What do you feed your kids?
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Wolfena
Posts: 1,570 Member
I have just one left at home, my 11 year old daughter. She is not overweight at all - if anything she is on the thin side. She's healthy and active... plays outside, enjoys team activities with her school mates and we're even looking into signing her up for dance classes soon.
She eats the same dinners we do, which are cooked with lean meats, lots of veggies, little fats, etc. She's really not that big of an eater, she'll eat a "normal" sized portion of food and not want seconds (even if it's her favorite) and be done. She has an after school snack and a before bed snack and maybe once or twice a week we'll have dessert (like those frozen smart ones - yes, I buy them for her too) She's just not one of those kids who constantly wants to eat and will eat til it's gone (like my older kids were!) 90% of the time she eats lunch at school - which I'm aware isn't the greatest, but it's convenient!
She lives in the same house as I do so when she has something like tuna or egg salad for lunch, it'll be made with light mayo and on whole grain breads. Sometimes I'll buy those sugared cereals for her or sweetened toaster pastries for breakfast - but they'll stay in the cupboards for a few weeks. She often prefers the cereals I buy for myself like Quaker oatmeal squares, Crunchy raisin bran or just plain old quick oats sweetened with some cinnamon, raisins and a touch of brown sugar.
She loves those gummy fruit snack packs and cans of fruit (which I buy sweetened with pear juice, not in syrup) & sometimes I'll buy her a box of Little Debbie's or something similar - but again, she'll eat one and the box will stay in the house for weeks as she prefers yogurt drinks, her canned fruit, and other healthier snacks.
When we eat out, even at a buffet with everything possible available she'll have a healthy sized portion, and often chooses the healthier options without my even telling her to. She'll chose one dessert - often jello, if she even has anything at all! It just blows me away to see this (again - my older children would eat some of everything and then one of every single dessert until they could no longer move.... there were 4 of them, they were all the same - and every single one of them were toothpick thin, I could never figure out why!)
She does like McDonald's and when we go there she'll order a double cheese burger big kids meal with fries and root beer - but she only gets this once a month or so and doesn't beg for it inbetween, it's usually ME who suggests it because we're out shopping or something. Her favorite "fast food" is a 6" Subway turkey sandwich with american cheese, little mayo and lettuce. She'd prefer that over McDonald's any day and will often ask if we can go there instead when I suggest we get lunch out. As for soda? The only time she has it is when we eat out, I don't buy it- she drinks juice at home and doesn't even ask for soda when we shop. She doesn't even drink that in excess (my other kids would go through 2 gallons a day if I let them) With her, a half gallon of juice can last up to 2 weeks!
Holiday candy?? She'll eat some but we usually end up throwing it away months after the holiday - she never eats much of her Halloween Candy, and at this point I don't even get her much for Easter or Valentine's day - or put much in her Christmas stocking because it was ME who was wanting to eat it instead of her! I'll get her toys instead, and maybe one candy bar (she loves plain milk chocolate) & She's always happy with just that.
I'm pretty proud of her! I think she's developed some fantastic, healthy eating habits and I'm hoping she retains that throughout her life
So, what and how do you feed your kids? Are you one of those people who totally restricts fast food and sugary treats? Do you let them eat whatever they want? Or are you like me, and let them have both? What's your reasoning?
I don't really have any reason.... the healthy lifestyle change I made caused us not to have a lot of the crap available in the house to her that was available to my other children and her dinners are much healthier then theirs may have been a decade ago, but I still buy things special for her only (the treats & cereal) I believe it's her natural personality and tastes that have led her to make the good choices, I'm not so sure I'm completely responsible for that! I suppose if she were overweight, I'd have to deal with things a little differently. I think I've got a pretty great kid who is very lucky to have the eating habits she does.
She eats the same dinners we do, which are cooked with lean meats, lots of veggies, little fats, etc. She's really not that big of an eater, she'll eat a "normal" sized portion of food and not want seconds (even if it's her favorite) and be done. She has an after school snack and a before bed snack and maybe once or twice a week we'll have dessert (like those frozen smart ones - yes, I buy them for her too) She's just not one of those kids who constantly wants to eat and will eat til it's gone (like my older kids were!) 90% of the time she eats lunch at school - which I'm aware isn't the greatest, but it's convenient!
She lives in the same house as I do so when she has something like tuna or egg salad for lunch, it'll be made with light mayo and on whole grain breads. Sometimes I'll buy those sugared cereals for her or sweetened toaster pastries for breakfast - but they'll stay in the cupboards for a few weeks. She often prefers the cereals I buy for myself like Quaker oatmeal squares, Crunchy raisin bran or just plain old quick oats sweetened with some cinnamon, raisins and a touch of brown sugar.
She loves those gummy fruit snack packs and cans of fruit (which I buy sweetened with pear juice, not in syrup) & sometimes I'll buy her a box of Little Debbie's or something similar - but again, she'll eat one and the box will stay in the house for weeks as she prefers yogurt drinks, her canned fruit, and other healthier snacks.
When we eat out, even at a buffet with everything possible available she'll have a healthy sized portion, and often chooses the healthier options without my even telling her to. She'll chose one dessert - often jello, if she even has anything at all! It just blows me away to see this (again - my older children would eat some of everything and then one of every single dessert until they could no longer move.... there were 4 of them, they were all the same - and every single one of them were toothpick thin, I could never figure out why!)
She does like McDonald's and when we go there she'll order a double cheese burger big kids meal with fries and root beer - but she only gets this once a month or so and doesn't beg for it inbetween, it's usually ME who suggests it because we're out shopping or something. Her favorite "fast food" is a 6" Subway turkey sandwich with american cheese, little mayo and lettuce. She'd prefer that over McDonald's any day and will often ask if we can go there instead when I suggest we get lunch out. As for soda? The only time she has it is when we eat out, I don't buy it- she drinks juice at home and doesn't even ask for soda when we shop. She doesn't even drink that in excess (my other kids would go through 2 gallons a day if I let them) With her, a half gallon of juice can last up to 2 weeks!
Holiday candy?? She'll eat some but we usually end up throwing it away months after the holiday - she never eats much of her Halloween Candy, and at this point I don't even get her much for Easter or Valentine's day - or put much in her Christmas stocking because it was ME who was wanting to eat it instead of her! I'll get her toys instead, and maybe one candy bar (she loves plain milk chocolate) & She's always happy with just that.
I'm pretty proud of her! I think she's developed some fantastic, healthy eating habits and I'm hoping she retains that throughout her life
So, what and how do you feed your kids? Are you one of those people who totally restricts fast food and sugary treats? Do you let them eat whatever they want? Or are you like me, and let them have both? What's your reasoning?
I don't really have any reason.... the healthy lifestyle change I made caused us not to have a lot of the crap available in the house to her that was available to my other children and her dinners are much healthier then theirs may have been a decade ago, but I still buy things special for her only (the treats & cereal) I believe it's her natural personality and tastes that have led her to make the good choices, I'm not so sure I'm completely responsible for that! I suppose if she were overweight, I'd have to deal with things a little differently. I think I've got a pretty great kid who is very lucky to have the eating habits she does.
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Replies
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I have just one left at home, my 11 year old daughter. She is not overweight at all - if anything she is on the thin side. She's healthy and active... plays outside, enjoys team activities with her school mates and we're even looking into signing her up for dance classes soon.
She eats the same dinners we do, which are cooked with lean meats, lots of veggies, little fats, etc. She's really not that big of an eater, she'll eat a "normal" sized portion of food and not want seconds (even if it's her favorite) and be done. She has an after school snack and a before bed snack and maybe once or twice a week we'll have dessert (like those frozen smart ones - yes, I buy them for her too) She's just not one of those kids who constantly wants to eat and will eat til it's gone (like my older kids were!) 90% of the time she eats lunch at school - which I'm aware isn't the greatest, but it's convenient!
She lives in the same house as I do so when she has something like tuna or egg salad for lunch, it'll be made with light mayo and on whole grain breads. Sometimes I'll buy those sugared cereals for her or sweetened toaster pastries for breakfast - but they'll stay in the cupboards for a few weeks. She often prefers the cereals I buy for myself like Quaker oatmeal squares, Crunchy raisin bran or just plain old quick oats sweetened with some cinnamon, raisins and a touch of brown sugar.
She loves those gummy fruit snack packs and cans of fruit (which I buy sweetened with pear juice, not in syrup) & sometimes I'll buy her a box of Little Debbie's or something similar - but again, she'll eat one and the box will stay in the house for weeks as she prefers yogurt drinks, her canned fruit, and other healthier snacks.
When we eat out, even at a buffet with everything possible available she'll have a healthy sized portion, and often chooses the healthier options without my even telling her to. She'll chose one dessert - often jello, if she even has anything at all! It just blows me away to see this (again - my older children would eat some of everything and then one of every single dessert until they could no longer move.... there were 4 of them, they were all the same - and every single one of them were toothpick thin, I could never figure out why!)
She does like McDonald's and when we go there she'll order a double cheese burger big kids meal with fries and root beer - but she only gets this once a month or so and doesn't beg for it inbetween, it's usually ME who suggests it because we're out shopping or something. Her favorite "fast food" is a 6" Subway turkey sandwich with american cheese, little mayo and lettuce. She'd prefer that over McDonald's any day and will often ask if we can go there instead when I suggest we get lunch out. As for soda? The only time she has it is when we eat out, I don't buy it- she drinks juice at home and doesn't even ask for soda when we shop. She doesn't even drink that in excess (my other kids would go through 2 gallons a day if I let them) With her, a half gallon of juice can last up to 2 weeks!
Holiday candy?? She'll eat some but we usually end up throwing it away months after the holiday - she never eats much of her Halloween Candy, and at this point I don't even get her much for Easter or Valentine's day - or put much in her Christmas stocking because it was ME who was wanting to eat it instead of her! I'll get her toys instead, and maybe one candy bar (she loves plain milk chocolate) & She's always happy with just that.
I'm pretty proud of her! I think she's developed some fantastic, healthy eating habits and I'm hoping she retains that throughout her life
So, what and how do you feed your kids? Are you one of those people who totally restricts fast food and sugary treats? Do you let them eat whatever they want? Or are you like me, and let them have both? What's your reasoning?
I don't really have any reason.... the healthy lifestyle change I made caused us not to have a lot of the crap available in the house to her that was available to my other children and her dinners are much healthier then theirs may have been a decade ago, but I still buy things special for her only (the treats & cereal) I believe it's her natural personality and tastes that have led her to make the good choices, I'm not so sure I'm completely responsible for that! I suppose if she were overweight, I'd have to deal with things a little differently. I think I've got a pretty great kid who is very lucky to have the eating habits she does. 0 -
My son is the same way. He doesn't like chocolate or most sweets. He'll eat a bag of oranges in one sitting if I let him.
He hates fat on anything and won't touch his food if the fat is still on it.
On the other hand.....I have one that loves to eat all the bad stuff. She definitely has a sweet tooth. She eats my son's meat and gives him her veggies.I've always joked that they were Jack Sprat and his wife.
However, they're both the same size. So far it doesn't seem to be affecting her negatively. I know she's going through puberty and hitting growth spurts......man is she hitting growth spurts!!!0 -
Since I've started on here, everyone in my family eats what I eat, or you don't eat. No this is not a punishment, my kids aren't picky eaters. They love to eat Mickey D's once in awhile, but like you it's only about 1 or twice a month(depends on the time of year, right now we have wrestling tourneys Saturday's and Sunday's, I pack lunches but my hubby is one of the coaches and they usually want go out and eat before we head home)But other than that they eat lean cuts, veggies, salads, fruit and yoplait for snacks. I pack their lunches rather than school lunch, not only is it better for them, it's cheaper for me, lunch runs around 2.00 per kid, I can make lunch cheaper. I don't even offer having pop tarts and sweets in the house, I'll eat them if they don't :laugh: So I just avoid them altogether.0
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My son is the same way. He doesn't like chocolate or most sweets. He'll eat a bag of oranges in one sitting if I let him.
He hates fat on anything and won't touch his food if the fat is still on it.
On the other hand.....I have one that loves to eat all the bad stuff. She definitely has a sweet tooth. She eats my son's meat and gives him her veggies.I've always joked that they were Jack Sprat and his wife.
However, they're both the same size. So far it doesn't seem to be affecting her negatively. I know she's going through puberty and hitting growth spurts......man is she hitting growth spurts!!!
How old is your daughter? Is she giving attitude yet? I know mine does and she's only 10!0 -
She's 11 and her attitude problems started around 10. She even 'started' sorta right before she turned 11. She's definitely getting a cylce, even if there's no real flow yet. I can tell when to leave her alone....and so can my son!0
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She's 11 and her attitude problems started around 10. She even 'started' sorta right before she turned 11. She's definitely getting a cylce, even if there's no real flow yet. I can tell when to leave her alone....and so can my son!
Ugh - I don't even want to think about that! Although.... my other daughters were 12 when that started (as was I) and she's only 5 months away from turning 12 :noway: She's my baby!! It's just not possible :grumble:0 -
I don't want to think about her starting. Like your daughter she kinda started, just spotted once like last May so she would have only been 9 at the time, grrrr, can't wait :noway:0
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I started on my 10th bday....My aunt and uncle took me to Steak and Shake. I was drinking a chocolate shake and my stomach was killing me. When I got home, there it was. For many years after that I wouldn't eat at Steak and Shake because I associated the stomach ache with the shake and not the period.
I also have another one who's 9, turning 10 in a couple months. Then one who's almost 5....so just when I think I'm done with the drama.....BAM she'll start!0 -
My kids eat what we eat, and we are very big on "if your full you can be done" we never make them clean their plate.
My 12 year girl old doesn't eat very much, she will get a plate and rarely cleans it. She's very "mature" (boobs are as big as mine:grumble: )for her age and looks about 15. My 11 year old girl, eats everything. The other night I cooked Brauts (my mom brought them for a "treat") she at 2 of them, and she's just the tiniest little thing, she looks about 8, complete oposite of her sister. When we go to subway she will get a meatball sub with no cheese, spinach, olives, and peppers and eat the intire thing. She eats no chocolate, and lives to eat veggies and fruit.
My 8 year old boy, love junk, but we keep none in the house. So he snacks on fruit.
They like those fruit chewies snacks, but I won't buy them for them bc all the sugar in them, and they are pretty much like eating candy. Also in our house for drinks they get milk or water. No juice. If they need a serving of fruit I would rather they eat it, that way they get the fiber.
My 12 yr old started hers and wow what an attitude we get once a month.0 -
Weird how a thread can change topics so easily... huh :laugh:0
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I was later like 14. I thought that was normal, but talking to my friends they all started like 10-12. So I was a late bloomer I guess. I hope that my daughter starts LATER THAN SOONER :laugh: Can't deal with the drama! She's always telling me how catty some of the girls are in her class, they are 4th graders!0
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My cousin didn't start til she was 16. Broke her heart. Didn't get boobs til after that.0
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I am guessing my 11 year old is going to be later. Which is fine. One in the house is plenty. Also I just don't think she is ready to cope with that yet.0
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Weird how a thread can change topics so easily... huh :laugh:
My thoughts exactly :laugh: Thought I'd take advantage since so many have girls my daughters age or a little olders:laugh:0 -
I was just thinking Poor Wolfena..... lol
OK, you can have your thread back.
Living in Florida we have access to a ton of fruit, so that's always been a staple in our diets. I remeber climbing the orange trees as a kid. My kids love oranges and tangerines. They eat them all the time, even the chocoholics like myself.0 -
This is a test.... I've not tried to put photos in a thread yet - but I've seen others do it!
Edit:
OK - none of my photobucket links worked... how do you do it?
Never mind.... I'll post a different thread to ask!0 -
just bumping this one up!0
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Good for you! It sounds like you have taught your dd some very healthy habits!!
I do a little of both. I don't buy chips, Pop-tarts, or things like that, and they love to eat a healthy breakfast of steel cut oats, fruit, yogurt, etc. (no donuts or things like that!) They love to snack on apples, clementines or oranges, bananas, grapes, or other fruit. I have changed our meals over the last 5 years (since I started losing weight) to be healthier- chicken breasts, lean meat, whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, etc.
We do an occasional trip to McD's (they usually get Gift cards from Grandma for Christmas) but they usually get a cheeseburger & a fruit parfait instead of fries. They also love Subway and their favorite restaurant is Chinese buffet where they load up on the fruits they have there too but we don't eat out often.
I have a 10yo (who thankfully is not in the hormonal stage yet!) who is very health conscious. She said her friends ask her what is healthy at lunch (don't get me started on how unhealthy the kids eat at school!!) and she is very interested in making healthy choices. I never force it down their throats, but they know what a good carb is, protein, healthy fats, etc. I don't buy soda, once in a great while they'll get a root beer or sprite but not often. They usually drink only water or milk, and occasionally 100% fruit juice. I pack their lunches most every day because it's healthier than the school lunches (not the healthiest options!).
They do get desserts, usually at school for birthdays and on special occasions. But it's not an every day thing.
My 3 girls are all active, healthy kids and that's what matters! :bigsmile: They love to help me cook and are open to trying new foods. Broccoli is still not a favorite, but they know they at least have to eat a little!
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I think it is some nature over nuture, I have twin 15 yr old daughters, one thin, one not nearly so, they have been raised the same way obviously, participate in most of the same activities, neither are very active, the smaller one eats only enough to get full and stops, the other eats, and eats and eats, in fact since there is only heathy food in the house, she only gets that now but wants it all time, The thinner daughter would choose cottage cheese over cake any day, milk over soda and on and on.
So who knows, my twins are not identical, just goes to show everyone's tastes and metabolisms are different.0 -
I have 3 kids--boy 18 in college, boy 16 learning to drive and girl 13. My 13 year old is doing MFP with me--she loves it, and I think it is helping her to make wiser food choices. She will often look up or plan her meals.
Her lunch--she packs it herself--banana, english muffins with lean shaved chicken and mustard, fruit cup with no added sugar instead of lite syrup, 10 calorie waters, celery and peanut butter and raisins, apple segments. She will measure out her potato, uses low calorie dressing, and SHE IS IN THE KITCHEN COOKING!!!! Looking through recipe books---that is the greatest part!!! She weighed out her WHOLE WHEAT pasta and made a great spaghetti sauce with turkey meatballs. My other 2 kids are not too interested in cooking, but can hold their own. Subway is their first choice for eating out and my son--despite having a car at his disposal, rides his bicycle to college---5 miles one way, swims, push ups etc. My middle son WAS on swim team---but I have to literally DRAG him away from his X-Box to go swimming. He doesn't eat too much rubbish. I truly think they are doing their best not to turn out like me with a weight problem.
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