FAQ
How can I get your products? Shipping, Delivery, Pickup!
We ship nationwide, we deliver and you can pick them up! When you order, you are given the choice of "Ship" or several places to pickup. (See below ). IF YOU ARE CHOOSING DELIVERY (in the San Diego area for only $10), please choose the "Ship" option and you will be given the option to choose delivery (in San Diego).
FREE PICKUP LOCATION in San Diego county.
Maya’s Cookies (Wed-Sun) (ordering ahead online is required).
Can I get more information about the PICKUP at Maya's Cookies option?
Yes - Maya's cookies is located at 4760 Mission Gorge Place, San Diego Ste G. They are currently open Wed-Fri 11am - 4pm & Sat/Sun 10am-4pm. When you choose this option, we will get the order ready ASAP and contact you to let you know when it will be ready to pick up. Please let us know if there is a specific day you'd prefer. Your order will be located in the back fridge across from the sink (this is what you should tell them). Maya is doing us a tremendous favor, so if you have any questions or issues about your order please don't ask her employees, please call or text Tracy at 858-735-9148.
How do I leave you a NOTE for a GIFT with my order?
A note can be added on the cart page, which shows up on the side of the screen with every purchase, or if you click the word "cart" or the cart icon which is located in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
How much is SHIPPING and how long will it take to receive my order?
We have a few options for shipping throughout the country. Our highest priority is getting your order to you as fast as possible (2-3 days), for a reasonable price. We offer Standard Shipping ($10) USPS Priority Mail, UPS 3-Day UPS and 2-Day AIR Shipping. When you order, you'll be presented with a choice of options. If you are ordering one or more of our semi-perishable items (cookies, burgers, falafel) and you are not shipping to CA/NV/AZ/UT, your Goodies will require air travel from San Diego to arrive within 2-3 days. Please choose air shipping option to assure your Goodies arrive as fresh as possible.
Where can we find your products?
Please check our Where to Buy page for local retailers (we are adding more all the time so please check back!)
What is UNIQUE about your products?
Frankly, everything! Our Goodies are made from whole, unprocessed foods that not only taste great, they're good for you and what your body deserves when you're looking for a delicious treat! Most treats on the market today (including vegan treats) contain mostly processed ingredients including white flour, white sugar and oil in the form of palm or coconut oil which are full of saturated fats. These are all addicting foods that are not doing your body any good. Our philosophy is to not only enjoy your food, but also allow your body to enjoy it which allows you to feel good about eating and enjoying it!
How many grams of SUGAR per cookie?
While we don’t use processed sugar to sweeten the base of the cookie, we do use dried fruit which of course contains naturally occurring sugar. This is balanced with the natural nutrients in the fruit: fiber, protein and vitamins and minerals. It varies, but there are generally 6-7 grams of sugar per cookie, mostly in the form of date or raisin (ie fruit "sugar"). The entire fruit is used to make the cookies, so you are getting all of the nutrients and fiber in the dried fruit, along with the added sweetness. If the cookie/muffin contains chocolate chips, it also could contain a small amount of cane sugar.
The magic of these cookies is that the beans/sunflower seeds/oats balance the sugars so you should not get a spike (or as much - depending on your individual blood sugar control). The protein, fiber and whole food fats make the magic! Please note that a whole-food, plant-based diet is a great solution to blood sugar issues. Read Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes for more info and a great tutorial on the truth behind what actually causes diabetes and blood sugar issues, like insulin resistance.
Why do you include LENTILS in your cookies?
I started experimenting with adding beans to many of my recipes because I realized that we could all benefit from eating more of them. They are moist & mild-tasting so they lend themselves well as a base for our other delicious ingredients. They’ll fill you up due to their high fiber content, improve your digestive system, cleanse your body, provide plant protein and you won’t even know it! HERE are five important reasons from our friends at Forks over Knives (watch on Netflix!) to include more beans in your diet!
Is whole-food plant-based (WFPB) the same as vegan?
No. Vegan is a least-harm type of lifestyle people choose to follow to benefit the animals and the planet, but not necessarily for their health. WFPB is a diet meant to decrease processed foods in the diet and perhaps combat/prevent degenerative diseases like diabetes & heart disease. As it turns out I’m both WFPB AND VEGAN, because that's the most impactful way an individual can help their own health, the animals, and the planet!
Why are the cookies VEGAN?
To me, there is no other way! I’ve lived a vegan lifestyle since 1990, so there are no animal products in my kitchen.
Do the cookies TASTE like beans?
Nope! As Steven says, "They taste like lovely little sweet cake pillows giving you a warm hug!"
Why are your products OIL-FREE?
Oils are ultra-processed foods, so they are not included in a WFPB diet. Oils are 100% fat and 100% extra calories that most of us don’t need! They are basicallly devoid/stripped of nutrients. According to the work of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, oils actually contribute to heart disease so we avoid using them in our products because they are not needed when you use whole foods to add moisture. It's a cleaner way to eat: lower in calories and higher in nutrition to meet your body's needs. And NEVER FEAR! We use whole food ingredients with some healthy fats like sunflower seed meal, almond meal and peanut butter to retain moisture in the cookies.
What items are GLUTEN FREE?
All of our products are gluten-free and every possible step has been made to make sure they are free from gluten. Our products created in gluten-free environment. But, they are not made in a completely gluten free kitchen. We cook in Maya’s Cookie’s kitchen (all vegan), after equipment and surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
What items are SOS (salt/oil/sugar) FREE?
Our granolas (Cinnamon Date Crunch, Cacao Crunch and Cranberry Pecan Crunch) are SOS-Free! Note that the apple juice infused dried cranberries I use have a very small amount of sunflower oil but I use a hot water soaking method to eliminate most of it.
Are your products ORGANIC?
We use organic ingredients whenever possible.
Is FREE DELIVERY available?
Yes, free delivery is available in San Diego for orders of $70 or more and also free for orders $20 or more in some areas around north inland San Diego county (mainly Escondido & Rancho Bernardo). Contact us at hello@tracysrealfoods.com with any questions.
Do you have plans in the works for MORE Tracy's REAL food products?
Yes! We always enjoy hearing your recommendations for what else we should make. I've got some great oil-free sauces and cheeses, plus other savory food ideas I'm developing in our test kitchen. We look forward to getting them out to you, soon. Stay tuned!
Why do you use sunflower seeds? Organic sunflower seeds are a great source of good fats, fiber, protein and add moisture to my baked products. They are more readily available/affordable in organic form than almond meal. And less people are allergic to seeds than nuts. And some people avoid all nuts in their diet, but do allow seeds.
Why is there a bit of green "dis"coloration in my cookie/muffin? This is completely natural and safe! It's simply a spot of chlorophyll from the sunflower meal which naturally contains chlorophyll. Sometimes the seeds react with the leavening and temperature changes to create a bit of green. But we notice no flavor difference and see it as an advantage. A bit more green is always good! Check this site for more interesting info about this. (Crazy Food Questions and Answers)
Can I include a note with my gift order?
Yes! Please include it in the notes section on the cart page during the order process. We will be sure to include it. People love giving and receiving our Goodies as gifts!
What is your Return/Refund Policy?
We are unable to accept returns. If you experienced an issue with your order please email us at: hello@tracysrealfoods.com.
When will I receive my shipped order?
All orders are sent either via USPS Priority shipping or UPS Ground (for local/southern California). Most orders will arrive within 1-3 days of being shipped depending on your region. Once your order has been shipped you will receive a tracking number. We do not take responsibility for orders that have been marked delivered but may not have been received. We recommend keeping an eye on your tracking number to make sure someone is home soon after the order arrives.