Jan. 2, 2007 - Baby Steps to Healthier Eating!
Last year began with me on a mission --- changing our bad eating habits! I have been able to make some positive changes and I hope to add more throughout this year. I am going to share 10 easy things that you can do to start your family on the road to healthier eating... but... I'm not going to share them all at once.
Easy does it.
Let's take it slow and just make one change at a time. It takes 30 days to make a new habit so over this next year perhaps we can wean are ourselves from some of the bad and eat more of the natural foods God has intended for our bodies to run on. Gradual change is less stressful and "easier to swallow" so to speak. Hopefully you will get less resistance from your gang than if you were to go "cold turkey"!
There is nothing radical, I promise. Nothing you have to consult the family physician for. Just small changes that can make a big difference over time. I'll share what we have done in my own family to be successful and I'll share where we are still struggling too. Let's keep it real!
Ready to start?!!
This one is easy. Increase your daily fruit and vegetable intake. That's it! Just get more fresh fruits and veggies down each and every day. You can't eat too many. Our morning snack break is fresh fruit -- always. That's your choice... fruit or fruit. Freshly blended smoothies made from frozen fruit and juice count. Be sure to have a few choices on hand. Eat that already ripened pineapple first and save those green bananas or long lasting apples until later in the week when you need to get to the store. Occasionally I resort to canned peaches packed in their own juice if I'm fresh out of fresh produce! And don't get stuck in a rut -- there is so many delicious fruits, try to buy what's in season to get the best flavors and prices.
Maybe your family already eats plenty of fruit. Let's work on veggies next. We have a hot vegetable or salad each night at dinner. But that's not enough!! I'm trying to now have a salad AND vegetable with dinner. Tonight, instead of salad, I put out baby carrots and green pepper strips with dip. I'm pretty sure the majority of vegetable hating kids will eat raw veggies with their favorite dip if their hungry enough! You know the best time to put this out? About 4:30, when the smell of dinner has begun and they are starving - let them munch on raw vegetables until dinner. It would not really bother me if they didn't eat supper if I knew that they filled up on veggies before hand! I have a 21 month old that I'm careful about serving raw vegetables too because they can be a choking hazard. He does really slender strips. For the little ones, be sure to pull the strings from your celery too!
Doesn't matter how many servings your getting now - just increase your servings of fruits and vegetables and definately "strive for 5" (as they say) a day.
Let's encourage each other. Please let me know what works in your family!
~ "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man
who trusts in Him"~
Psalm 34:8
Comments
Jan. 3, 2007 - Adding you to my Friends List
Posted by EEEEMommy
I've been striving to eat healthier this year also, but especially in the past few months. I appreciate all the encouragement I can get! The idea about putting out a plate of veggies while dinner is being prepared is great! As soon as they begin to smell the food, the "I'm hungry! When's dinner going to be ready?Can I have a snack?" chorus begins in our kitchen. I'll definately be implementing this strategy.
I'm glad you'll be joining us in reading through the Bible! I pray that it blesses you!
In Him, Angel
