I live in the south...but I want to eat healthy

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amandal15
amandal15 Posts: 108 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I live in the south...so everything is fried or with tons of butter. :) But I want to change my eating to be healthier. If it was just me, I don't think it would be too hard, but I have 4 kids that I have to feed too. 2 of the 4 are very picky. Does anyone have a book that they can suggest...a cookbook or a nutrition book. Something that I can slowly introduce to the kids so that we are all eating healthy?
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Replies

  • NYGirl65
    NYGirl65 Posts: 5
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    I'm a transplant to the South for the last 12 years, and I have gained since being down here too. I find the abundance of fast food places really adds to the problem here and promotes unhealthy habits. I stopped going out to eat, that was the first thing I did. Now my Hubby and I go out for a really nice dinner about once a month. Also, there are 2 books by an author named Marlene Koch that I would definitely recommend: Eat What You Love and Eat More of What You Love. There are recipes in there that your whole family will love, even the picky ones. Good luck!:smile:


    One more thing about those cookbooks, they give you the nutritional breakdown for each recipe so you don't have to try and figure it out for yourself.
  • amandal15
    amandal15 Posts: 108 Member
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    Thanks so much! I will definitely check out the books!
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
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    It's warm all year right? So isn't there fresh fruits and veggies in abundance? Do you have farmer's markets in your area?
  • brooke_young08
    brooke_young08 Posts: 70
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    I don't have a suggestiong - sorry! I just wanted to commend you on your dedication to get the whole family healthy. No matter how difficult it will be, hang in there!!!
  • Loulady
    Loulady Posts: 511 Member
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    How does living in the south mean you have to eat poorly? Last I checked, there's no butter and fried chicken quota we're forced to meet, and we have farmers markets open 10 months out of the year, for cryin' out loud. :happy:


    Here's some healthy takes on some traditional southern dishes, though:
    http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_southern_recipes

    And it's kind of cheesy, but I've watched a couple episodes of Not My Momma's Meals on Food network, and which ever spawn of Paula Deen that is seems to make tasty looking versions of his mom's recipes.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Your children shouldn't need to be "introduced" to healthy eating, that should be in place from birth. Avoid take out and fast food then you avoid the deep fried buttery mess :flowerforyou:
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    I like fried foods too and also live (sort of) South (in VA, so it's not as southern as some places). I buy shake and bake sometimes and bake my chicken instead of frying. I try to remove a lot of the fat by replacing butter with olive oil and low fat substitutes. It's the little changes that add up to the biggest differences for you if you make enough of them.

    As far as the kiddos go; they will be resistant, but do not give up! Kids can learn to tolerate or even enjoy healthy foods if you let them try. When I have my kids, they have to try new vegetables. We found out that while my oldest hates all things green, he loves fresh cooked spinach. While my youngest hates cooked carrots, he likes baked sweet potato fries (he thinks they are the same thing because they are orange). If you give them a variety and force them to try something (but not force them to eat it because that could exasperate the situation), they may have a new favorite (healthy) dish in no time!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    I live in the south too, and I just cook for myself, problem solved. When I go out to eat I order veggies instead of fries, and find there's no real reason to strut into a restaurant that specializes in fried chicken and okra, there are so many other wonderful options. I work on portion sizing also, have it just be reasonable about it. As far as the kids go, is it time to teach them a healthy relationship with food? My 3 yo eats what is given him (in 3 yo portions), if he doesn't eat it then he doesn't get anything else until the next meal when it's reheated and served again. Just because he wants the hotdogs instead of the minestrone doesn't mean that he's getting the hotdogs instead of the minestrone.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
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    I moved from California to the South, talk about food shock! Everything seemed to be fried and served with a biscuit! Well until I found my way around to better places anyway. Try http://www.thesneakychef.com/
  • jerbear1962
    jerbear1962 Posts: 1,157 Member
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    you have one of the best resources for free advise and recipes at the end of your fingertips. The internet is full of ideas....make your healthy foods fun...that way your kids learn to enjoy healthy foods. Make whole wheat pita pizzas for them and have them pick and choose their toppings. Have some varieties of vegetables and leaner meats. Good luck, Jerry
  • TinamarZDF
    TinamarZDF Posts: 58 Member
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    bump
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    Not to sound rude or anything, but I've lived in the south my entire life and it's not like they don't sell healthy food here. Sure, my mom's fried chicken is the BEST ON THE PLANET (not even up for debate, it really is), but it's not like that's ever been our only option, food wise. Fruits, veggies, lean meats (if y'all are meat eaters), whole grains, minimal processed foods, step away from the deep fryer...that's really all there is to it.

    With my son, since day 1 he's been offered fresh fruit and veggies as a snack. Of course, he's 5 now and every 5 year old knows the joy of cookies, chips, french fries etc...but he would also devour a carton of strawberries and a bunch of bananas before reaching for the junk food, because it's always been the only available option. Get the junk out of the house, and make nutritious snacks and meals the only option (with the occasional treat, of course---I'm not a monster lol) and those kids will pick up healthy habits to last them a lifetime. Get outside with the kids--when it's not a thousand degrees out--and do something active as a family, make exercise part of their daily lives as well. Lead by example, mom!

    ETA: If you're trying to think of new ways to get your kids eating fruits and veggies, that "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook is awesome! My son LOVES the stuff I've made from there. I also pull recipes from Clean Eating magazine and since I have a subscription to Runner's World, I always find a recipe or two in there to try.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Check out skinnytaste.com. That blog has a lot of good meals in a "lighter" version. My favorites were the chili and baked chicken nuggets. There are also some recipes that are not so common. They've all been good so far.
  • ndnmomma
    ndnmomma Posts: 466 Member
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    Ahhh kids are tricky I have four myself
    Really I did no cookbook, I changed how I cooked things there are healthier just as tasty ways to cook. Healthy stuff I introduced a little at a time, and eventually they adapt. Also keep in mind their kids, so you must teach healthy to them, but don't deny them of everything. It will require time and patience, but they will come around
    Good luck!
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    It's warm all year right? So isn't there fresh fruits and veggies in abundance? Do you have farmer's markets in your area?

    This...I grew up in the south and can tell you that my weight gain didn't start until I moved out of my parents house and got to choose my own foods and started to make typical young-person poor choices.

    What part of the south do you live in? I'm in NC and 15 minutes from one of the best farmer's markets in the country, with an abundance of smaller community markets and CSAs to choose from. If you are in the south, you can't be too far from a farm!

    Two resources I love (if you like to cook) is Cooking Light magazine and the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. This is well-used in our house!
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    The "SparkPeople CookBook: Love Your Food Lose The Weight" has LOTS of Healthy Recipe Make-Overs as well as Diet and Exercise Tips.
    Also, I believe Jerry Seinfield's wife (Jessica?) had a cookbook out a few years ago where she incorporated pureed vegetables into her recipes to 'Trick' her kids into eating more Veggies.

    {edited to Add: I am from Oklahoma so I feel your PAIN. Yes, they DO sell lots of Great Fresh Food here, but we tend to Fry It and Cover it in Gravy!}
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    I live in the south...so everything is fried or with tons of butter. :)

    facepalm06.jpg
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    I live in SC, so I hear you on the bad, bad foods! Everything slathered in butter, BBQ, cooked in bacon fat, or fried (I mean fat back = fried fat. Come ON!!!)! I also try to avoid fast foods, but damn if Rush's isn't awesome! I have a garden in my yard, and you with our seasons, you can grow stuff almost all year (gardening is also great exercise) and it tastes so much better fresh from my yard. This is also a good way to get the kids involved, that and teaching them to cook. Another good resource is Eating Well, it is a magazine that focuses on fresh and seasonal. I love it because you don't have to go to the frou frou food store to make their recipes! As far as your picky eaters...I don't give mine a choice. You eat what I am making, or you eat an apple, those are your only choices. My 16 yo used to be "picky", but once I finished grad school and was home to actually cook, she quickly realized it was eat what you may not like, or starve. She now eats EVERYTHING...even took sushi to school for lunch. I was so proud =)
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
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    Hold on, let me finish my biscuits and gravy with a side of fried bacon, and I'll try to give you some advice.
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
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    If you're looking for a cookbook, I'd try Cookinglight's Essential Dinner Tonight. You can buy it on amazon for $18 - great recipes that are healthy, good for kids, and don't taste like diet food.

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