Tips and support for our journey to a healthier lifestyle

redroses

Tue, Jul 15 2014, 1:34 pm

My kids have been getting sick frequently and I've decided that it is time to improve our eating habits. I want to make a transition to "clean eating" which will be a challenge to my whole family as we are all foodies. We are also used to eating a certain way and I would appreciate tips on how to make this transition easier for us all. I would love to simply cut out all processed foods and junk but I know I will be met with resistance especially from DH who actually orders food with "extra MSG" and eats gushers as a pallate cleanser Smile

It is hard for me to change my kids eating habits without changing mine or DH's. Can anyone provide me with tips/ideas/support as well as information on what foods we should add into our diet or take out from our diet to improve immune system and overall health? And maybe ideas for healthy meals that DH would go for? TIA. GO!

Plonis

Tue, Jul 15 2014, 1:45 pm

My policy is not to eat HEALTHY, but to make healthIER choices.

I like to have lots of fresh and frozen fruit available - if it's cut up on a platter, it will get eaten Smile

I also switched to whole wheat pasta by starting with whole wheat angel hair. Because it's so thin, the whole wheat taste and texture isn't so apparent. If that's hard, you can try starting with "whole grain" (50% whole wheat).

If DH is used to a certain way of eating, why not try other cuisines? Sounds like he likes heavily flavored foods, so maybe try Middle Eastern, Moroccan, or Indian food.

I'd suggest starting with just the meals you are serving and making fruits and veggies available for snacks, and not worrying about the gushers and other nosh right away. You can gradually transition it into Shabbos foods.

Make sure to have lots of delicious meals, like spelt pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup and maple syrup, or homemade bread and onion soup. If the meals are delicious, nobody will care if they are healthy. Substitutes usually backfire, though. (I.e. switching bread for the PB&J sandwiches everyone is used to vs making homemade garlic knots and mini quiches, or switching white rice to brown vs making a new quinoa flavor.)

MaBelleVie

Tue, Jul 15 2014, 1:51 pm

A few ideas:

1. Food must taste good, or no one will eat it! If they don't like mutigrain crackers, make pita chips using whole wheat pita. Healthy doesn't have to be boring. Don't start cooking all kinds of new healthy foods right now, focus on revamping your current recipes to make the healthier. So, no tofu instead of chicken, just make chicken without unnecessary sugar.

2. Have healthy foods available and easily accessible. Keep platters of sliced fruits in the fridge, along with veggies and healthy dips. Leave pitchers of smoothies in the fridge, made with frozen fruit, bananas and Greek yogurt. If it's too much work to eat healthy, they won't.

3. Stop buying the real junk. Whatever they do outside is pretty much out of your control, but you absolutely can control what comes into your house. Don't be a food Nazi, just make smart choices when you shop.

4. Your dh is an adult and you can't really make choices for him. Beyond whatever you normally prepare, don't bug him about what he is or isn't eating.

5. Add probiotics to drinks, or if they like it you can just give it plain.

mummiedearest

Tue, Jul 15 2014, 3:57 pm

look up recipes from different cuisine. rather than "extra msg," add extra salt. a ton of salt is not good either, but once your dh starts to get used to that, you can probably cut down on it.

make some homemade fruit leather or buy stretch island fruit leather instead of gushers.

stock up on interesting spices. I have a tendency to buy new spices if I see one I don't already have. don't buy spice blends, try individual ones. that way you can customize flavors.

don't cut out all fried foods or make any other sweeping rules. just limit how often you fry things. I even deep-fry upon occasion. I make homemade lentil falafel, fried butternut squash (add salt and it's like french fries), and even deep-fried string beans. but only occasionally.