Feeding My Nestlings II
When I am relaxing in my home environment, I do not want to be concerned with avoiding unhealthy food. If it is in my cabinets, I want to be able to reach in, take, and enjoy. It is hard for me to have will power when I am tired and hungry. That is why I embrace the will-power which I have when I'm at the store.
When I'm there, I go into a mode that began in 1998, it is a mode which was conceived when my first child was, when I had the book, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" in my eager and excited clutches. It's a mode that I will call, 'Nurture my Growing Family- Mode', and, as I said before, it all began with that wonderful new life within my womb, a desire to give him the very best for his growing body, and a wonderful chapter in "What to expect..." entitled, "The Best Odds Diet".
The "Best Odds Diet" is a wonderful resource for expecting mothers, as it lays out specifically, the food groups, and sub-groups which are recommended for a healthy pregnancy, as well as the amounts required of each food type, and a list of foods that fall into that category. As my young, self sat curled up in a cozy arm chair with the book, I pried my hand off of my first trimester belly long enough to use a pencil to circle all of the foods under each category which would please me very much to devour! Later, I transferred that list to my shopping list, and began what has been a ten year, three pregnancy, three healthy babies, three growing, healthy children, obsession.
I'd like to share with you a typical trip to the grocery store, during which I am in Nurture My Young Family Mode. This is meant only for encouragement, and I highly recommend that anyone interested in healthy eating, research the latest information from qualified health practitioners, regarding the subject, and perhaps even read the "Best Odds Diet" in "What to Expect when you're Expecting".
As I walk into the store, I keep in mind a few key Do's and Don'ts:
1.Do: Veggies, veggies, veggies! and Fruit! Fresh is best, but frozen fruits and veggies are good, too.
2.Don't: I usually avoid canned veggies because I've read that canning does not retain all of the vitamins and minerals that freezing does.
3. Do: Protein, in the form of legumes, nuts, and if eating meat and dairy, then only organic, lean meats, and dairy items. I drink soy milk, and it lowfat yogurt.
4. Don't: I avoid cheese, because it bothers my digestive system, also, any fatty meat.
5. Do: Supplement my cravings. I know I want icecream and chocolate after dinner, so I try to replace that sweet dairy craving with fruit juice-flavored yogurt, and I buy low sugar, organic, dark chocolate to keep in the freezer, instead of sweeter, less healthier options. I've read that dark chocolate had many antioxidants. For the kids, I try to supply natures sugar: fruit: fresh, dried, or frozen made into smoothies... they love it, and it curbs the sugar cravings. Fructose is absorbed more slowly into the blood stream, avoiding the sugar rush and inevitable crash.
6. Don't: I don't go for any sweet that is just empty calories, like soda, or candy. I try to avoid baked goods made with white flour, canned fruits with added sugar, and any kids treat that claims to be made with real fruit, but adds sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. Why not just give them a real peice of fruit to gnaw on?
7. Do: Get healthy snacks in addition to fruits and veggies, things that the kids can easily grab when they need a quick snack: Low-salt pretzels, tortilla chips, unsalted or lightly salted nuts, low sugar granola bars, goldfish crackers, whole grain/whole wheat crackers, individual yogurts, or applesauce containers. I keep spring water, or purified water on hand at all times, and will dilute fruit juice, on the rare occasion that I serve it.
8.Don't: buy salty, high fat simple carbs like potato chips, or sugary treats
9. Do: buy whole grain, high fiber cerials, with low sugar content
10. Don't: buy brightly colored, sugary cereals
If I keep these ideas in mind as I shop, I come away with a nourishing array of meals and snacks for the week. The kids learn to enjoy eating this way, and will even put down unhealthy food after a few bites, because it tastes too salty or sugary for their tastes.
When preparing dinner menus, I try to pack as many veggies into the main dish, as will fit (It is important not to over-cook the veggies, but to keep them relatively crisp, to preserve the vitamins and antioxidants.). No matter what it is, I can always chop up spinach, carrots, or broccoli and mix it in. Again, kids will get used to the taste and texture of vegetables, even if they complain at first I don't allow my kids to pick things out of the meal, but I make them at least try to eat each type of food presented.
I suppose I key factor in teaching my children good eating habits, is simply to model the proper behavior for them. If they see me binging on sweets, they are likely to feel comfortable doing the same, but if they see me constantly choosing veggie filled meals and snacks, they will, presumably reach for the same.
As a side note, I don't mind bringing my children to the store, because it gives me an opportunity to teach them what we avoid, and what we reach for. Many parents seem intimidated by their children's tantrums for certain treats, and prefer to leave the young ones at home, but, I find that when I speak freely and kindly to my children, using phrases like. "Wow, you're right, that cereal looks really good, doesn't it! You know, that's more like a dessert, than a breakfast food, because it has so much sugar. If you really want to try it, we can buy it as a dessert, and you can have a bowl after dinner, in place of some other dessert."
When I have a toddler with me(my kids are now 10,7, and 2, so, I still have one toddler!) I tell the little one, "Yes, sugar tastes good, but it will hurt your body inside if you have too much, so you can have a little bit, after you eat your lunch or dinner. " They usually cry at first, but if I offer them a healthy alternative, and after I don't cave to their whim, and when they've learned that I keep my promises, they are usually more accepting of my judgment on subsequent visits to the store. One big key to toddler instruction is consistency.
In general, having a healthy family attitude towards food, to me, means appreciating the inherent nutritional value in each food item, discussing it with my children as they eat it, "These almonds have Calcium, which willhelp your bones stay strong, and vitamin E, which is good for your skin." Also, it means discussing why we avoid the foods we do, "Sugar lowers your immune system, that means you'll get sick more easily. It also gives people diabetes, which is a blood disease that lots of people get these days." When I see them make good choices on their own, my joy is so full, because I know that I've given them a very wonderful gift.
May you and your family be blessed, and live in perfect health!
Love,
Jennifer Dowell
When I'm there, I go into a mode that began in 1998, it is a mode which was conceived when my first child was, when I had the book, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" in my eager and excited clutches. It's a mode that I will call, 'Nurture my Growing Family- Mode', and, as I said before, it all began with that wonderful new life within my womb, a desire to give him the very best for his growing body, and a wonderful chapter in "What to expect..." entitled, "The Best Odds Diet".
The "Best Odds Diet" is a wonderful resource for expecting mothers, as it lays out specifically, the food groups, and sub-groups which are recommended for a healthy pregnancy, as well as the amounts required of each food type, and a list of foods that fall into that category. As my young, self sat curled up in a cozy arm chair with the book, I pried my hand off of my first trimester belly long enough to use a pencil to circle all of the foods under each category which would please me very much to devour! Later, I transferred that list to my shopping list, and began what has been a ten year, three pregnancy, three healthy babies, three growing, healthy children, obsession.
I'd like to share with you a typical trip to the grocery store, during which I am in Nurture My Young Family Mode. This is meant only for encouragement, and I highly recommend that anyone interested in healthy eating, research the latest information from qualified health practitioners, regarding the subject, and perhaps even read the "Best Odds Diet" in "What to Expect when you're Expecting".
As I walk into the store, I keep in mind a few key Do's and Don'ts:
1.Do: Veggies, veggies, veggies! and Fruit! Fresh is best, but frozen fruits and veggies are good, too.
2.Don't: I usually avoid canned veggies because I've read that canning does not retain all of the vitamins and minerals that freezing does.
3. Do: Protein, in the form of legumes, nuts, and if eating meat and dairy, then only organic, lean meats, and dairy items. I drink soy milk, and it lowfat yogurt.
4. Don't: I avoid cheese, because it bothers my digestive system, also, any fatty meat.
5. Do: Supplement my cravings. I know I want icecream and chocolate after dinner, so I try to replace that sweet dairy craving with fruit juice-flavored yogurt, and I buy low sugar, organic, dark chocolate to keep in the freezer, instead of sweeter, less healthier options. I've read that dark chocolate had many antioxidants. For the kids, I try to supply natures sugar: fruit: fresh, dried, or frozen made into smoothies... they love it, and it curbs the sugar cravings. Fructose is absorbed more slowly into the blood stream, avoiding the sugar rush and inevitable crash.
6. Don't: I don't go for any sweet that is just empty calories, like soda, or candy. I try to avoid baked goods made with white flour, canned fruits with added sugar, and any kids treat that claims to be made with real fruit, but adds sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. Why not just give them a real peice of fruit to gnaw on?
7. Do: Get healthy snacks in addition to fruits and veggies, things that the kids can easily grab when they need a quick snack: Low-salt pretzels, tortilla chips, unsalted or lightly salted nuts, low sugar granola bars, goldfish crackers, whole grain/whole wheat crackers, individual yogurts, or applesauce containers. I keep spring water, or purified water on hand at all times, and will dilute fruit juice, on the rare occasion that I serve it.
8.Don't: buy salty, high fat simple carbs like potato chips, or sugary treats
9. Do: buy whole grain, high fiber cerials, with low sugar content
10. Don't: buy brightly colored, sugary cereals
If I keep these ideas in mind as I shop, I come away with a nourishing array of meals and snacks for the week. The kids learn to enjoy eating this way, and will even put down unhealthy food after a few bites, because it tastes too salty or sugary for their tastes.
When preparing dinner menus, I try to pack as many veggies into the main dish, as will fit (It is important not to over-cook the veggies, but to keep them relatively crisp, to preserve the vitamins and antioxidants.). No matter what it is, I can always chop up spinach, carrots, or broccoli and mix it in. Again, kids will get used to the taste and texture of vegetables, even if they complain at first I don't allow my kids to pick things out of the meal, but I make them at least try to eat each type of food presented.
I suppose I key factor in teaching my children good eating habits, is simply to model the proper behavior for them. If they see me binging on sweets, they are likely to feel comfortable doing the same, but if they see me constantly choosing veggie filled meals and snacks, they will, presumably reach for the same.
As a side note, I don't mind bringing my children to the store, because it gives me an opportunity to teach them what we avoid, and what we reach for. Many parents seem intimidated by their children's tantrums for certain treats, and prefer to leave the young ones at home, but, I find that when I speak freely and kindly to my children, using phrases like. "Wow, you're right, that cereal looks really good, doesn't it! You know, that's more like a dessert, than a breakfast food, because it has so much sugar. If you really want to try it, we can buy it as a dessert, and you can have a bowl after dinner, in place of some other dessert."
When I have a toddler with me(my kids are now 10,7, and 2, so, I still have one toddler!) I tell the little one, "Yes, sugar tastes good, but it will hurt your body inside if you have too much, so you can have a little bit, after you eat your lunch or dinner. " They usually cry at first, but if I offer them a healthy alternative, and after I don't cave to their whim, and when they've learned that I keep my promises, they are usually more accepting of my judgment on subsequent visits to the store. One big key to toddler instruction is consistency.
In general, having a healthy family attitude towards food, to me, means appreciating the inherent nutritional value in each food item, discussing it with my children as they eat it, "These almonds have Calcium, which willhelp your bones stay strong, and vitamin E, which is good for your skin." Also, it means discussing why we avoid the foods we do, "Sugar lowers your immune system, that means you'll get sick more easily. It also gives people diabetes, which is a blood disease that lots of people get these days." When I see them make good choices on their own, my joy is so full, because I know that I've given them a very wonderful gift.
May you and your family be blessed, and live in perfect health!
Love,
Jennifer Dowell
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