grocery shopping dilemma

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  • NastyNinja
    NastyNinja Posts: 120
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    I am definitely finding a balance in this area too. I have a 7 yr old and a almost 2 year old. I agree that you should have your kids what you are eating for dinner but also let them be a kid. My wife and I have been trying to find healthy ways for our kids to get the foods they love. We will make whole wheat pasta mac and cheese, or pizza with whole wheat crust. The essence is, the kids are happy they are getting pizza and mac and cheese and all that, but we do the best and healthiest way we can. It is also not done all the time. If I am cooking chicken breasts for a meal, I will have 1 or 2 plan ones for the kids. Then I will add the chicken into a meal I am preparing. I just find that meeting kids half way is a good way for me to stay on track, but also provide my kids with healthier alternatives than boxed meals. They might not know they are eating better, but I do, and that makes me feel good. Like another comment, we also have fruit and yogurt available for snacks. We allow the kids 1 snack "junk food" like cookies once or twice a week. Moderation is the thing everyone needs to learn. I am retaining myself after years of falling off the wagon with food. After a couple of weeks, I already find my will power stronger to say no to things I don't need. Good ol Protein that keeps you full helps a lot!!!!
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
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    For snacks, I keep a pitcher of a fruit smoothie I make once a week with a banana, frozen strawberries and blueberries, yogurt and skim milk. If I'm hungry I drink a half cup or cup, I also keep fresh fruit and nuts for snacks.

    I grocery shop once a week. Get veggies from the farmer's market and cook/prep everything ahead. I have a 13 year old and my mom lives with us, so I marinate and grill 10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and a turkey tenderloin every week. I eat the meat with salads, but my son either eats them with a salad, pasta or whatever. I also pre-bake sweet potatoes so I can heat one up when I have the need to eat more carbs (every 3rd day). They're great with just cinnamon. I make a big pot of soup with whatever veggies are fresh. This week it's onion, garlic, parsley, carrots, celery, Chinese eggplant, yellow squash, okra, spinach, and a bit of chicken bullion.
  • NastyNinja
    NastyNinja Posts: 120
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    For snacks, I keep a pitcher of a fruit smoothie I make once a week with a banana, frozen strawberries and blueberries, yogurt and skim milk. If I'm hungry I drink a half cup or cup, I also keep fresh fruit and nuts for snacks.

    I grocery shop once a week. Get veggies from the farmer's market and cook/prep everything ahead. I have a 13 year old and my mom lives with us, so I marinate and grill 10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and a turkey tenderloin every week. I eat the meat with salads, but my son either eats them with a salad, pasta or whatever. I also pre-bake sweet potatoes so I can heat one up when I have the need to eat more carbs (every 3rd day). They're great with just cinnamon. I make a big pot of soup with whatever veggies are fresh. This week it's onion, garlic, parsley, carrots, celery, Chinese eggplant, yellow squash, okra, spinach, and a bit of chicken bullion.

    I like those ideas! Thank you for posting that.
  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
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    My 2 year old eats what we eat, unless I am making something that is really spicy, he eats what we do every meal. Model your good habits, and allow them to follow by making healthy choices. They don't need the processed or junk foods any more then you do.
  • tweedledee16
    tweedledee16 Posts: 58 Member
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    Make healthy food fun for kids. We called broccoli trees, brussel sprouts little green balls. There wasnt a food my kids wouldnt eat. My daughter had decided she didnt like cooked carrots til I told her that these ones were the special cooked carrots. She ate them right up. The best carrots ever she said. Feed your kids what you eat, they will learn.

    We were raised the same way. Yellow squash was called yellow moons, broccoli was baby trees.

    Yep, we do the same thing. Squash and zucchini are yellow and green wheels, brussel sprouts are "sprouts" like the TV network he watches, asparagus are "spears" - we have sword fights with them. Cauiflower are "white trees". He eats lots of legumes, veggies and fruits. Pretty much anything you can cut up into finger food, he'll eat. No snacks if he doesn't eat his "real" food. He learned fast that he gets what we make him.

    Pretty much anything that can be cut into a circle, we call wheels, and that gets him interested! Boys!
  • matthawthorneisamyth
    matthawthorneisamyth Posts: 196 Member
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    Yo, you decide what your kids eat. That's the end of that. If they're gonna argue then you need to put your foot down. It is incredibly hard to focus on health and wellness when you have a house full of processed kiddy junk food. Teaching them good eating habits early will make their lives better.

    As for the grocery store, I find frozen vegetables, chicken, beef, beans, eggs, almond milk, greek yogurt, etc to be staples in our home. I buy fresh vegetables when I can and I try to eat 'in-season' produce. Check and see if there are any farmer's markets in your area as you can get good produce for cheap. Same with a local butcher who can usually provide you with better quality meats at a lower price per lb than the big chain supermarkets.

    I cook a lot. It's all simple though. Seasoning some chicken and putting it in the oven at 450 for 25 minutes is almost too easy. Probably once every day I throw a bag of veggies and some rice in the micro and steam 'em up. I also cook chicken and beef in bulk on Sunday night. A few days worth means I have left overs that just need reheating. I cook oatmeal, eggs, and bacon (cause my girlfriend loves it) every morning. I also wake up at five am and work 50+ hours per week. I have a crock pot for all-day roasting.

    You've got to make it easy on yourself cooking and grocery shopping-wise. The simpler it is, the more likely you'll stick to it.


    You can do this sort of thing too.
  • NastyNinja
    NastyNinja Posts: 120
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    My 2 year old eats what we eat, unless I am making something that is really spicy, he eats what we do every meal. Model your good habits, and allow them to follow by making healthy choices. They don't need the processed or junk foods any more then you do.

    That is what I love about my almost 2 year old. He wants to be just like daddy. Now my 7 year old is a complete other story. I think she hate things just because I make it for her lol.
  • katematt313
    katematt313 Posts: 624 Member
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    Honestly, give your kids what you are eating. If they don't eat, fine. They wont starve. They WILL eat eventually. May not be dinner night number 1, but they will eat.

    If you want to eat healthy, kids should to. You are the parent, if they don't eat what you serve-they wont eat. Healthy food isn't a "abnormal, gross, cant possibly give my kids food". Plus, it makes it easier on you that way.
    +1

    +1

    I have always fed my kids smaller amounts of the food that my husband and I eat. I don't usually have an issue. We eat pretty basic, though - dinners are meat, veggie, carb - with no casseroles or one-pot dishes. I also don't make pasta very frequently.

    What I will do for them is take our standard meal, chop up the veggies and meat and mix in with rice (we eat rice almost every day as the carb), and let the kids pick if they want to add shredded or grated cheese, a pat of butter, or some taco, BBQ sauce, or stirfry sauce to individualize their meal. My little one, especially, will eat just about anything mixed with rice. My big one will often eat our dinner, chopped up, in a wrap or fajita, and dip it in some kind of sauce.

    IMHO: do what you can to avoid making more than one meal. Most of us just don't have the time or $$ for that. But be flexible with what you do make - there are ways to make your meal more appealing to kids.

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