How can I feed my family without going over my calories and

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  • yoouperh
    yoouperh Posts: 68 Member
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    I have to speak to this because I struggled with it myself, feeling like I was "punishing" my 4 year old with turkey burgers and stuff like that until I realized, I'm starting him off where I should have been all along. We do portion control, he eats smart ones and lean cuisines...he knows water is the best drink for him, he uses milk to fill up the spaces in his belly inside of seconds. Now his favorite snack is an apple sliced with Cinnemon.
    I think you have to look at it as an investment in their life, and forget about the society norms. If they don't like it right away, eventually they will or they will find something else that is healthy to enjoy. If you don't buy junk, they won't eat it, at least not at home!
  • cansmith80
    cansmith80 Posts: 67
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    I was guilty of doing the same thing. I would fix myself a really healthy meal and feed my children crap. Then I thought to myself, what are you doing?? I found out that my kids love veggies. They actually beg for salad and fruit. You would really be surprised at what kids actually do like. Just because it is considered healthy doesn't mean it can't be tasty!
  • SBelle83
    SBelle83 Posts: 18 Member
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    Feed your family what you eat. The whole reason I am changing my lifestyle is to be a good role model for my daughter so that when she grows up, she won't face the same struggles I had when it came to food. My daughter is 2 so feeding her what I am eating is not that hard but I can only imagine with older children and a husband it would be harder since their tastes have already been determined. It make take a while for them to get used to it but start feeding them what you eat and they will succumb. :) Some ideas to try might be to switch from regular bacon to turkey bacon, instead of ground beef in spaghetti sauce use ground turkey, whole wheat breads and pastas instead of white pastas and breads.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
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    My husband has his two little nieces and nephew over to our house quite often and they are used to eating lots and lots of junk. We eat fairly healthy these days. There is no way I'm going to make special meals for those kids just because they like junk. I'm the adult, and I'm the main cook in this house... they will eat what I give them! :-) Besides, I'd like to set a good example, since their mom and grandmother obviously don't care to...

    You are the mom and the adult... they need to learn to eat what you provide them, and since you are now eating healthier, they should be too!

    My 2 cents... (no judgements, I know kids can be trying...)

    Oh, wanted to add this: The youngest niece plopped her butt down at the kitchen island the other day and said "I'm hungry. I like to eat when I'm bored." And I said "That's not a very good reason to eat!" I said this in front of my husband's mom. I refuse to feed (literally) their unhealthy habits if I can help it.
  • mommyoverboard
    mommyoverboard Posts: 105
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    I have made lasagna and meat loaf this week and both were served with side dishes and water - both meals under 700 calories.

    I urge you to remember that a BIG reason we (as moms) want to become healthy is to set a good example for our families. My kids are 8 & 6 and are enjoying the home cooked meals. Play with your recipes and substitue regular cheese for low fat, whole milk for skim, white bread for wheat, ect. They might object at first, but after awhile they wont realize the difference anymore.

    I grew up without a good example of what "healthy cooking" looked like, so I was pretty lost when I had to start figuring it out myself. Give your kids the advantage by introducing them to a healthy lifestyle. Heck, make it fun by letting them help you cook it! I bet it tastes better to them when THEY've cooked it! ;)

    Good luck!
  • sonyapowell
    sonyapowell Posts: 38 Member
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    we have the no thank you bite at our house too. if you do not like what is on the table you are free to have peanutbutter or cheese sandwich. if you do not want to eat that is ok but everyone has to come to the table becasue that is where we fellowship and communicate. the table is more than food. sometimes we have fancy night where we set the table pretty and even dress nice for dinner. sometimes we have candle light and stem ware. life is short, simple pleasures are the best. i look fw to dinner time to relax and enjoy. i also try to include the kids in the cooking or preping as much as i can. you have a lot more freedom than you think. it is all a family affair, you will be surprised when you start asking them what they think is a good idea or look online for new ideas with them. things that you can make together it is an adventure another form of art or creativity and let thier imaginations run wild with you.
  • jaimec25
    jaimec25 Posts: 10
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    It's easy to say that the kids will eat what you make but what if they don't? The old saying of they'll eat it if they're hungry, doesn't always work on every kid. It worked on my oldest when she was little but does NOTHING for my middle two kids. It sounds like this person wants some real ideas for real change. I'm in a similar situation with my kids. My middle kids (5 year old girl and 7 year old boy) would literally eat a peanut butter sandwich every day rather than eat the healthier food we try to make if we gave them that option and yes, my kids would go without dinner rather then eat something they don't like. I think what parents of picky eaters really need are ideas for kid-friendly, healthy food and healthy stuff you can sneak in without them realizing it. If anyone has ideas along those lines, that would be great.
  • toni014
    toni014 Posts: 6
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    i have a picky 3 year old daughter, but she still eats all her veggies!! i let her watch in as i cook, and if she is unsure about a veggie, i let her taste it. she is a child, and not to sound rude or mean, but either she can eat it or she does not!! i figure teach them while they are young to eat healthy, and they wont have a problem with it later. simple as that!!
  • Rhami1
    Rhami1 Posts: 23
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    They have to take a "no thank you bite" That is where they politelyy take a bite of food, and if they don't like it, no comments about it, they can then say, "no thank you". They are then able to go get a bowl of cereal to eat for their dinner, bring it to the table and eat with the rest of us.



    I really like this! I try to put fresh fruit and veggies on the table when I know the meal is going to be challenging to get my little kids to eat...but I really really like this idea. It's the battle at the dinner table I'm weary of - and I don't, and never have made two meals except when I KNOW it's something my children genuinely don't like but I want to make for my husband and myself, usually a treat, and not too often. It all passes, and they grow out of it, my older two eat whatever I make pretty much, and if it's something they don't like they get to have leftovers or something else - we all have things we don't like. But it's the little ones right now who can really make meal times difficult.

    I agree with most others, give the kids what you're eating, and just add some other things to the table that you know they'll eat, like grapes, sliced apples, carrot/celery sticks, I'll even add some whole grain bread if I think they're unlikely to eat anything other than the fruits/veggies...

    Good Luck...meal times can be so frustrating sometimes! But they will learn to eat what you make, and you'll be happier for not having to prepare two meals every night.
  • missruiz11
    missruiz11 Posts: 32
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    I have the same issue. I try to make a protein, starch and veggie that we all can eat and then I skip the starch and load up on veggies! I also am learning to keep salad stuff, shredded cabbage, yogurt and things like that. One night I made tacos. Only extra thing I did was sautee onions and bell peppers, then made myself a taco salad instead of using the tortilla. Simple ways to save us calories, but still providng meals everyone will eat! I have two kids and if I said tonight we are having fish and zuchinni, they may not eat. If I add in mashed potatoes they will. The potatoes arent terrible for you but may be more heavier than what I need to have for dinner.
  • dbutorac
    dbutorac Posts: 120
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    that is the hard part about being a parent. I think the only thing you can do is be a little bit "selfish" & make healthy food, if the kids complain & don't eat, just remember that you are really doing something good for them too, they just don't know it yet.
  • traceracer
    traceracer Posts: 303 Member
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    Kids will eat if hungry. They can learn to like the foods you make if you're consistent in serving it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    I agree! I only make one meal for everyone. If they dont like it, they can go to bed hungry! If they are truely hungry...they will eat it...:)
  • Blackbetty01
    Blackbetty01 Posts: 11 Member
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    I agree with only one meal too! That's what this is about. I love the idea of substituting fat free items and sneaking things in. The mashed potato and mashed cauliflower is brilliant. I never would have thought of that! We have actually started sweet potato now too. The kids love them and they are very colorful. Just need more ideas like that. Thanks!!
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
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    My kids eat what's made for dinner or they dont eat...im evil like that.
  • slayerdan
    slayerdan Posts: 193
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    You need to reprogram your kids now to eat right so they dont have weight issues as well. Dont do like most Americans and wait for it to blow up----stop the problem now. Tell them what is happening and over a 3 month period or so wean them off of it.

    Eventually they will learn to accept it or not eat.

    Trust me, they will eat. And even if they go a day or two not eating--it wont hurt them as much as high sodium junk, as you put it.

    Get the Biggest Loser cookbook, any of a thousand online sites, a decent grill, and a good crock pot. Its easy to cook healthy for alot of people---you just need to let go of what you think you are supposed to eat and start fresh.


    It took all of two weeks to get my son to like peaches, bananas, pineapple, onions. We gave up bread for sandwich thins. He likes water. He likes unsweetened tea. He does get a dr pepper from time to time, but not one day as in the past.

    Weight loss is hard as an adult due to years of behavior. Stop their years long learning curve NOW.
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
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    Have you checked out www.skinnytaste.com? I have made 3-4 recipes from there that my whole family will eat, like Healthy Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken Rollatini Parmigiana. Check it out. You might be surprised at what they'll eat. Maybe they'd like healthier options if they help you make the meal. If they're young, trust me, now is the time to teach them healthy eating habits so they don't have weight/health issues themselves as teens or adults. When I first started using MFP in August I was making 2 meals like you are. Now I make one. If they're hungry, they'll eat. Good luck! :)
  • slayerdan
    slayerdan Posts: 193
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    My kids eat what's made for dinner or they dont eat...im evil like that.

    This.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
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    I've been experimenting with a broccoli & cheese casserole in the crockpot. I still haven't gotten the texture quite right yet. But these are the ingredients for it:

    frozen broccoli
    cottage cheese (I use 4% but you could use fat free)
    butter (again, I'm not afraid of the real stuff... but you can use margarine or whatever)
    sharp cheddar cheese
    eggs
    salt & pepper

    My husband's nieces/nephew love this. It had a whole bag of frozen broccoli and of course the cottage cheese has a good bit of protein. So this is a fairly healthy and delicious recipe kids will go for. The broccoli is pretty much drowned in all that cheese and egg, so it's a good texture, like mac & cheese.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 795 Member
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    One thing I would suggest is making the same recipe but modified. My kids (4 & 7) can't stand anything with sauce, and don't generally like their foods to be combined. They also hate all condiments except ketchup, so they don't eat butter/margarine, salad dressing, etc. And neither of them will eat cheese or peanut butter. They've got their quirks, which I'm okay with and will work around. I am trying to steer their choices while still respecting their tastes and appetites, so that hopefully they will grow up with a sense of what their tastes and appetites actually are, unlike DH and I who were honors graduates of the clean-plate club.

    As an example, DH and I like beef stew. So I'll cook the meat and veggies, but scoop theirs out and arrange on their plates before I add the gravy to the rest of the pot. Or if I'm making chicken breasts, I'll season two pieces but leave two plain. They don't like mashed potatoes, so I take theirs out before mashing the rest. Or I'll let them have oven fries instead of whatever fancy rice or potato thing I'm making. But I'm balancing it out with making sure there are raw fruits & veggies on their plates that get eaten first. Try also setting out a plate with cut veggies on the table a few minutes before the meal that they can snack on - that will get some vitamins and fiber in their tummies before dinner starts.

    Baby steps - kids are fast learners, and they will surprise you with what they DO like - but you don't want them to feel like you're suddenly punishing them with "mom's weird food"... you know?
  • Candida1983
    Candida1983 Posts: 188
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    My kids eat everything from broccoli and cheese to asparagus. You just have to let them try the things that you're making. Chances are, they'll like them! :bigsmile:

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