Get Ready For the LAUNCH Of Our NEW Trail Bark
Real food. What's real food? Real food came from the ground at one time. It's not been overly heated or treated or processed by machine and man. It's food that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals or combined with pesticides and refined sugar. It's handled with care. Soaked or sprouted. Fresh. Colorful.
For the first time in my career (Yes, first time) I REALLY clearly see that most people don't eat real food and don't even know it.
I mean, I have always known this to some degree but I've lived in my health food {plus busy family and time consuming job} bubble for so long that I have forgotten about the rest of what goes on outside of it. There is a lot of crap out there. And most people eat it...on a daily basis and might not even know it.
It hit me after all this McDonalds talk lately {them adding apples to their happy meals}. So much focus is on calories and fat and less on the pesticides, chemicals, preservatives and dyes - you know, those poisonous toxic things.
I had all this on my mind when I walked into the Kookie Karma kitchen during production hours. I suddenly had a moment in which I wished everybody could be there to see how REAL and beautiful everything was.
And what better way to do that than with a camera and a pen {a virtual pen that is}!?
I have decided to share with you the visuals behind my world. My passion. The Kookie Karma world. One in which uses REAL ingredients to produce healthy treats. I am SO thankful and grateful for this. More than ever.
I don't think most people realize the work, money, thought, care and organic freshness that goes into this vision and this food establishment.
Not to mention I think it's really important for people to see the behind-the-scenes action before paying the high prices and appreciating eating the unique flavors and products. And the EXTRA time it takes for you to receive your products. I know it's not cheap. And trust me, I know how to make conventional food that tastes sweeter, better, richer, etc. than what we sell. That's sounds bad, but it's true. I'm not going to sell you something that TASTES amazing to the average Joe but that harms your body over time, contribute to disease, rots your teeth and/or makes you fat. It wouldn't be ethical knowing what I know about food and chemicals and disease. {sigh}
There aren't that many food companies that are as health conscious as we are, I know that, but how many have had the same staff hand pressing juice...hand bagging granola...and so on. For over 5 ½ years?
The quality, freshness and purity of our ingredients is the best you can get.
We don't use fillers. We don't use stuff that's been sprayed with pesticides. Every ingredient has some sort of health benefit.
Nothing in that space says "kept out of children's reach!"
We don't use chemicals or dyes.
We pay a lot of extra money for on buying Certified Organic ingredients.
On top of that our ingredients haven't been overly processed in some lab. Or chlorinated or bleached or heated or sterilized or even FROZEN! All comes straight from Nature. Where it should come from. Unfortunately, for all of us, the stuff made in a lab costs a LOT less. Despite the irony!
Because of this, our food is made EVERY week. We want everybody to be eating FRESH food. Not overly-shelf-stable food.
Our kitchen has never had rats or ants or cockroaches. We don't spray for rodents; we keep everything clean as can be and up off the floors! Our kitchen shines.
In fact, no animal products or wheat of any kind are allowed in that space. Or used in production.
Music is always playing. The A/C is running. Everybody is laughing. We talk life. We talk politics. We talk relationships and tell jokes. All the while working away on providing you with the best, healthiest food your money can buy.
Believe it or not, the energy that goes into food is crucial to it's overall health benefits (I know, I know. I'm a bit of a hippie at times).
Of course we have had hiccups and accidents, tears and frustrations, major stress and packaging problems. Customers have complained. Food contamination is few and far between. But it can happen. Human error happens. Are there a million things we could do EVER better for the environment and added health benefits? YES. But we're honest about all of it. Our intentions are there and we will do everything in our power to provide you the best combination of what's healthy but also gourmet, money saving, HEALTHY, clean and within our very small budget. It's a massive, money hungry and extremely difficult industry to be a part of, which is why I've wanted to give up SO many times.
But I keep going because it feels so good knowing we've brightened somebody's day.
We are not trying to fool anybody with false advertising. Making money is crucial to any business, but it's not what drives Kookie Karma.
We want customers to UNDERSTAND us - the whys and hows of what we're doing as a company and our mission.
Moral of the story: Do you know what you're eating?
Here's a window into my world! The Food world. The REAL Food world! And now you know what really goes on behind our products and why they cost more than a Happy Meal.
Final Note: If you're spending less than $2.00 for a cookie, Or less than $5.00 for a ready made lunch, you'd better check that label and the ingredients. If the math doesn't add up --- it's probably NOT real food.
Happy Weekending.
Kale Chips Ready For Demos
Melissa @ Vegan CacaoBee
You are so right about most people not eating real food and not even realizing it. I find it interesting how foreign real food tastes to people when they are accustomed to filling up on all those pesticides, preservatives, chemicals, dyes, etc. Also...I love the behind-the-scenes pictures! Thanks for sharing them! Hope you have a great day 🙂
Jasmine
Great post - I liked seeing that you actually soak the nuts that you incorporate into your products! I assumed that even raw food manufacturers skipped that stepped, but you're putting your time (and money) where your mouth is.