FAQS

Q: How many calories are in each meal?

A: Real.Easy.Meals places the focus on using fresh, wholesome ingredients rather than focusing on the amount of calories in a meal. We do this by eliminating high calorie foods such as fatty red meats, pasta, most dairy and refined sugar; we advocate the use of fresh, colorful, and more nutritious foods. Our goal is to create meals that are not only
delicious, but provide the body with superior nutrition supplying approximately 1500-2000 calories per day.

Q: What if I don’t like a meal in the weekly meal plan?

A: Meals can be replaced or swapped within the week if desired, however the meal plan is designed to minimize grocery costs and reduce waste. If you choose to replace a meal, you do not need to purchase those items for the recipe you are eliminating and you can remove them from the weekly shopping list. You will then need to add the ingredients for the recipe that you do wish to use to your weekly shopping list.

Q: What do I do with the leftover items from the recipes?

A: The meal plan is designed to minimize grocery costs by eliminating wasted food. When a recipe only utilizes ½ of an ingredient, the other half of the item is then incorporated into another meal within the next two days. So save ALL unused items for future use.

Q: What if I am allergic to an ingredient in a recipe?

A: Some people have mild to severe allergic reactions to various foods. If this is the case, you may try substituting another ingredient to replace the allergen in the recipe, or simply find another recipe from our list you would rather replace it with.

Q: What if one of the ingredients is not in season?

A: Our meal plans are produced each week and take into account the season and the available produce. If a particular ingredient is not available to you, you may replace the ingredient with another fruit/vegetable that would be suitable in the recipe, or simply find another recipe that you would rather replace it with.

Q: Do I need to buy these items organic?

A: While organic foods are superior as they do not contain toxins such as pesticides, heavy metals, or industrial chemicals (artificial flavors, colors or preservatives), it is not imperative in following our meal plans. You may want to consider purchasing only organic when using produce from “the dirty dozen” list. We advise you to use your own discretion when shopping.

Q: What does the “Need” column mean on the shopping list?

A: Each week as you go through your weekly meal plan and shopping list, you may notice that you already have some of these items in your fridge, pantry, or freezer. The need column is available for you to write in the actual amount needed after you have subtracted what you already have on hand.

Q: What if I cannot find items in my local grocery store?

A: Most items can be found in your local grocery store, however some may be easier to find in a natural food market, Asian grocery
store, or even online in bulk where items can be purchase at a reduced price. Check out our website and blog for some tips and tricks and sites for finding these ingredients at a low cost. Some of these items we have tips for include: coconut flour, almond flour, and coconut milk.

Q: What does _ Tablespoon egg mean?

A: Most of the recipes have been converted from 4 servings to either 1 or 2 servings. When halving a recipe, some ingredients such as 1 whole egg are difficult to divide in half. If a recipe calls for 1 1/2 Tablespoons egg, simply crack open an egg, scramble the yolk and measure out 1 1/2 Tablespoons for the recipe. **Most medium sized eggs contain 3 Tablespoons.

Q: What if I don’t have a lot of time to cook?

A:  The key to being successful is planning. Knowing that prep work is needed, take advantage of spare time on the weekends and prepare as much as you can. The better you prepare, the easier your week will be. Here are a few suggestions to cut down on your prep and cooking time for the week.

  • When you have a good chunk of time, make as many meals as you can on the weekends and freeze until you are ready to use them.
  • Prep your vegetables in advance. Dice your onions, chop your peppers, slice your carrots.
  • Anything that can be done ahead of time, do it and refrigerate or freeze it. This will cut down on your prep time before cooking tremendously!
  • If you don’t have time to chop fresh herbs or don’t have access to them, use freeze dried herbs. These are Candida friendly and make throwing together your meal that much simpler.  These are usually found in your produce section in glass jars or you can freeze dry your own.

Whichever method works for you and your schedule…do it!

Q: How do I cancel my membership to Real. Easy. Meals?

A: As of January 1 2017, R.E.M. is now a free service.