I've had one of those weeks where I've tried to be more on top of things. One of my hardest things is putting dinner on the table. Crazy I know. My biggest challenge is timing. My husband doesn't get home from work until 7-7:30. That's when I put the kids to bed. This means we don't often have family dinners. This isn't ideal but it's how our family works now with young kids. I've also realized that in not to many years we will have more meals together because my kids will be staying up later, but for now, they need the sleep and I need my alone time.
So, every day it's the dinner for the kids time and then dinner for Chris and I. That means I'm making two different meals every night. Sometimes, I actually make something early, eat with the boys and then Chris gets the left overs.
So here lies the challenge. How do you make kid friendly meals......that are actually healthy? That can be tough. I really liked reading Trainer Momma's post about this. I know that I'm not going to always have super healthy meals on the table every night, but I can give healthy options and teach my kids by example what is good for them.
Luckily, Jonah is falling in line with my plan. Sam is a whole different story, but I don't give up. My latest strategy is letting him help me in the kitchen. Today he helped me make a super healthy soup and healthy version of a yummy broccoli salad. He loved helping....but he didn't do more than try by force and almost gag.
What are you doing to take your new knowledge on living a healthier life and sharing it with your family? Are you making yourself a separate dinner? Are you only eating smaller portions of the foods you usually prepare? Are your kids interested in what you're eating? Are they taking notice of your new interest in exercising?
Share Please...I need help...and maybe some of you do too!
I try to consistently provide veggies at dinner, and I share my successes with my family. They're really taking notice, in kind of weird reactions. It's like they miss that "fat" me. Soon I will be the same weight as my teenage daughter, and not long after that, I will weigh less than her. She knows it's coming, and I think it depresses her. I've tried to encourage her to do what I'm doing without pressuring her to be like me, and share my knowledge with her when she expresses concern over her own weight, but she's 13 and very sensitive, and it's a difficult topic. Unfortunately, I got fed up with her, "I just can't do that" whining, and told her that she needed to have a reality check with herself about how much food she is taking into her body, so she could appreciate better the consequences of her food choices. It just discouraged her, darn my lack of patience. Sigh. Zen said a while ago in a private moment something like, "Well, I better get my hands full of you now, before there's a lot less of you." I'm changing, and not everyone is on the same page.
ReplyDeleteMy five-year-old Connor is sooooo picky, and eats like a bird, but he's built like a body builder, not fat but muscular. I have no idea how in the world his body is building anything with the little amount of food he eats. I have to remove privileges, withhold any treats until he eats some of his dinner and veggies.
Emma, my two-year old eats practically everything and loves veggies. Thank goodness. Gil, my teenager, is health-conscious and eats a normal range of food, and was already eating healthy before I started this nearly 4 months ago.
I think you are right, leading by example is the best, but I think it also helps to keep offering a variety of foods, and require that they try at least one bite, at least a taste. I hated tomatoes when I was little, but now I love them. As a parent, sometimes we just have to plant the seed, and when they are older, then the seed can grow. I read somewhere that kids have to see and try foods around 6 to 8 times, maybe more, before they are really actively willing to eat them. So, I think you just have to persist over time.
ooh, this is a tough topic Audrey, at least in my house. My kids are really good about eating veggies and fruit, but they also have horrible sweet teeth! Some nights I am so tired, I just boil some top ramen for the kids and eat a bowl of butternut squash soup and cottage cheese for me. Boring, and not too nutritious. This is one of my goals...to find yummy gluten free dinners that aren't too complicated and my whole family will eat it. They have all decided that they don't like gluten free tortillas, or gluten free pasta, so I often end up making two different meals for dinner, or making them a good meal, and finding something simple for me so I dont have to cook all day. AAAHhh, it frustrates me. I just need to do the leg work and collect some good recipes, and get cooking to find something that we all like.
ReplyDeleteWe have the split dinner time situation going on here too. My husband enjoys cooking for himself, so I usually only make one meal for the kids and for me.
ReplyDeleteRight now I usually just eat smaller portions of dinner if it is something that isn't healthy. Since I'm not a mommy is makes things a little easier :) Thankfully dinner is the only meal that I really have to worry about someone else.
ReplyDeleteThe best dinners in my home are when family or friends eat with us. Otherwise I'm cooking two meals every night, one for Ken who has eating issues since his throat cancer treatment and one for me as I usually need to consume less calories than Ken. Cooking for two is never easy but with our differing issues it has pretty much taken the fun out of mail prep.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how important family meal time is not only to teach good eating but for TIME. It is quite the challenge I see with most of us. Thanks for the post and reminder.
ReplyDeleteMy issue is that Emily needs MORE calories. It is so hard to make high fat things for her especially when she most likely won't eat them. UGH!! It's been a week...
When we are at home, we eat pretty healthfully. The problem for us comes when we are travelling. (and we do that a lot). I remember reading Trainer Momma's blog about that, and I need to impliment her tactics. My kids love veggies and fruits, really my biggest challenge is keeping fruits and veggies in the house because the kids eat them too fast.
ReplyDeleteMost everyone in my house is guilty of having a sweet tooth. UGH!! We also LOVE to bake together, so I need to dig in and find some healthier recipes that we can try.