Health and nutrition

[Rebecca]

This is another passion of mine- to help families make conscious decisions when it comes to food and nutrition. Our children are not mature enough to decide for themselves what they need to eat and we need to guide their eating habits so that they will grow up to be healthy adults. Part of that responsibility is simply giving our children nutritious and delicious options to eat, bringing high quality foods into our homes. This is not always as easy as it implies in writing, though.

So many of our foods are so processed that it really disconnects us from our own internal guidance systems. i.e. If you eat foods containing MSG, the body begins to crave foods with MSG. Processed foods are low in nutrients and high in creating cravings for more. Those foods are not good for anyone, yet they are everywhere. Strange are those who pack their own food to go places so that the family can eat well and I can say that because I am one of those people. I have gotten many a strange look when I pull out a cutting board at the park instead of McDonald's bags.

Anyway, this is the place to discuss what you're experiencing in your own families. What do you struggle with making conscious decisions regarding food? Is it in weeding through all the nutrition information out there? Is it in implementing and making changes in your family diet? Is it when you're out in public somewhere or you decide to eat out?

If you have something that works well for your family, please share it here, too. We can all benefit from supporting one another!

[rstump]

Well.....now you have hit my passion...well other than my kids. FOOD...love food, love to cook and LOVE to meal plan.

I have a blog that I post my recipes and meal plans on.... traditionalfoodsmama.blogspot.com

We are an American Traditional Foods Family...meaning most of my recipes are typical Standard American Diet foods....but with a Traditional Foods Twist...or alteast from scratch.

[greenbeanbanshee]

I agree with both of you. This is sort of an addictive passion of mine, as well. I was pretty ignorant about food when I began my parenting journey. I mean, I knew I needed fruits and veggies more regularly, and all of that stuff, but as far as really understanding the impact food has on my whole life, I didn't get it. (In fact, I still wish you'd teach a nutrition class, Rebecca....I've always wanted to say that.)

I am now a much better eater. I'm still bad at eating fruit, but I love my veggies! Mmmm... Also, I try to buy "all natural" or "organic" as much as possible. Like buying 100% fruit jam, instead of the traditional Smucker's. Or whole grain bread that has no preservatives. But what's crazy to me is how you actually have to look for foods that don't have MSG or high fructose corn syrup! I mean, those two things are in almost EVERYTHING at the local grocery store. Oh don't forget dehydrogenated soybean oil. Eeeww.....So for me, this means eating more whole foods, which is really cool because I am cooking so much less! Lots of fresh stuff that you can just eat. I think I like this. :D

~Bethany

[greenbeanbanshee]

I stumbled across this link on FB today. A friend of mine had posted it and it really grossed me out. When we think about fast food being unhealthy, we usually are thinking about the actual food we're buying and putting into our bodies. But this articles shows that it's not just about the food. What about the wrappers? HHmm.....

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/15/food-wrapper-chemical.html

[Lianne]

I'm needing some recipes, mamas. I'll be going to your blog for sure, Renee!

I was just looking over a blog of recipes that was recommended and couldn't believe all of the cans and processed food as ingredients. I just realized how many recipes I was discounting b/c I won't use those ingredients. It's great to be picky, but I feel so limited and am getting burned out on our meals lately.

Help! :lol

[Rebecca]

I'm currently on a bit of a raw foods kick. After a conversation with my kids about how fast food is really not food (if it doesn't decay, it isn't food in my book... One of my friends has a 3 year old McDonald's cheeseburger and fries that look like you could warm them and eat them. The oils from the burger broke down the bag it came in and is breaking down the plastic bag she put it in after that. But the burger is the same. Eeewww!), I really got serious about eating more whole foods.

I know what you mean about the cans of stuff in most recipes, Lianne, and really strive to make it fresh at least. As I mentioned about the raw foods, I've been adding more of those into my diet. But I was bored with just eating some celery sticks. I found a recipe for a raw soup that I can make in my vitamix that I have been eating quite a bit. I just feel good when I eat it. Of course, I eat it alone at this point. But I am modeling the behaviors for my kids anyway. They see me doing it and that's a great start!

So, you may want to try some raw recipes for a little variety. There are really good soups just a google search away.

What does everyone else eat at your house? I need some new ideas, too!

[dharma~mama]

I am a huge advocate of Natural/Whole foods.

I am also raising my son as a vegetarian. All I want from him is to be a loving and kind to all beings and can not exclude our 4 legged friends.

I hope to get much more active in food awareness for families and my own journey in motherhood unfolds.

[Rebecca]

Glad that you're here! How old is your son now? Do you have any favorite recipes that you'd be willing to share?

Welcome to our community!

[writermom]

I too love food and have a passion for cooking. I decided, however, to start my journey to weight loss, and when I did, I replaced all the junk food I'd been snacking on with healthy snacks. My kids were snacking on unhealthy food like chips, pizza rolls and etc., but when I started buying apples, oranges, bananas and grapes instead of the junk, they went wild. I honestly thought they'd turn their noses up at the healthy snacks, so I didn't buy a whole bunch. To my surprise, they ate it before I could get any of it. So now I buy lots of the healthy snacks and the whole family eats healthy. In fact, they told me they prefer oranges, grapes, apples and etc. over the other stuff. :clap

As for fast food, hubby and I treat the kids to it every once in a while, but with a household of seven (my dad included; he has cancer and moved in with us so I could assist him), we can't afford to do that often. That said, when I cook meals, I turn to the Internet for low-calories recipes. I'm a BIG fan of casseroles; they're easy to fix and many of them are low in calories.

[jen0608]

Eating healthy and exercise goea along very well. It's enjoyable if you and your child do it together.