WHAT TO EAT

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Jenniferpundt
Jenniferpundt Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
every time I go to the store I struggle, I know I want to get healthy foods but I also have 4 kids. I have trouble thinking of what I should get besides your normal fresh fruit and veggies, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks its all so hard to figure out, I wish someone would just say here eat this at this time. Any meal planners or ideas to help me shop better therefore cooking better.

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  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Jenniferpundt wrote: »
    every time I go to the store I struggle, I know I want to get healthy foods but I also have 4 kids. I have trouble thinking of what I should get besides your normal fresh fruit and veggies, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks its all so hard to figure out, I wish someone would just say here eat this at this time. Any meal planners or ideas to help me shop better therefore cooking better.

    eat whatever food you and your kids like, including some fruit and veg of course, in portion sizes that put you into a calorie deficit.

    it really is that simple.

    there are a million recipes online, try googling a few ingredients that you like?

    skinnytaste.com is pretty good as well for lower cal stuff.

    i'll happily tell you what to eat if you wanna pay me? alternatively find some pals with a similar calorie goal to give you some inspiration?
  • emcclure013
    emcclure013 Posts: 231 Member
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    There are a number of websites out there with weekly meal planning to help take some of the stress off. Oftentimes they have a shopping list included to make sure you're on the right track. I use Skinnytaste's meal plan occasionally and I really enjoy it (plus calorie counts are included!). Find one that works with your family and your goals. :)
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Jenniferpundt wrote: »
    every time I go to the store I struggle, I know I want to get healthy foods but I also have 4 kids. I have trouble thinking of what I should get besides your normal fresh fruit and veggies, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks its all so hard to figure out, I wish someone would just say here eat this at this time. Any meal planners or ideas to help me shop better therefore cooking better.

    eat whatever food you and your kids like, including some fruit and veg of course, in portion sizes that put you into a calorie deficit.

    it really is that simple.

    there are a million recipes online, try googling a few ingredients that you like?

    skinnytaste.com is pretty good as well for lower cal stuff.

    i'll happily tell you what to eat if you wanna pay me? alternatively find some pals with a similar calorie goal to give you some inspiration?

    QFT!

    Eat what you did before, just less.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Maybe you do not need to focus on what you call "healthy foods." There is no actual definition of "healthy food" Eat smaller portions than you were eating before. Usually it is easier if you and the children are eating the same foods.
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
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    I eat the same things as the rest of my family. I often just have smaller portions, or add extra vegetables, or some chicken broth or other low calorie side to bulk the meal up a bit.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Healthy food is food with nutrients that helps you meet your nutritional needs. There are a lot of ways to eat healthy. Don't stress about having a perfect diet.
    To be very basic about nutrition, you need a combination of protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the food you eat. https://mynutrition.wsu.edu/nutrition-basics/

    For weight management calories are what you need to look at. To lose weight you need a calorie deficit or less calories than your current maintenance level. MFP will tell you how many calories you need based on the information you enter. You don't need to eat a specific list of foods to lose weight.

    You can find lots of meal plans online for free if you want them. If you want one designed for a particular calorie goal type it into your favorite search engine along with the words meal plan or menu. There are also tons of diet books with meal plans. You and your kids have different calorie needs though so you would need different portion sizes. My teenager gets to eat more calories than me for example.
    You can look at the food pyramid or whatever they are calling it these days for an idea of how much of each food group to have. https://www.choosemyplate.gov
    You could pay a dietitian to help you come up with a custom meal plan.
    You can simply prelog food in your food diary here and use the general macro and micro recommendations as a guideline to see if you are low on something and make changes with foods that suit your family. This is what I do.

    This is stuff I typically eat:
    Breakfast- Greek yogurt, granola bars, cereal with milk, sandwich, dinner leftovers, fruit, cottage cheese (about 200-300 calories)
    Lunch- sandwich, salad, or dinner leftovers (about 300-500 calories)
    Dinner- something different every night of the month. (about 500-600 calories) I have soup once a week usually. Pasta, stir fry, pizza, tacos, casseroles, meatloaf are some things on the menu rotation.
    Snacks- things like fruit, chips, popcorn, pretzels, chocolate, cookies, granola bar, carrots, celery, broccoli, trail mix, deviled eggs, pickles, cottage cheese (about 100-300 calories)

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Yes, having too many choices can freeze you in to indecision.

    It’s a thing.

    https://www.ted.com/talks/sheena_iyengar_choosing_what_to_choose/up-next?language=en

    Here’s tips on how to break it down simply.

    Have a short list of family favourites that you enjoy every week. Four or five recipes. It could be Taco Tuesday for instance, Meatless Monday or Fish Friday.

    Get a Sunday roast. It could be chicken, turkey, pork loin, beef. Make enough to have leftovers.

    Use the meat in a stew or casserole later on in the week.

    Have frozen veggies on hand and then try a new fresh vegetable every week, googling a recipe.

    Family favourites could be meat balls, sloppy joes, or chillies.

    You can healthy up family favourites by reducing the starchy carb/pasta and increasing the veggies. Avoid deep frying.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Oh! I forgot. Give a night a week to each of your children to plan dinner. Involving children in the kitchen gets them interested in food choices.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    One child a week. Not four days a week with the children running amok in the kitchen.

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