me wanna yak.
Honey, Spark Naturals for oils. Pharma grade but not the price of YL or DoTerra…start with lemon, peppermint and lavender. LLP.
We use BeeYoutiful.
Thank you for making me feel like less of a slacker! I want to do my best for my husband and I but we both work 40 hours plus each week trying to get out finances under control and get out of debt. So that doesn’t really leave room for daily trips to the farmers’ market and maintaining a yard of goats, chickens and vegetables! Poorganic makes better choices seem possible now – instead of being so overwhelmed by it i just throw up my hands. Thank you, thank you, thank you for standing up for us “imposters”! LOL…in case you didn’t already know…YOU ROCK MY FACE OFF! 😉
YEAH! Now y’all are talking like me too! LOL
Thank goodness! I admit to skimming over several food posts of yours so that I wouldn’t have to feel guilty for not “doing” what I thought I SHOULD be doing food wise, lately. SO happy to hear that I can keep reading your blog *mostly* guilt free 😉
Girl, if anything I’ve written about food has made you feel bad, I eternally apologize. I always try to write for people who are in either court.
wonderful, honest, real-life post….poorganic….total LIKE! i’ve unsubbed from i bet a dozen “whole food” blogs b/c of the snobbishness i felt from the authors for using cream of chicken/mushroom/celery soups ; but you. you are real, you are an inspiration; thank you ;0)
🙂 You’re welcome – thanks for sticking with us.
Thank you! That’s us also…I read something in the last day or so that one woman spends $600 month to feed her family of 4…two of whom are not in school yet. I can’t bring myself to do that. Friend of mine was spending around a thousand a month for her family of 5! Can’t do that either! We do the best we can and trust God for our health! Food isn’t a god…although chocolate comes close! Love ya girl!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, chocolate. God bless chocolate.
chocolate is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy ;D
BHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I can’t quit laughing!
My family and I were deciding what to have for dinner this week when my husband suggested Huntington Chicken. We have not made this casserole since we adopted a healthier lifestyle. Some of its ingredients include box mac and cheese, and two “cream of” soups. I stopped dead in my tracks and thought, can I make this again knowing that most of the ingredients are processed and terrible for us? After some thought, I had some of the same thoughts as you expressed in this article..as well as… everything in moderation. Which means that once in a while we will eat Huntington Chicken. Thanks for your article! (insert sigh of relief here)
Every once in a while my hubby wants pizza and fries. 🙂 That’s cool – an occasional treat isn’t a bad thing. Right?
Love this. We also have been struggling with the real food lifestyle and trying to let it only be as important as it should be. Our family and our sanity, and most importantly, our God should be thought of and loved way more than the food we eat. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, and teaching us along the way. I am joining you on the Poorganic life!
Yeah! Let’s ride! 🙂 With our sanity – insane isn’t fun.
Great post! I love it. Poorganic sounds so funny too…I am in.
Good! 🙂
Oh,i feel the love Stacy! Yep, i knew i found a winner when i come across your blog a few months back. Thanks for being so frank. I’m sad you won’t share your peanut butter and chocolate recipes though… Lol
I’ll share the recipes – I just won’t share the food. LOL
Great article. You need to add poorganic to your about Stacy.;)
Should. 🙂 Might do that.
Really enjoyed your blog today!
Thank you so much, Susie!
This may be one of the greatest things I’ve heard in a long time. Thank you for being willing to walk alongside those of us who have a budget that won’t allow for being strictly Real Food. ^_^
I like walking with y’all. 🙂 Gives me companionship.
Oh, that makes me feel lots better! While we are trying to get better food onto our table, sometimes I find myself feeling terrible because I can’t do it all the time. Thanks for encouraging me!
It’s not really an all-or-nothing road – at least not for me. 🙂
Thanks for this post Stacy. I LOVE your blog and share your links and what I’ve learned with my friends and family. I live pretty much in the middle of the USA. In the middle of Nebraska in the heart of ag. country and you can’t imagine how limited or “natural” stuff is. Farmers Markets last about 2 months and are very expensive. Our closest health food store (use that term lightly) is Hy-Vee and it’s 30 miles away. So thanks for the honesty that we all can’t jump onto this whole foods band wagon and over spend on groceries. I am loving this term and journey into a poorganic lifestyle. Thanks!!
Only two months? How sad. 🙁
My blog name has “Whole Food” in it but I guess I don’t consider it to mean that I buy everything organic or natural. My blog is small yet so I haven’t had anyone freak out on me about posting a coupon that doesn’t fit their lifestyle yet, thank God! Because, I agree with you. I do the best I can. I eat better than I did before but if I tried to buy everything organic I’d go broke and lose my sanity.
Here’s another one for the loony bin! 🙂
Hi Stacy, Thank you for such a great article! I have been part of a church where the membership were mostly vegan, and there were some wonderful cooks amongst the ladies. So many lovely people in that group, but there was also fear and judgement.
I never want to go back to that place. It’s so easy to start with a good idea in any area of our lives, then that idea ends up becoming the thing that defines our life instead of Christ being the centre of everything.
I love your blog, and what you and Barry share with us all, so thank you for the time you devote to it. Helen
I’ve been in that place too – and I don’t want to go back either.
Okay, I love this. I’m on board. And this post made me officially “unlike” a whole foods blog to which I had subscribed which was slowly adapting a spirit of condemnation and bondage. Thanks, Stacy!
I unsubscribed from those long ago. Good for you! 🙂
I can relate to a lot of this. 🙂 We are somewhat of real food people, however there are times (like last night) when McDonalds becomes our meal of the day. I know, i know, it’s so bad for you, but when the husband wants to do something nice for your birthday and it’s been a hectic weekend with an added child for a few days, McDonalds is just the easiest solution. 🙂 We also can’t afford to eat 100% healthy, but we try our best. I’ve tried the whole soaking grains thing, and it was really good for us and I need to do it again. But, making time to plan all that out and do it is difficult when you have 3 small children as I do. So, we just do what we can and don’t feel bad when we can’t do it all
It’s not an all-or-nothing type of thing. Doing SOME good is better than doing no good at all. 🙂 Good job, mama! Keep on, keepin’ on!
Thank you! I need to get back to the real me too! We eat as many fresh, healthy, natural products as we can but dang it, organic can just be too expensive! We do use organic practices in or garden and chicken house but they are by no means organics. They aren’t pumped with chemicals/hormones either! And yes we eat fast food when we are just too busy! But it is what we can afford! Yes, sometimes i do plastic (credit) my groceries but I always pay it off on the first of the month! Can’t be completely perfect, but one day I will figure out my budget too! Thank you for your blog, we love reading about your family and learning from y’all!
Our chickens wouldn’t be “organic” either. 🙂 But they live in our back yard and I”m happy with that.
Ours are ‘natural’ chickens. We get our feed from a feed store that doesn’t sell organic…it’s not ‘certified” but it is natural…just a lot less expensive.
We buy our feed from Southern States. 🙂
This is why I love your blog, Stacy! I am “poorganic” too and am only able to “afford” more organic lately because I grew it in my own backyard. I work full-time and we live on one income, but we’re debt-free (besides our mortgage). Thank you for not making me feel guilty about not cooking everything from scratch all the time.
I can’t wait for our raised beds! I never thought I would say that. LOL
THANK YOU. That is me: SAHM, one income (hubby’s), struggling to give my family good food, but need to stay on our budget so there actually IS food on the table. I appreciate your posts & information & the way that I don’t feel like a bad mom reading it!
You’re a SAHM mom – you deserve a pat on the back, not a kick in the pants.
Well put Stacy!!
🙂
I just stumbled on your blog and am thrilled to have found it! This post hit home on so many levels for me. Loving this term and looking forward to reading more of your great tips! ~Kate
Welcome, Kate! 🙂 Nice to meet you.
Stacy, you are always such an encouragement to me. Thanks!
You guys are the encouragement to ME!
Amen
Felt the Spirit.
Thank you for this – I feel I have to be all in or not at all when it comes to bringing whole foods into our home. I wish I had the money and time but I don’t and I do my best. I work full time and I’m on a tight budget. I wish I could hit all the farmers markets and have time to chop, roast, bake or can but I don’t. We are eating hot dogs and beans tonight. My can of beans says organic on it (because they were on sale) so this is a success for me!
But that’s the thing..it’s NOT all-or-nothing. Some good is better than no good at all. 🙂
Beautifully said Stacy! I think we all need a ‘reality’ check sometimes that reminds us of what our true goals are!!
I’m pretty good for a reality check. LOL
This is why I maintain my subscription to your blog—the REAL advice and REAL information. The REAL world, down-to-earth attitude. Oh, and your REALly great sense of humor, too!
There’s enough fake out there – I don’t want to be that.
Stacy, this post was really encouraging to me. After just recently getting into the blogging world, I’ve been slightly overwhelmed at the “whole/real food movement”. I truly want my family to eat as healthy as we can, but we’re on a limited budget and not quite ready for a complete overhaul. I’m trying to find a balance and make small changes here and there. Your post helped me to feel that this approach is ok, so I really appreicate that! Thanks for sharing! I will now classify myself as an aspiring poorganic homemaker. 🙂
Really, slow is the best way to go. Changing one thing at a time. It’s the only way to stick with it. 🙂
Thank you for who you are. 🙂
God’s blessings on your family & household.
Same to ya!
Thanks for this post Stacy.:) I admire y’all’s stand on so many things. Balance is key.
We’re kinda hard-headed. LOL
Thank you for this! 🙂 I sometimes feel guilty over not feeding my family all organic. We eat healthy, just not always organic or from scratch. I work full time and honestly, even though I would love to grind my own wheat and make my own bread every week. It’s not possible for my schedule. To top it off, I live in the Caribbean, where we can’t even get most of that stuff. If you think organic on the mainland is expensive pop by one of our grocery stores! 🙂 So thank you. I am with you on the Poorganic line at the grocery store.
You have to do what you can – what good are you to your family if you lose your mind? 🙂
Great blog! I guess I am poorganic also. My husband and I have tried to eat much healthier and can find some organic foods at WalMart and other grocery stores and we order somethings from Amazon. (I’m using your link this month) but meat is just so expensive that we can’t afford it. We find grass-fed beef sometimes. We have been disappointed with some of the large farm’s “organic” produce we have tried locally. Their produce was blah. We have had our own veggie patch for years and know what good veggies should taste like but we can’t grow everything so I am with you, we just need to feed our families the best we can afford and I believe God will honor our efforts so long as we don’t put what we eat as our priority over Him and our relationships with other people. I have been in the situation where others have tried to make me feel inferior for not eating organic and it doesn’t feel good so I don’t want to do that to others. Thanks again for all the work you do on your blog I know it is a lot of work, I have attempted it myself and am going to try again. God bless you and you family. Judy
You are not inferior. Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
This is great! I just came to the conclusion this week my single income family of 4 can’t budget for all organic foods. After 8 months of all organic and learning how to navigate the grocery store, it was a hard pill to swallow even after weeks of prayer over it. I look forward to going on this journey with you! We do the best we can, with what we have!
Amen girl – the best we can.
Love this! I think I will adopt that title for us too. I had to quit reading all the other “food” blogs I read because of the fear and stress they were causing my family and I. This is why your blog has stayed on my list. Balance, everyone needs balance.
I made the cut!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHOOO!!! 🙂
Great post! Thanks for keeping it real!
That’s my job! 🙂
So well said!!! I feel the same; doing the best I can for those I love most. It’s sometimes scary how easy it is to fall into the “extreme” category and start losing sight of the things that are most important. Love that you’re bold enough to put it in print!
I’m not sure if I’m bold, foolhardy, or stubborn. Maybe all of it. 🙂
LOVE this post! This is so where we are as well, and I love that you are embracing the Poorganicness 🙂
YEAH! Fist bump. 🙂
Stacy, I LOVE this post so much. I actually had to stop following the real food bloggers I used to follow — even though some of them seem like wonderful moms — because I found myself very discouraged. In THM terms, I’m a Drive Through Sue, and transitioning out of some of my junk food habits has been hard for me. I’m not there yet, but THM is helping!! We get our meat from a local grass-fed farm and *most* of our personal care is toxin-free. Raw dairy isn’t affordable for us (although I splurge once in a while). I can only do what I can do! And I don’t love to cook, so if it’s not easy, it honestly won’t happen. Thanks for being real – this was a really freeing post!
I unsubscribed from them long ago. Ain’t nobody got time for that. 😉
Stacy I commend you for being so honest about your life. You put everything on here boldly and, for that I admire you so much! I do my best to live below my means here in Indiana at the same time thought I try my hardest to eat healthy without feeling guilty over a soda every once in a while. It is crazy how expensive things are these days. I have a decent budget but, heck anymore I barely have enough to spread everywhere!
I’m not really worthy of that praise, but thank you.
I was totally in agreement on this post with you, shouting YES! That’s where we are! That’s the same conversation we’ve had over and over! Welcome to the light! But then…then you put the nail in the coffin, and I’m not sure I can still be your friend…even remotely. I mean, come ON! NOT sharing your peanut butter and chocolate with me? Not even a nibble? That hurts. It hurts me right here (chest pound).
Seriously, I feel like there are two extremes to eating…and moreso to blogging about eating. We long ago disassociated ourselves with the term “real foods” and “whole foods” and blah blah blah. Okay, so we’re still blah blah blah. It’s not because there isn’t some good, solid “stuff” out there. It’s because I felt like if I didn’t use essential oils or raise my own chickens or buy just the right coconut oil or ___________, I wasn’t worthy. I felt judged. Someone whom I had just met once told me, “I’m surprised to see hat your kids have nice facial structure for living on road food.” Ummmm…thanks? I know what that meant, but do you see the judgment there? “You feed your kids road food! Back, demon mama! Back!” And now I feel compelled to tell anyone who might be reading this that we don’t live at McDonald’s just because we live on the road, but we cook in a kitchen just like everyone else…only it’s really tiny…and there are 9 of us…in a travel trailer full-time. See, feeling judged and needing to explain lest anyone thinks I’m letting my kids eat GASP a Happy Meal! The do-or-die was making us die, and it was creating an eating disorder in one of my children. Very. bad. thing!
Anyway, I know there are people who HAVE to be 100% on the strictest food diets possible. We have one of those. It stinks like 9 unbathed people in a trailer in the humid summer with a wet dog. We hate it. So, that’s understood. But in general, yeah, grace. Grace all the way baby! Way to preach it, Kid!
I might share my chocolate with you if your trailer was ever passing by. 🙂 Love you, girl!
I like this. I love some of the content I get from various whole foods blogs, but I sometimes have to “unlike” them because the self-congratulation gets to be a little too much. Also, my spiteful self starts speculating on other people’s credit card balances and then I get all self-congratulatory because at least I won’t still be paying for my lunch in retirement (do moms get to call it “retirement”?)! I know they say you either spend it on food or medical care, but I am way to cheap to be running to the doctor all the time so I don’t actually see that savings. It’s like all the money I “save” by not buying cigarettes and lottery tickets . . .
We don’t run to the doctor all the time either – I patch most things with bandaids. LOL
Thank you, Stacy!! You have brought peace to my troubled food-soul. I have a few friends who I (rightly or wrongly) no longer want to have over for meals for the very reasons you discussed. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. ps, I tell people about your blog and say you’re ‘Pioneer woman-funny’ and my new favorite bloggger.
🙂 You’re way too kind – I’m not nearly as funny as Ree. She’s AWESOME!
Thank you for being real. I respect you standing with God:) I myself cannot afford to eat always organic. I would break my budget eating organic all the time. However, I do try to feed my family healthy food. And also to teach my children about healthy eating. Thank you for sharing this:)
That’s fantastic! I’m working on teaching Annie about healthy food too. 🙂
Thank you so much for writing this! My husband is in seminary and money is very tight for us right now. Meal planning and grocery shopping has become so stressful as I try to buy “the best” of what our money can buy. While we can’t go completely “poorganic” due to some health issues, it helped me realize that there are seasons in life where it’s ok to take things down a notch, especially if it means relieving unnecessary stress. I’m definitely going to be re-evaluating before I go grocery shopping again!
All of life is a season. Right now I’m in a season where I just can’t spend too much time in the kitchen – my kids suffer if I do. So, there ya go. 🙂
Ooooh, I love this! Thanks for posting! I hate it when people put “organic” before each ingredient on the ingredient list for a recipe. Duh! If I was an all organic person, I would use organic everything and if I’m not, it’s not going to change the actual recipe to use non-organic ingredients. So just specifying repeatedly like that is… irritating. And it’s like someone is standing there judging me because we can’t afford all organic, I can hear them, “pay now or pay in dr bills later… better to live in a tent and have organic food than a house with nonorganic… you could cut back somewhere else if you really valued your health…” etc. Ugh! So I love reading your blog because you are so practical. And you encourage people to do as well as they can, rather than making it an all-or-nothing deal. Thanks!!
LOL Oh heavens. In a tent? I bet they wouldn’t stick with that. 😉
Haha, well maybe nobody has actually made the tent comment… I may have exaggerated slightly ;). Pretty close though!!
That’s okay – I exaggerate myself. 😉
Yah!!! Go you, Stacey and Barry, for coming out of the closet! Whole food fanatics are extremists, and in my opinion (not that anyone really gives a hoot), have entirely TOO much time on their hands.
I need a REAL person, like yourself, to show me ways to try to eat the best that I can, while managing a home and family, and juggling bills!
You all are awesome Poorganic bloggers!
Cindy Lou
Thanks for the support, sistah!
Amen! Thank you for saying what I have often wished to hear. I would also add that it’s great to hear this was a decision you made with your husband. It is so easy for me to get on a healthy eating kick and leave the rest of my family (including my hard-working husband) wishing I’d just get over it already. We finally had to come to a decision that we couldn’t afford to eat the way we might choose if money grew on the trees in our back yard. We also decided that food wasn’t worth fighting over with our kids, especially our teenagers. My kids eat white bread and take chips in their lunches every day. They also eat fruit and veggies because they’ve grown up eating lots of them, so they happen to think they’re good. There are just too many other things to argue about (like why they haven’t put away their clean laundry yet!). Thanks for the balance, and keep up the encouragement!
I try to talk to Barry about almost everything. I’m sure sometimes I bore him to tears. 🙂
Now I know why we are friends! You know your chocolate/peanut butter is safe from me!! 😉 And I know that although we still use a credit card, you still love me!
I don’t read all your blogs, sometime I don’t have time, or I don’t think it applies to me…..BUT when I do read them I love them! I love your sense of humor!
And I love YOU. 🙂
Amen sister. Amen. I ran myself ragged when I first went to the Real Food “movement” and can I say, my family was miserable and my friends didn’t get it. We still eat VERY healthy foods and prepare most everything on our own (well, not most everything, but a ton). As we journey toward fully homesteading, there is a line which I will cross (more work, less buying) but I can do so with GRACE! Enjoying how others eat and what their choices are, buying when necessary because life doesn’t always give a busy mama of three littles much extra time to spend all day in the kitchen, and yummy fair food…because you KNOW we love us some fair food 🙂 Thanks for showing your heart. I’m poorganic with you!
🙂 I’m glad we’re on this journey of life together.
I have seen the condemnation from whole foods bloggers, so I definitely appreciate you taking a stand and saying: yes, we’re still going to eat as healthfully as possible, but we’re not going to rub your face in it {paraphrased, of course}. I want to start eating healthier, but this condemnation has lead to some serious overwhelm. I had gotten to the point where I thought, “my goodness, just forget it… I suppose if I can’t eat all organic, all the time, then there’s no real point”. But you’ve reminded me about something very important that I had forgotten: GRACE. I just need to do what I can, where I am, with what I have… Well, without the credit cards that I have… But, you get the point. 😉
I think a lot of people get to that point – and it’s sad…because even one healthy change is better than no change at all. Keep it up, mama!
I love that. I get so freaked out about what we eat, but know that our budget can only handle so much “great” food. Thank you for the poorganics and your wonderful explanation. If you get a chance, can you answer a question? Doing the Trim Healthy Mama has become kind of a burden. I want to eat all the “right” things, but am struggling to keep costs down doing it. Can you tell me some of your tricks or direct me to posts, blogs that can help? Thank you so much!!
I have a post telling where I buy certain items. I’ve found that by cutting out a few other things, I’ve been able to get items like protein powder, etc. But I am spending more – because I’m buying more produce and meat…which costs more than other stuff.
http://www.stacymakescents.com/trim-healthy-mama-essentials-and-where-i-buy-them
thanks Stacy, I do know exactly what you mean about the condemnation that can come from people who have made whole foods into an elitist fashion statement. it’s pretty awful because it seems to “do it right” you’ve got to be both rich and unemployed. Where does that leave most of the world’s population? then what we eat becomes an excuse to divide and make us feel superior to our neighbor. I do eat healthier foods but I never want to put that above all else (defining who i am by where i shop), or make someone feel bad so i can feel good. food does not rule my life.
Well, that makes sense. I’ve never been known for my sense of fashion. LOL
Thank you for this! It’s so hard for me to feed my family the way I really want to with 15 month old twins and a husband who works crazy hours. We do the best we can, which does mean still buying some processed foods. We don’t base our lives around what we do and do not eat. Your blog has been a great blessing and encouragement to me!
Deb
With 15 month old twins, if everyone gets fed and no one dies, you win a medal every day.
Thanks so much for this post! I got in the ditch with the “whole foods” thing. You and THM help keep me in perspective and I’m a much happier person because of it!
No one likes living in the ditch.
You are so true to who you are, it’s admirable. Your blog has led our little Jesus lovin family to eat better, to be better. Your blog is a gift, so thank you.
I’m not worthy of that – thank you.
Hi Stacy, OT I like the picture above with the dog’s head in it. We just celebrated our son’s 9th Birthday and I can just bet that the dog got some body part in every picture! On Topic
, yes, we do the best we can. If resources were unlimited (and I think I would hate to live in that world anyway) we would eat only organic. But we’re blessed by the Lord to have “limited” resources and then we can fully rely on Him. It’s a daily object lesson!
Dottie is super good at photo bombs.
This is great! I went through a detox treatment with my Naturopath. I thought I was eating pretty healthy, and when he gave me a sheet on how to avoid toxins, I felt TERRIBLE! It was this long list on eating organic foods, and avoiding this and that. I just can’t AFFORD all organic food! I do what I can, but I can’t go all out like that. I buy from a local fruit and vegetable shop (which is CHEAPER than the grocery store… yay!) which sells local fruits and veggies (mostly, but not all), and I started my very first vegetable garden this year (using diatomaceous earth as a pesticide which works very well!). So I guess you can say I grew my own organic veggies. But I still buy those “dreaded” bananas (that are shipped from oh so far), and those evil non-organic apples as snacks for my kids. And I try not to feel bad about it. Thanks for this post! 🙂
I love local produce! 🙂 And I buy bananas for my kids too – they love them! Better than gummy bears. 🙂
Thanks, Stacy! This post is a definition of our family exactly! What an encouragement you are.
Katrina was an encouragement to me! Glad to pass it along.
Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to hear.
Me too.
Thank you for this, Stacy! One reason I have tried to stay away from food blogging in general… and struggled with starting my THM blog is just what you touched on… those out there that are either all or nothing, and food canNOT be my god. {and the whole: I have kids to play with and a husband to love! somethin’s gotta give somewhere! and 6 people need clean clothes-like almost every day 🙂 so sometimes my kids eat store bought cheese crackers and sometimes we buy store bought ice cream 🙂 }
I probably shouldn’t let you look through my cabinets then. LOL
HA-mine would send you running for the hills screaming. lol. I think the best thing I’ve done for my kids-though they’re still learning why-is eliminate about 60% of “white” {no, I’m not racist. lol} starchy proucts from our diet. but they are growing kids!!! who has the time to make homemade chips for those snacks?????? seriously, they can put away a box of ANY cracker in 1 big inhale! 🙂 and a whole loaf of bread at one meal. lots of grace covering us here… and so thankful for it!
BHAHAHAHA! This reminds me of the saying “The whiter the bread, the sooner you’ll be dead.” LOL
Love it! Love you! Thanks for coming out and sharing with us, I think I’m Poorganic, too!
You, me, Katrina, and a ton of us here.
Thank you for this post. I have felt the “condemnation” from whole foodies. I can’t do it. Until My husband makes equivalent to a brain surgeon I can’t. But I can spend within my means, and while I have morning sickness my kids will serve themselves GMO Kix. I also focus on that fact I have clean water, have food available at the store, have a flushable toilet and non of my children are dying from starvation. So while I am a poorganic, I am thankful for the healthy options I have that most of the world doesn’t have. 🙂 I love your blog! Keep it up! (ps your blog has really encouraged me through my husbands schooling and graduation and we were just blessed with a full time job for him and a pregnancy for me. Thank you for the encouragement to do things cheaply so we don’t have debt!)
Girl – in pregnancy, you just survive. For the first 3 months of my pregnancy with Andy, I was plastered to the couch and the only thing I could BEAR to eat was ramen noodles. Yeah.
This is beautifully said! As you know, we’re climbing over a mountain of debt right now so suffice it to say we don’t do much organic. I try to feed my family as healthy as I can! And, by the way, I’ve never had organic lettuce! 😉
Here’s a little secret – it pretty much tastes the same. 😉
Thank you for being real. I have spent the last couple of years feeling overwhelmed by this whole food movement. I’ve felt like a failure more times than not when I serve a meal that isn’t completely organic and grass-fed, complete with soaked grains and garden fresh produce. My husband and I committed to becoming debt free almost 3 years ago and only have the mortgage left. We’ve added 2 more kids in that time and I have been blessed to be able to stay at home with them while God stretches our “less than middle class” income to cover all our needs as a family of 6. Although I still do my best to buy and cook healthy, it isn’t always possible. In those times, I am learning that God’s grace covers all, even my less than perfect menu plan. 🙂
WOW girl!!! You are kicking it!!! 🙂 And staying at home with your babies is much more important than buying organic food – in my humble opinion of course. 😉
Yes, makes sense. I wonder if this term will take off.
I think it has – y’all love it!
I love this. I love your message (and your writing style) 🙂 and I can’t have sugar, so I’m not even mad that you won’t share your chocolate! I am poorganic, too. Thank you for being so open, honest, and graceful.
That’s okay – we eat stevia sweetened chocolate anyway. 😉
I love it! Again, you and I are on the same page….thank you!
Ooh and I won’t share my PNB/chocolate either, take that! 😉
Well, we can eat together safely then. LOL
How timely! My husband just asked me this morning to come up with a budget and stick to it! I have blown our food budget out of the water since eating organic. I have got to reach a middle ground. My challenge is to feed a family of 4 on 50.00 a week and still keep away from hormones, steroids, and other chemicals in food. Is this possible??? All things are possible with the Lord!!!
That’s a very tight food budget – good luck, mama! 🙂
We are poorganic, too! I simply do not have the money to eat the way all the big real food bloggers are eating. I also don’t want to waste money and time experimenting in the kitchen if my family won’t eat what I make. That was one of the hardest things. We do the best we can. Thanks for coming out and saying it’s okay!
🙂 It is okay – do your best…and then eat it happily.
Us too! We would love to eat organic all the time and i would love to have everything in our bodies be as wholesome and healthy as possible, but with a toddler and a baby at home and a budget, sometimes i’m grateful just to be able to throw a hot dog at those who are hungry 🙂
GIRL!!! I totally get you – and if they don’t catch it, it’s the 5 second rule for eating it off the floor.
Thanks for sharing your ideas, Stacy and Barry! I’m a new reader and look forward to exploring your blog.
🙂 Holler if we can help!
I am Poorganic too!! This was a wonderful post, Stacy. You rock!!
No, y’all rock! So does Katrina for thinking up this term!
Hmm, I think we are poorganic, too, then. Rock on! Or crock on.
Crock and Roll.
Preach it sista! 🙂 I’m so glad that we can encourage others to find freedom from petty things like debt, money, and food. Food. What a dumb thing to be trapped by. 🙂
Totally dumb. 🙂 Thanks for your encouragement, Katrina. You’ve blessed many – including me.
This is very refreshing! I often find myself frustrated when I make attempts to eat clean and remain strictly organic but the truth of my life is that we simply cannot afford it while I’m a stay-at-home mom. Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
And which is more important, really?
oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
I am doing the best that I can in this season of my life…we joined a veggie csa and a meat csa, but the whole foods movement has gotten a bit crazy.
I am very interested in meat CSAs…I need to look into that.
We are really enjoying the meat csa from Leaping Waters Farm! I thought they might have a delivery your way, but it looks like the tricities is the closest.
Where are you located?? Barry works in Bristol.
oh cool! I live in the NRV now, but Marion is my hometown.
Some info on the meat csa… http://leapingwatersfarm.com/ We have really enjoyed it! 😀
Thank you, Kathy!!!
Thank you Stacy! Oh how needed to hear this message today! I finally made tortillas the other day. It had been one (of several) “compromise” foods but it took me over an hour to make 16 for a sandwich meal. Ridiculous. I also struggle with feeding guests my expensive grass fed beef when I know they don’t even care. I love your approach and about giving yourself grace. I would much rather watch my sons on the baseball field than be slaving over a stove rolling out tortillas! Thank you for keeping it real!
Making tortillas is the pits. LOL
Thanks Stacy, that was great!
🙂
Amen and Amen. I agree with you completely on this, sister…as I get ready to pop some packaged GF waffles in the toaster oven for my girls for breakfast. 😉 I have had friends tell me recently they do not tithe and/or go into debt to eat real foods. That scares me. My thoughts? Let’s pay off this house so we can have more $ in our pockets to buy better food…eventually. I think I learned that from you. 🙂
I’m tired of the guilt, too. Grace rules. Grace reigns!
Love Katrina. 🙂
Wow – that’s hard core…and scary. I don’t think I’d go there. Tithe is serious business.
I agree!! I try to feed my family as much organic, whole food as my sanity allows. BUT I still buy frozen pizza and, I’m sorry, sometimes I buy the not-healthy peanut butter because I think it tastes better! I still buy McDonalds (and I don’t watch those videos or read those articles showing how horrible it is because sometimes I need the fast food that someone else prepared). I, and my family, don’t live in a bubble. My food life has to have balance, as determined by my sanity, or my entire journey would end!
🙂 Honesty is freeing, isn’t it?
Thank you Stacy!
Thanks to Katrina!