How are you cutting those calories?

There are so many healthy meal options. Check out the Recipes forums. Lots of good options there.

Well, the kids can eat a lot differently than a mother can due to their activity levels and the fact that they are growing a whole new human body. So the snacks for kids can be more frequent and larger than your snacks.

I just logged all the food, studied my food diary here and learned from it. Since I have no way of knowing what kind of things your family eats, I would say - use less butter (but still use it) get vegetables (not just potato) into every meal. Add additional vegetables for bulk and fiber and nutrients to things like spaghetti sauce and pizza. I shred carrots into my pasta sauce and add mushrooms, garlic, lots of onion. Then I use a mix of shredded sauteed zucchini added to the pasta. For myself...I get it that kids may be a bit adverse to zucc in their spaghetti. Try yellow squash or spaghetti squash.

More vegetables, leaner meat, less butter and oils, fewer sugary snacks. For me, I cut out sugary snacks for most of the week. I allow myself one dessert item in my grocery cart per week. I don't eat out any more, my food is simply more tasty, fresher, and exactly how I want it... Unless fish and chips, because ain't no one got time for that.

1) Simply eating a little less of what I used to.
2) Looking at nutritional info and seeing that some things aren't worth the Calories, so I either eat part of it, or don't on that particular day.
3) Diet sodas and more water instead of regular soda.

I used to drink a lot of soda and now I don't. I've always cooked a lot...I discovered I could make my meals just as good with a fraction of the oil and/or butter I was using. I cut way back on junk food. I made whole foods the center piece of my diet. I cut way back on eating out. I have always been a dairy fiend and went from drinking about 1/2 gallon per day of whole milk to a couple servings of 1%...in that same regard, I seriously cut back on cheese.

I find that little tweaks throughout the day make a big difference. For example, my afternoon snack is .75 ounce of raw nuts (with an apple) verses the whole ounce...saves 45 calories and I really don't notice the difference. 4 ounces of chicken vs. 5 ounces-- 1 1/2 boiled eggs (my dogs are so happy to share).... just little tweaks that add up over the course of the day, and are mostly not noticeable.

Find vegetables and fruit (not too much fruit) that you love. Buy a lot of spices. Add them together. <(for snacks) For meals, I keep it simple, fish, chicken, turkey, rice, beans, veggies. SPICES! Watch the sodium though on those spices. There's a Salt Free Seasoning <that's the name that I get from Dollar Tree that's actually really good. BADIA Complete Seasoning is also good on everything. BADIA's curry powder is amazing if you like curry flavor. Pumpkin spice for things like apples and other fruit. Only use spray oil for your pans so you don't over use them. Measure things out, figure out what a portion size looks like. Good Luck!

1. Intermittent fasting, eating window from 1pm until 8 or 9pm (not the kids though!)
2. For me, eating more filling foods, like Fage greek yogurt, raw cauliflower with hummus, apples and bananas, bean burritos.
3. Eating less chocolate! But still eating some...

Meal planning is my number one tool. I eat plenty of veggies, cook at home and I don't eat out that much, shop for good choices at home, I weigh my food and do research on low calorie meals. If I do eat out I only eat half my meal so get something filling.

Eliminate processed carbs as much as practical since they are some of the highest calorie density foods.

Eat more meat and veggies.