{4 Facts : 4 Choices} Cleaning Up Your Family Diet

A few facts about our family:

1. I do the grocery shopping & most of the cooking – I don’t really like either!
2. If there is junk in the house, we eat it.
3. Snacking is like breathing; it never stops.
4. We have a big family, seven to be exact: me & my husband and the 5 Kiddos (ages 8, 7, 6, 6, 10 mths)

Those facts have A LOT to do with what I am about to share.

I am pretty health conscious. It’s been a lifestyle for me for quite sometime. I’ve educated myself and I know what is healthy, what is not, what is important to consume, and those things we should limit. BUT that doesn’t mean I, or my family, eat perfect. We are an “everything in moderation” family. It’s one thing to focus on my eating habits, it’s a whole other ballgame to bring the family on board.

We eat sugar, we eat processed foods, and we eat fast food on occasion. But, my family knows that eating healthy is at the forefront of my mind, and I remind them of the importance. I take pride in not doing things blindly, educating myself, and making decisions based upon what is best & healthiest for our family – and then I educate them! Our kids know what protein is, they know why fruit and vegetables are important, and they know the number of grams of sugar they can have in a day. Some may think that is a bit much given their age. But, I strongly feel the sooner they learn to appreciate their food and understand the importance of what they put into their body – the healthier of a relationship they will have with food!

If you ask our children what mommy eats & why, pretty sure they will tell you I eat a lot of salads loaded with veggies, beans, chicken or fish because I want to be healthy and strong! They may also share that I don’t eat sugar often because it makes me feel bad and isn’t good for your health. What you won’t hear them say is that I eat salad to be skinny or don’t eat sugar because of the calories. Food is Fuel. Good food keeps me going, bad food makes me feel like crap.

Back to those 4 facts. I share them because those facts DRIVE my choices. And my choices, determine the health of my family.

1. 

   I buy mostly fresh & non-processed foods & cook a lot at once. Majority of my time is spent in produce and on the outside aisles at the grocery. I always stock some healthy frozen options, in the event we need something quick! That way the only option is to make healthy meals. Since I do the shopping, I control how healthy I am, my husband, and my children are. I also cook a lot at once. Mostly on Sundays. I prepare a ton of grilled chicken and a couple servings of fish, grill/roast a ton of veggies, and prep quinoa or brown rice. We then eat off of that for 3 days.

2. I don’t buy junk on the regular. If it is not improving the health of our family then I only buy it on occasion or I ration it. If it has more than 15g of sugar per serving, high fructose corn syrup, or more ingredients that I cannot pronounce than I can, it doesn’t come home. They can have those choices elsewhere (because believe me, it’s everywhere), but at home…it doesn’t serve the purpose: FOOD IS FUEL. So to our next fact and choice…
3. The. Constant. Snacking. I’d love to think our family would only choose nuts, fruit and veggies for EVERY snack. Unfortunately we are a long way from that. So, as a rule of thumb, one snack a day can be an unhealthy option, which is referenced as “rationed.” Some examples of rationed snacks are Veggie Stix, Skinny Pop, Whole Wheat Pretzels & Cream Cheese, Tortilla Chips & Salsa, Annie’s Bunnies, and Organic Snack Bars (like Clif Kid Bars or Cascadian Organic Granola Bars from Sam’s)*rationed meaning = of the two snacks per day, they get this for one of them
4. I love Sam’s & Costco. With 7 people in our family it’s probably obvious that I would shop there. However, I hate to shop, so when I have the option to buy in bulk…I do – and did long before our growing family!  Now that Costco came to town, Sam’s has picked up their organic selections – which is a perk. Regular items we get from Sam’s – Spinach, Romaine Lettuce, Shredded Cabbage, Berries, Peppers, Avocado’s, Apples, Egg’s and Egg Whites, Organic Cheese Sticks, Coconut Oil/Flour/Sugar, Chia Seeds, Organic Granola Bars, Salmon, Fresh Salsa, Whole Wheat Tortilla’s, and some of the snacks mentioned above.

It’s not rocket science. We eat to fuel our bodies. If it doesn’t help you, then you should limit how much you put in there – because it IS adversely affecting your health.  If you wonder if you should buy something, ask yourself, “If we eat that how does it help our body?”

For example: Pop Tarts: is there anything in Pop Tarts that your body can benefit from? I will help you. No, No, and No.

These 4 Facts & Choices should guide you pretty well. We could go on, and on, and on with this topic, but for now think about those 4 things.

Those are simple/easy changes that ANY family can start with. Small changes can make a big difference. Educate yourself on WHY things are good for you and WHY they are not, then make the best choice for your family. Finally, involve your kids and educate them sooner than later.

Any tips you would share with a family just starting to Clean Up Their Diets??? Is there any questions you have that I can help you with? Comment below and I will follow up!