How to undo years of habits

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baldzach
baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
in Food and Nutrition
... and I'm not talking about mine!

My kids are 10, 8, and 4. And I'm afraid they've had chicken nuggets one too many times. They're not overweight at all or anything, and they often make healthy snacking choices like carrots and apples. The problem comes when it's been a busy day and dinner plans fall through or for convenience sake or for whatever reason it's just easier to grab something on the way home or while we're out, etc. In those cases, it's almost always nuggets and fries. I try to get them to choose the apples or fruit cups available at most fast food places now, but they're hooked on the fries and the nuggets.

What alternatives are there? What have you done to help your kids eat healthier on the go? Or do we just not stress about it and let the occasion where it's necessary happen and control the other 90% of the time better? Thoughts? Opinions?

Replies

  • Tnrbeaner
    Tnrbeaner Posts: 51
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    Hi,

    I think that having your kids pick apples or fruit cups as a side is wonderful and if every now and than they want french fries as a treat instead, that's ok.. It looks like they have a very active father to look up to as a role model and that will also help them make good choices in the future! I just have one little, one 9 mo. old, and what she is fed at daycare gives me the same worries, but I'm hoping that our commitment at home to improve our meals and what's in the pantry will also benefit her in the long run and what she'll be eating at home.

    Even as a kid, I've never really been too much into drinking sodas, and not sure if your kids are soda drinkers or not, but perhaps keeping bottles of water in the car would keep them from ordering sodas with their meals if they are doing so?
  • jrbb0309
    jrbb0309 Posts: 55
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    I think it really depends on how often you are eating out or bringing food in. I think letting the kids have their nuggets and fries once a week is teaching them moderation. As someone else said, if they're soda drinkers, that's a HUGE thing to try and change because really, it does so much damage. Milk, water, juice, even chocolate milk.

    And then if you're eating out or bringing food in more than once a week, tell them they already had fries this week and they need to choose a salad, apples, fruit cup, etc.

    Also, try and vary what you're taking them out for or bringing home. It's seriously almost as cheap to eat at an ethnic restaurant and order dishes to share as it is to buy fast food. And you'll do your kids a favour by expanding their palate.
  • alpha2omega
    alpha2omega Posts: 229 Member
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    I have the same concerns for my 4 kids(ages 4, 4, 3 and 1), however, like you said it is not the norm but the exception when they get the chicken nuggets and fries at the fast food joint so I don't make it an issue. My hope and expectation is the habits they build at home will continue to guide them in life to make healthy choices with an occasional indulgence. It keeps me balanced and able to live in the moment without stressing too much about every single thing I eat. Eating out is also a reminder of what got me in trouble to begin with as far as my weight so it tends to also help keep me on track.
  • jhmomofmany
    jhmomofmany Posts: 571 Member
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    Stopping at the grocery store for sandwich stuff and ready-to-eat produce is almost as quick/convenient as going through the drive through. This is almost always what we do when we have to grab a meal on the go. :smile:
  • JenWorthen3
    JenWorthen3 Posts: 64 Member
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    Our absolute favorite thing to do is to head over to Harmon's and pick up a veggie platter and a fruit platter. I splurge and get ranch dip and fruit dip and we all take turns choosing a fancy cheese with some crackers. Then we head over to the park and make the kids sit for a few minutes to eat our dinner, then I let them go run it all off. My kids love doing that so much (even my picky eaters), that we're trying to start making it a tradition. We can comfortably feed 6 people for about $25-30 with plenty of leftovers -- depending on the platters I get. Another favorite is Zupa's. I can get my oldest to eat the chicken enchilada soup that she just loves and the rest of us try to go for salads or grilled cheese. They always get the fruit cups to go with it. I'm mostly trying to quit even taking them to fast food. I'm not always great at it, but as long as we're trying most of the time, I think it's great. Oh, and it's funny, because my kids totally prefer Zupa's and Harmon's over any of the fast food chains now. If only I could get them interested in trying that new Indian place over off Redwood...

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