One of the biggest areas in my life where I strive to find balance is what I feed my kids. I want them to get a good start in life and understand the importance of good nutrition, whole foods, organic produce and meat produced without hormones and antibiotics. When I started to really make an effort with my nutrition in the late 90’s a lot of my friends thought I was weird, but now the nation is catching up to the realities of good nutrition.
One of the biggest areas I have seen people come around is on the topic of good fats. People avoided all fats in the 90s but now most people know we need good fats as a balance to the rest of our diet. (Avocados, olive oil (not heated) and nuts) In the 90’s I tried a raw food diet, did several fasting cleanses, got colonics, learned about alkaline and all the ways you feed your health with good nutrition. I was also single at the time and had lots of time to devote to eating right. But the challenges of raising kids and running a business means providing good nutrition takes time and effort and like everything else I do, there is a balance.
There are many options for food out there and many are cheap and easy to get. But there is a lot we can do with our power as consumers to demand better ingredients, less preservatives and less additives to our food. (I will delve deeper into this subject in my subsequent blogs this summer).
This blog is my story on what I do to strive for that balance, while continuing to educate myself and make good decisions for my family. I hope you will all send me comments on what you do in your families to strike that healthy balance.
Giving kids choices
I know how important it is not to be too controlling about food. The most important thing I think my husband and I can do to model good food habits is by setting a good example. We eat a lot of salads, veggies, fruits and good quality meat. We do most of our cooking at home, but I am not perfect in that I still buy some store bought cookies and treats. However, we try not to eat processed food at dinner or run to fast food when time is tight. (My kids have never actually been to a major fast restaurant other than Chipotle and occasionally In-n-Out) I have found it is possible to provide simple balanced meals while also making my kids feel empowered to participate in their food choices. (Not that I make 3 separate dinners if they don’t like what we are having).
I also learned a very valuable lesson from my mommy guru and bestie Brandon Jordan Chapuis of the Cradle Company. (thecradlecompany.com) She said it is important to expose kids to sugar and other processed foods so they can learn to self regulate. If you shelter them from sugar and all fried or processed food, they may reach an age when they hoard and abuse that kind of food.
I will be posting more about the ways that I inspire healthy food choices in my family in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned! Make sure you’re on my email list to receive my monthly newsletter for more tips on staying healthy this summer!