Here's Your Acronym for a Healthier Diet: ERF As in Eat Real Food, writes Mark Bittman By John Johnson Posted Feb 9, 2011 1:52 PM CST Copied Author Mark Bittman attends the launch of 'Spain.On The Road Again' at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute on September 21, 2008 in New York City. (Getty Images) America's taking baby steps toward eating a diet of real food, writes Mark Bittman in the New York Times. He rounds up a trio developments—the USDA urging people to eat less, Michelle Obama teaming up with Walmart, and Oprah challenging her staff to go vegan for a week. All are admirable to a certain extent, but they still tend to push pseudo-healthy versions of bad food instead of challenging us to eat better food altogether. "The truly healthy alternative to that chip is not a fake chip; it’s a carrot," writes Bittman. "Likewise, the alternative to sausage is not vegan sausage; it’s less sausage. This is really all pretty simple, and pretty clear." The USDA warns against SOFAs, or Solid Fats and Added Sugars, he notes. "You want an acronym? Let’s try ERF: Eat Real Food." Read These Next New Fox star, 23, misses first day after car troubles. White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. Man accused of killing his daughters might be dead. Supreme Court ruling is a big blow to Planned Parenthood. Report an error