Lower calorie cooking and the affect on my kids

josaleigh
josaleigh Posts: 73
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
So just wondering what the community thinks about trying a lower calorie diet and how it may affect the rest of your family? I know my kids need all the calories they are supposed to have a day because they never stop moving. I am lucky if I can get them to come inside in the evenings. I hope that my cooking lower calories and having less snack food in the house isn't detrimental to them?

On a side note, they eat all the time! Every two hours my youngest, 8 yrs old and 50lbs/50 inches tall, eats something. An apple, some cheese, a sandwich...always something in her mouth.

So whats your take on raising healthy kids without making them underweight in your endeavor to eat better??

Replies

  • beverlyl64
    beverlyl64 Posts: 381
    As long as there are healthy snacks and foods in the house they will still get the calories needed but will learn to make healthier choice all their life. The non healthy snacks they are use to are empty calories so your really doing the right thing by them in making healthier life style changes. Kids learn by example, be the example you want them to learn from. Good job mom!
  • RebelliousRibbons
    RebelliousRibbons Posts: 391 Member
    Kids need way fewer calories than adults, anyway. Perhaps talk to your pediatrician if you're really concerned.
  • felicia8604
    felicia8604 Posts: 274 Member
    id say let them eat whatever they want but make it healthy foods that way they grow up knowing whats good for them instead of eating a whole bag of chips or cookies for snacks! keep apples, oranges, grapes, etc in the house and those will keep them fuller longer anyways. thats what i do with myn and they arent big anyways but i want them to gain healthy weight not fat weight if that makes any sense? if you are worried about their calorie intake maybe get some of those pediasure shakes for kids that way they get everything they need if they arent gettingit from food. good luck and i hope you find a happy medium! :wink:
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    If you focus on healthy foods vs just 'low-fat' processed foods you should be fine. Then let them eat what they'll eat. I'm doing a lot of chicken/veggies for dinners and they're doing fine. They enjoy trying new foods as much as I do. As a transition I do also keep some treats in the house, like Clif Z bars for kids. I just let them know about them right away so by the time they become tempting to me they are long gone. :)
  • 3ball
    3ball Posts: 338
    I run in to this every time we go grocery shopping. My wife always wants to get some form of junk food claiming the kids need stuff like that for their lunches. Um, no they don't! If stuff like that ends up in the house, odds are that I'm going to eat it. Kind of annoying.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Keep healthy foods and snacks in the house. They don't need junk food.

    Most kids will eat until they're not hungry and then stop and they'll get what they need. Unless you start seeing a negative change or the doctor is concerned, I wouldn't worry about it.

    Let them have seconds of meals if they want or need them.
  • hillendahl
    hillendahl Posts: 29 Member
    I wouldn't worry about it. Your job is to pick healthy food for the house....cook healthy food etc. A child's job is to decide whether or not to actually eat it. As long as you have a variety of healthy food options in the house, your child should just eat when they're hungry....and if one apple doesn't fill them up...they can eat a banana with it...or cheese...or some other healthy food option.
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