how to cook for your kids and still eat right?

USCEE77

Sounds like you're avoiding carbs, which is fine, but you too need a balanced diet. So give them a balanced diet so you and your kids get their protein, carbs and fat. Let them eat all they want. You, on the other hand, simply needs to eat smaller portions so you don't exceed your daily calorie goal.

Mykidsmama

We try to eat healthy most nights so it is easier. If we are eating a meal that isn't as healthy I add extra veggies to my plate or I watch my portions more.

I have always offered my son a variety of things since he starting eating solids and his favorite veggies are broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Haha He also loves fruit and will pick fruit over any sweets every time. So that is what I am trying to do with my daughter as well.

We also do not have dessert. If it is a special occasion we have ice cream or cake but if they are still hungry after dinner they have fruit or yogurt or something like that.

My biggest problem right now is everyone likes to eat out once a week. That used to be fine because i believe everything in moderation is key but it has been hard since I started on this new plan. Haha

lalilalu

I have an 18 month old daughter, and she basically has the same lunches and dinners as me, except I sometimes add some cheese or something to her's to increase the calories.

I am adding lots more veggies to my diet because I like them and would rather eat more veggies than a smaller serve of meat. So I do things like bulking out meatballs by adding zuchinni to the balls, and then in the tomato sauce i add more zuchinni and grated carrot, plus some egg plant and capsicum. It means I can have more balls and more sauce, and it tastes better, plus gets the veggies into my little one.

I am also making lots of soups and she enjoys these too. Chicken and Corn is a firm favourite, but we also enjoy lentil and veggie, or last night it was leek, potato and celery. then to give her a bit more food i'll give her some toast with butter or something.

We are also having lots of different burger/patties and kids seem to love these. I make fish burger, lentil burgers, chickpea burger, or a really quick one is cut up some potato into small cubes and boil until cooked. while that's cooking i grate some carrot and zuchinni and cut up some spring onions, maybe some peas or whatever. then i mash the potato and add the veggies and make into burger and fry in a pan, for the kids you can add some cheese to the mix and they taste fantastic and are nice and healthy.

flausa

Since joining MFP, I've just started taking family favourites and making them healthier. As a stay-at-home mum, I have absolutely refused to make separate evening meals for the kids. So they've eaten all manner of fruits and veg since they were able to take solid food. They also like a wide variety of meats and carbs. I haven't convinced either of them to eat sweet potatoes, so when we have potatoes with a meal, I steam or roast new potatoes for them and sweet potatoes for hubby and I. I've also been adding more veg to pasta sauces, not frying foods in oil, using leaner cuts of meat and cutting off any visible bits of fat. Once a week, I make a vegetarian meal, loaded with beans for protein. I have reduced my portions, as I'm the one with the problem, not the kids (and they eat kid-sized portions, not adult ones). I have also let the kids watch and help me cook in the kitchen (they are aged 2 and 5). They are more likely to try something new if they've had a hand in the prep work.

I also decided to start talking to my son about health and fitness. He's noticed a change in my habits, so I explained to him why I'm trying to eat healthier foods and adding in exercise. We've talked about why it's okay to have certain foods (junk food - which he knows includes biscuits, sweets, chips and crisps) occasionally but not every day. We've also talked a little bit about calories, but I tell him he doesn't have to worry, because it's part of my job to help him be healthy.

If we really want to make lifestyle changes, we need to involve the people (big and little) in our lives as much as possible.