The Menu

I have been working on this post for the past four days!  I don't know how others blog regularly with kids at home?  It takes time that I can't always give to the computer screen.  Not to mention two snow days with all the kiddos at home.  This post I thought may never get done!  Happy reading.

 

 

We've completed the Eating Well part, which is important to take us into our next part.  I think the quote says it all. Here's a quick overview of the past few weeks:

EATING WELL

• Balance--add variety and color to your food (not food coloring!)
• Portion your foods--for life long living, it's not what you eat but how much
• Habits-- Why am I eating this?  What are the benefits?  Break the bad habits and start some new ones

Now that we have covered the basic of how to eat better, we can do the fun part...

THE MENU

Warning:  this is the hardest part.  It takes time, not couponing time, but time.  It gets easier as you keep doing it monthly but at the beginning plan to put in some effort.  I've been doing it for over 10 years now and it takes a good 2-4 hours to make my menu.  This is the most vital part.  The menu will save you time on those busy days that you think you have to eat out because you don't have time AND it will save you money.

At the beginning of this series, I suggested grabbing a calendar or making one and writing out a week's worth of meals.  The first purpose was to see what variety and color we had with our meals. This time, do it again, or pull out that old one and look at your week's menu. 
What did you fill out?
Did you just put dinner items down?
Did you only list the main course for dinner?

When I did this class, almost every person ONLY wrote down DINNER.  Yet, oddly enough we eat all day!  At least 3x's a day!  Dinner is important but if you don't plan for the other meals you start buying more and eating not so hot.  Often the "snack drawer" becomes the main source of food throughout the day.

Let's get started!

For your first time doing a menu, expect to take a few hours (as mentioned before) or even a day or two.  My suggestion, don't start your menu the day you need to go to the grocery store and your family is down to just food storage beans and wheat. :)

1. Get a calendar.  You can print one off from Word or the internet.  Calendars are not hard to get.  Just make sure it has squares large enough for you to write in your food for the day.  When you are starting have a calendar JUST FOR YOUR MENU.  Don't add this to your daily schedule.  TIP:  On the back of your calendar write your grocery list. 
2. Get a second calendar/planner.  This calendar is for your schedule for the family.  Coordinating your meals with your schedule will take A LOT of stress from you.  You always want to look and see what you have going on for the month.  Do you have kids' practices, church meetings, company, going out of town, etc.  This helps you narrow down what days you actually need a quick meal.  (Eventually, you will be able to put this all on one calendar, but for now start from the beginning.)
3. Try to make meals for about 28 days** (this is not always easy).  Remember you want to apply the things we've learned in EATING WELL.  You want to include all your meals not just dinner.  Not everyone eats or loves breakfast.  If you don't eat breakfast SHAME ON YOU!  If you don't like a big breakfast, that's fine but this meal is your fuel for the start of your day.  Running on an empty tank is good for no one!  Plan for something.  Lunch is often overlooked and can be hard to plan but also the easiest to plan.  Rarely do we sit down for lunch as our main meal.  It's on the go or a quick break.  Often lunch can be leftover's or a sandwich.  However, if you don't plan for lunch too (especially if you pack it for your kids for school), it's easy to buy too much, not enough, or just go for instant things.  Remember, I want to help you eat well and save money. 



This is what my menu starts out looking like.  Remember I've been doing this for a while, so my menu is less detailed.  Notice on the 10th and 17th I made a little note (SL) that means Southern Living.  I know to go there for the recipe. 



• Random food for thought:  My husband was telling me recently that he had read that people rarely buy cake or brownie mixes anymore (he loves to bake). I assumed it's because it's "processed."  Yes, more people are buying more things fresh, but the main reason why sales had gone down was because it TOOK TOO MUCH TIME to make.  Say wha!!!???  People prefer just to buy it already made.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this.  So, people aren't being health conscious and trying not to eat desserts.  They aren't going back to scratch method of baking.  No, they are spending more money to get an instant dessert.  It takes 10 minutes max to make a cake mix from a box!  I guarantee they spent more time at the store.  Crazy!
• Here is an example of a week's worth of meals:

Sunday:  cereal/cheese slices*, grilled cheese/grapes, King Ranch Chicken/salsa and salad
Monday: oatmeal, leftovers/applesauce, Shrimp and grits/salad, dessert for Family night
Tuesday: pancakes/bacon, ham sandwich/chips, sloppy joes/pickles and grapes
Wednesday: cereal/hard boiled egg, PB and J/baby carrots, crockpot Teriyaki chicken/rice and broccoli
Thursday:  parfait/scrambled eggs, leftovers, baked chicken/sweet potato, green salad, rolls
Friday: cobbler/sausage, chicken salad sandwich, pizza
Saturday: whole-wheat pancakes/applebutter and eggs, leftovers, lemon-pepper chicken salad/honey-wheat bread or rolls

*cheese slices--I buy the cheese by the block (normally 8oz blocks).  A slice for us is slicing off the block, so fours slices may only be about 1/2oz. of cheese.

1.  (This should be 4) Make a detailed grocery list from your menu.  This part will get easier and less detailed as you get the hang of it.  Imagine you are sick and need someone else to get your groceries.  They don't' know all those basics that you always buy...write it down.  I know this from experience!  I sent my husband after having a baby once.  I gave him my list and he spent only half of what I normally would only because he bought exactly what was on my list!  He didn't know to buy the bread and flour that I ALWAYS buy every shopping trip (and other things).  Lesson learned.  At first, you will see you have several repeat items.  I sometimes just make a little mark by that item every time I have a repeat.  For example, canned green beans.  I would put a mark beside that grocery item each time I had written it down for a side dish.  Say I marked it 5 times.  I know I will need at least 5 cans of green beans or just write the number.

   

   Here is the grocery list.  The picture isn't great, I know, but hopefully it gets you an idea.  Notice on the other page I have a breakfast, lunch and snack list.  I don't make something different every day for breakfast, I rotate those breakfast items.  Congrats if you can read my handwriting!

2. (5) Check your recipe prep times.   This sounds a little crazy, but there is nothing worse than allotting 1 hour for dinner only to find out that the recipe needed to simmer or rest for an hour in the fridge requiring 2+ hours for meal prep.  We are talking some serious short-cutting on a meal, turning out not so hot, or finding a quick substitute for the night.  Not fun.  Read those recipes because they often will say 2 cups of cooked chicken, chopped.  The recipe prep time will not account for cooking that chicken and chopping it first.  Don't let this deter you from a recipe because it takes prep work.  I'll give hints about that later in the series.

This was a lot of information, so I'll give you a moment/days/week to let this all sink in.  This process of menu making takes time.  Time we all feel we don't have, but time we need to make.  You can do this while you watch TV, browse Pinterest, or on a quiet Sunday afternoon. 
I am amazed at all the people I have met they never make a grocery list when they go shopping.  As my friend reminded me just the other day, "Helping save money" and I'll add eating well, "is a major contribution to the family."  It's important.

**When you make a menu for the month, you don't have to eat those things on those days.  You may have tacos written down for a Monday but feel like stir-fry.  If it's on the menu then you know you have the ingredients so change it out.  I do this all the time!

 

S.N.A.C.K.S. (Habits Part III)

SNACKS

I add snacks under habits because somewhere along the road someone out there invented six meals a day, which created the idea and habit of eating

ALL THE TIME.

 

This subject is largely debatable.

There are hundreds of diets out there alone that give mixed messages.

Some say you should eat six small meals a day, another eat every hour and many teach you should never let your body feel hungry or it starts to pull from your muscles causing depletion.

This is false unless it's been days since you've eaten.

This is false even for the big guys out there...

meaning the body builders.

Eww!

Please know that I write this from an everyday living for a lifetime, not as a short term diet or for someone that's in training.  I am aware for athletes, body-builders, and other diet restrictions not all of these things apply.

 

Where was I?

Oh, yes...

It's okay to feel hunger.

But if you are a Snacker (like most people),

here are some things to know about snacks.

I created a little acronym to help:

S-small amounts of

N-nutrients

A-at your

C-convenience,

K-kwik (it was the best I could come up with) and

S-simple

 

Snacks should not be large or filling.

They should be easy and quick,

enough to hold you over at your next eating zone.

Snacks are not necessary.

Once again, it's okay to feel hunger.

I'm a Southerner and I KNOW how food plays a role in everything we do.

My sons middle school team now ask for parents to provide snacks.

WHAT?????

I won't go there.

We have slowly become a society where food is the center.

As a person, who loves to entertain,

it's not easy.

 

Remember:

Portion and variety.

Change it up.

Don't eat chips every day.

You can never just eat one.

Some examples of snacks:

• banana with peanut butter/Nutella
• pudding with peanuts
• applesauce and granola bar/graham cracker/cheese
• trail mix
• small bag of chips or handful of chips
• crackers and cheese
• yogurt
• fruit with hard boiled egg.

There are a lot of different combinations.

For my family, I keep a "snack drawer."  It's a quick go to, very limited, but easy to slip in my purse if we are heading out the door and running errands.  Depending what's on sale usually determines what I put in the snack drawer.  My boys know to eat within their time zones.  Too much and it's gone!  If they run out of snacks, too bad.  They don't get replaced until the next month.  You will find I am a bit of a food-Nazi.











I was feeling generous in January because my youngest loves Frozen and the Frozen fruit snacks were on sale.  I haven't bought fruit snacks in almost a year!  The rice krispies too were on sale, so lucky boys.  They manage to make those last to the last week of the month!  Other items: granola bars, applesauce, honey roasted peanuts, regular peanuts, cashews, and peanut butter.  Thankfully, we don't have any nut allergies!

Eating With Benefits: Habits (Part II)

Enough with all our bad habits, let's look at the good things we can do!

Habits Part Deux

 

Set those tables and gather round.  This part is all about the when and where we eat.  My two year old saw these tables and started making chewing sounds.  He knows what that table is for, the question is whether it's ever getting used in your home?

Sometimes we got to dress it up to bring all the family to the table. 

 

Things to consider:

How often do I sit down at the table and eat with my family, even it's just two of us?

How quick do I get through that meal?  Is it always in a rush?

 

What does any of this have to do with eating well?

It's alarming the statistics out there on how many families eat out on a regular basis...as in two-three times a week. 

I've heard it all..."We are so busy."  "I don't have time to cook."  "I'm too tired to cook."  Been there, felt that.  Later on in the series I will go into more detail of how to make things possible and it's not as difficult as we think, but for now I want to talk about the benefits of making eating together a priority.

 

Let's Begin

1. Eat with your family regularly at home.  Even if it's just once a week, that's a start.  It doesn't have to be dinner.  It could be any meal, just make it happen.  There are loads of programs that encourage this practice and even more science to back it up.  It's a tradition that is slowly diminishing and on so many levels, we can't afford this to happen.  Eating well isn't just about eating, it's about well being in general.  When families eat together regularly studies have shown that they are less likely to struggle in school, be involved in substance abuse, or have an eating disorder.  Research has shown kids usually have more confidence, feel secure, have better grades...the list could go on.  Sitting at the table together seems like a task OFTEN, but don't give in to the TV or anything else.  Set that table and sit together.  The rewards are priceless!
2. Slow down, enjoy your meal and drink!  I know we are busy, but sometimes it's so nice to just sit and relax.  I think it's why people love Thanksgiving at least that's why I love it.  Family gathers around, we eat and have some of the best conversations.  When we slow down while we eat, we are able to actually recognize when we are full and control our portions.  Throw in some drink preferably water often between your bites and you will be well on your way to enjoying every bite without losing the benefits.
3. Give yourself eating time zones.  I learned this from a book I read.  Technically, I was already doing it but the author helped me understand better to implement the idea.  Eating time zones let us control our habits to eat when we are bored or emotional.  We aren't cows so stop grazing all day!  My four year old I really had to put my  foot down with the time zones.  He wanted to eat all the time, especially if I wasn't giving him my undivided attention.
• Here are my time zones for the kids:
• breakfast ends by 6:30am - 9:00am
•  snack around 10:30-11:00
•  lunch between noon and 1:00
•  another light snack between 3:30-5:00
• dinner 6:15
• If they miss a meal they have to wait on the next time zone before they can have anything.  I am very adamant about not letting my boys eat after 5:00.  I find they will almost always eat their dinner.  Sometimes I make adjustments, but for the most part this works best with my schedule.
4. Let yourself be hungry.  When you miss a time zone, it's okay.  Yes, you may feel hungry but that's okay.  Somewhere in time someone decided we should never let our tummy growl.  This is false.  I know hungry kids make fussy kids, but adults and teens, it's important to know that one missed meal you will not die!  It's okay to be hungry.

Eating With Benefits: Habits (Part 1)

It's been a crazy past week, which of course puts me a little behind on my series.  I guess that's part of having five kids.  One is bound to get sick and it's January, so we are bound to have a snow day (as in today) despite there is no snow.  These are my kids' favorite days! 

This actually makes a perfect day to write because the older kids can keep the younger ones occupied while I'm at the computer.  Normally, it's the two year old constantly wanting to sit in my lap and type for me (which results in A LOT of deletes before anything ever gets posted).

I wanted to step back just for a moment and say a little more about watching our portions.  It really is the most beneficial thing we can do!  I had two friends on my Facebook who recently posted some weight loss *pictures.  I think it is amazing what they accomplished.  They are both beautiful.

  The two things they did was exercise and eat "smaller portions" or "in moderation." 

 

It's such a simple thing. 

Oh, but so hard.  

 

It actually makes me think of the scriptures when Moses told the people to just look at the serpent on his staff and they would live, but so many thought it too simple, it just couldn't work.  The simplest things are often the hardest.  We can do this!  And yes, I just totally made a scripture analogy! 

Now to the topic today:  HABITS

Why am I eating this?

A nasty habit is hard to break and forming a good habit isn't always easy either.  My husband is one of the most disciplined people I know.  If he's going to lose weight, or run every day, or not watch TV for a month, he can do it.  I'm quite the opposite.  I practically have to scream to Facebook what I'm trying to do just to hold some type of accountability over my head.  If I say I'm giving up ice cream I need people to know to support me.  The nice thing is, forming or breaking habits is always better with some support.  If it's using your family members or a best friend, it doesn't matter.  Know yourself and do what you need to make better habits.

When it comes to eating habits, if you are the main cook of the family you are the greatest influence.  You do the cooking, the purchasing of food and stocking the cabinets.  You decided how everyone else eats in the home. 

Most eating habits are learned as a child.  We often cook something a certain way because that's how our mother cooked it, or we eat certain things because that's how we did it growing up.  For example, I prefer cold slices of cheddar cheese served with my grits and toast.  I don't want cheese grits or cheese toast, but the cold cheese to eat on the side along with the meal.  I know it's good the other ways, but this is how I learned to eat it, and it's how I've taught my kids.  My husband thinks it's weird.  ;)  I could go on and people could probably think of all the funny eating habits we have carried into our own families.  Good story: Not Your Momma's Lasagna. The question is whether it's beneficial for us.

This is already getting too long and boring...

I'm going to start with

Habits We Need to Avoid

1. Adding Bread
• Bread is one of those food items that you see in every restaurant and tradition to serve meals for that one extra item.  I grew up with cornbread, biscuits, rolls, or a loaf of bread served with dinner.  No matter what, there was bread on table.  I love bread who doesn't, it has it's place but most of the time it's an extra portion and colorless.  It's simply a habit.  For example, most people that serve pasta normally serve it with bread...spaghetti with French bread.  Why?  If you have noodles why do you need another white-ish food?  Do one or the other.
2. Making beneficial food sweet
• This is probably one of my biggest pet-peeves.  The idea sounds almost ingenious, yet it's the most deceiving thing in the food world.  Funny how that works.  Think about it.  We want our kids to have vegetables but not actually know what they look like or really taste.  Then we want them to like veggies when they get older.  How's that working out? It doesn't.  The only thing it's done is make your kids want sweets and you feel justified because you have secretly given them vegetables.  An you wonder why they don't eat their veggies at dinner!? 
• Eating is so much more than just how it taste.  It's textures and how we use our mouths such as sucking, chewing, and sipping.  Especially for kids, these are essential motor skills to develop and they all happen with eating.  When we hide everything in sugar the only thing you have taught your body is you need sweets and your sweet taste buds are overdeveloped.
• So what would fall into this category?  Smoothies.  I can see shocked faces and rolling eyes at this moment, but I'm sticking to my theory.  I love smoothies, as do my kids.  It has LOTS of benefits but that sugar desire is a HUGE downside to me.  I put this in my long-term concept under portions.  I make them about every other week but not every day.  As you can assume, I'm not a "juicer" fan.  Other items would be shakes, baked goods (remember all those "healthy" cookie recipes on Pinterest or Jerry Seinfield's wife who came out with a recipe book on how to hide veggies in brownies?), Protein bars and fiber bars have you ever seen a non-sweet version at the store? 
• Even be careful with the actual veggies.  I served sweet potato soufflé often as a vegetable side dish.  I first made it from canned sweet potatoes, then I moved on to actually peeling and boiling my own sweet potatoes, obviously because that was better for us so I kept telling myself.  Yet, after all the sugar and butter mixed in and crumbled on top I had fully diminished the value of this very beneficial vegetable.  It was the only way my kids would eat sweet potatoes.  What had I done!?  Then I started just baking sweet potatoes.  My kids don't love them, but amazingly after serving them only that way for a few months, everyone eats one with little to no complaints.  Lesson here:  give them the truth.  No sugar-coating (pun intended).  If it's a sweet then make it a sweet, if it's not then cook it to it's true potential.
3. Letting your habits control you
• This goes back to the very first thing I taught and I can't say it enough:

CONTROL YOUR DIET DON'T LET YOUR DIET CONTROL YOU

• "I'm Bored."  My kids easily go to food when there is "nothing to do."  When we are busy it's not uncommon to forget to eat.  Ever happened?  Being idle can get the best of us in lots of ways, eating is no exception.
• Emotional eating.  This is one of the greatest struggles I have seen and heard from friends who struggle with finding balance in their eating habits.  I think we all have the problem at times.  When I am around lots of people I want to eat my heart out.  I literally can eat triple of what I would normally! I get so excited I feel like my hurts pumping 100 mph, so I eat. This area is where that buddy comes in hand for support.
• Addictions.  Yes, people can be addicted to food (you know, gotta have that coffee, tea or diet coke).  I see this all the time at my kids school and with their teachers.  Your food is controlling you.  Or that you shouldn't eat anything because it will make you fat.  I've witnessed both extremes and they are both serious issues.  I'm going to tie this in to another scripture analogy.  The TEN Commandments.  One of the great commandments is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."  We aren't talking about just statues here.  This could be ANYTHING that controls your thoughts and every thing you do.  Food or drinks fall into this trap.

 

This is getting way to long to the point that I'm bored (and I'm still in my pajamas, haven't brushed my teeth yet, and need to get off my booty, my kids need me.) 

 

To be continued....

 

*Thank you Jennifer and Lauren for letting me post your pictures and your accomplishment.  It's inspiring.

Eating With Benefits: Portions

When it comes to eating with benefits it like insurance--you only get so much coverage.  When you are eating that so-called "healthy" cookie does that mean you eat 5 more?  This term is another laughing matter for me.  Just search "healthy cookie" on Pinterest.  Either it's nasty or it's a cookie...with benefits.  I just can't say a cookies is ever really healthy or it's just not a cookie.  Stop kidding yourself people! I'm confident in saying that any benefits from that cookie probably stopped coverage at about 2 cookies.  It's still a cookie.  Or that olive oil "since it's better for you"  I can add two more tablespoons...benefits ended around the first tablespoon. It's still fat. 

Make sense?

Portions is about the intake.  This is sometimes the hardest part.  Believe me, I KNOW.  I have an amazingly, close relationship with food and sometimes it's hard to let go and move on.  I get it.  Remember, I'm teaching what I've learned not what I'm living perfectly.  I'm right there with you on this one and most of the United States.  Scrap the gibberish of food industries are making me fat.  That would be ourselves and our portions of beneficial food and low beneficial food.

It's not about what you eat but how much you eat.

 

Look at your food intake as short term and long term:

• Short term would be HOW MUCH you eat in your everyday meals
• I had two slices of pizza with salad vs I had four slices of pizza with no salad  OR I had a sandwich, bag of chips and four cookies for lunch vs sandwich, handful of chips and one cookie OR I had two bowls of cereal vs one bowl of cereal
• Long term would be more about HOW OFTEN you eat certain foods
• I eat a hot dog almost every other day;  I drink a soft drink, coffee or fruit drink every day or multiple times a day; I eat dessert every night
• I have nothing against any of these things (okay well I don't agree with coffee ever put that's for religious purposes)--as long as it's not everyday.  Maybe once every other week or once a month.  I'll confess I have pizza every Friday.  It's a weakness and I try to switch it up constantly to make sure I have different variety.  Like I said, I'm not perfect, I too have things to work on.
• Some of the other food items that lack in benefits and that would fall under "long term" would be boxed items like mac&cheese, rice or noodle mixtures, or Cream of "something."

 

Ask yourself, what are the benefits of having more?  Always ask yourself or post it somewhere CONTROL YOUR DIET DON'T LET YOUR DIET CONTROL YOU.  When we eat too much the food is doing the talking at that point.

 

I would highly recommend using that nutritional label on the side of all our foods.  When I had gestational diabetes, that little tidbit of information was my life guide for controlling my sugars.  Right now, you don't have to know everything about it but at least check what is the actual serving size.  This is a good first step with knowing what your portion should be.  You probably won't be surprised that you rarely actually eat the serving size but often double or more.  For example, many people just pour a bowl of cereal and then pour milk to enough to cover the cereal.  Most cereals, the actual serving is about 1/2 -3/4 a cup of cereal with 1 cup of milk.  Most people are triple that by just filling their bowl and then sometimes eat a second bowl.  Yikes!  

At first, an actual serving size on many things seems like starvation, but don't let that discourage you.  Remember that variety thing.   Reduce your portions in baby steps.  For that bowl of cereal, add a banana or a piece of toast or both.  Maybe even a hard boiled egg.  Enjoy a single serving of many things. One helping of potatoes, one helping of meat, one helping of fruit, and even two helpings of steamed veggies.  You won't be so hungry after all.  You will feel better.

 

If you want to ignore serving sizes/portions on occasion...you know, skip that short term mentality, and eat that big piece of cheesecake.  Go ahead.  Just don't do that EVERY DAY!  We want to always enjoy eating.

 

Let's review:

1. It's not about what you eat but how much you eat.
2. Think in short term (how much do I eat everyday) and long term (how often do I eat/drink of a certain food every day)
3. What are the benefits of having more outside of it's deliciousness. :)
4. Control check.  Are you controlling your food or is it controlling you?

Eating with Benefits: Balance

I'm going to zoom in on eating well and break down into three parts:  balance, portions, and habits.

Today let's focus on BALANCE. 

Providing balance in what we eat is eating with color and variety.  Anyone that knows me knows that I have a bit of a color obsession and colorful food is no exception.  You can thank my mother and Southern Living magazine!  And yes, sometimes a package of M&M's covers that balance. :) 
When my mom would cook, I remember her always checking to see if it "looked appealing" and were there two vegetables.  It almost always looked appealing to me because it was a plethora of colors and textures.  It was like designing on a dish!  I truly believe that when our food looks appealing you are more willing to eat what is offered. 

EXERCISE:  Don't worry, none of that really physical stuff
Take a moment and grab a sheet of paper and write down every day of the week, or you can grab a calendar.  Now, for those seven days write down a menu for one week.  Save this you will need it later.

You don't have to be a nutritionist or food scientist, you don't even have to be a color specialist to eat by color!  Here I have a color wheel.  This list the benefits of each color.  Eating with color is a very simple and visual way to eat well.
I find a lot of humor in this for one particular reason.  Have you ever heard anyone say or read that "if you can't read/pronounce the ingredients on the box, then you shouldn't be eating it."  I think I laugh out loud every time I hear this statement.  Have these people ever taken a science class before?  Here are some words for you--cryptothanxin, carotenoids lutein, hesperidin, flavonoids, anthocyanins, zeaxanthin.  I'm sure these are part of all of our every day vocabulary.  *rolling eyes*  All of these things are good for you.  People give that argument a break.
Back to the subject. 
Look at your menu.  Look at that first day and what you have planned.  Does your meal have 2 colors--boring, 3 colors--give yourself a high five, 4 colors--you are already eating well!

Set a goal to try to use at least 3 different colors to create the most beneficial and balanced meal.  Colorful meals make them appealing.  When food is appealing it is more likely to be eaten.  Through color you are providing many nutritious benefits without having to think about it.

This meal is simple, quick and has three colors.  I would probably add a fourth color by adding something yellow like corn, spicy squash or even a corn salad.  However, this fajita is packed with lots of goodies.  Mexican food is one of my favorites to begin with when it comes to adding color.  It's so easy to make colorful.

 

Let's do another example:

Here is a meal that looks super yummy.  It's a fine meal that offers something, but let's test the benefits, color and variety.  This meal has two colors essentially, brownish-white and green.  So how can we make a third color? 

• you could add another food item such as a salad and sneak in loads of color, but you will probably pour something white on it.  BOO!
• you could exchange one of the dishes for a different color.  You have two brownish-white things and one is a meat...which is always going to fall in that category just about, so try a different vegetable.
• there is minimal variety here when it comes texture
• temperature is a necessary variety but can sometimes add a nice contrast like a salty sweet.  However, if you are going to serve it hot, serve it hot and cold things cold.

In this dish you have a similar food items except instead of white potatoes you could use sweet potatoes.  Green beans would be fine to keep but here they have a salad.  What's great about this dish is it offers five different colors, different textured foods and temperatures.  This is an advanced meal.  Baby steps, don't throw this at your family all at once if they aren't use to it!  And I might add, that I would take a chicken thigh ANY DAY over a chicken breast.  Actually, some one feed me some steak!

 

Let's Review:

1. Balance with color and variety in your food. 
2. Aim for at least 3 colors in your meal.  Start with dinner, then slowly try it out in other meals.  If you have to count Fruit Loops as a colorful breakfast option, that's okay.  It's not the end of the world.  We want to enjoy our food.
3. Remember you are in control of the food. 



The Cycle -Part I

I have listed four things here in a cycle.  They all work together.  All of these things I am going to discuss in this series, breaking it down piece by piece.

 

It's important that you notice I did not put Eating Healthy but Eating WELL.  There is a difference and it's important to know this.  I have found the word "healthy" is       overly used and has become quite subjective. 

 

We  can do things poorly or well.  Eating is one of those things.  It's finding a balance of enjoyment, relaxation, and nutrition.  Too often goals to eat "healthy" is like a chore that consumes us.  The enjoyment in eating just went out the door.  But focusing on keeping a balance allows to take what we eat and not feel guilty and know that it's not the end of the world.  Let's enjoy food!

 

First, I want you to erase everything you have ever learned about what is healthy or not from your mind.  Seriously.  There are over hundreds of diets out there that constantly contradict one another.  Thousands of information via web that say eat this not that because it makes your "belly bulge" or it "causes cancer" or  poison to your system or those animals are caged you cant' eat them.

 

JUST STOP!



 

A small digression and food for thought:  We are all going to die.  Whether one food may cause cancer is truly so hard to say and to say that's exactly what it came from.  Whether a food really will make us live longer can really never be proven either.  I'm not against taking care of our bodies, but I don't do scare tactics to eat better.  People die every day and it has nothing to do with how they ate.  I have read and seen statistics proven wrong regularly when it comes to what we eat.  I guess the question is why do you really care what you eat?

 

 

Just as I mentioned before, I get exhausted hearing what is good for me and what is bad--"this is healthy for you and it prevents..." yada-yada-yada.  Let's rewire this way of thinking.

 

I want you to sit down and think about the meals you prepare.  Don't think about whether they are good for you or not.  We are starting from scratch here.  Instead, think about the BENEFITS you are getting from your food.  If you aren't getting many nutritional benefits then why keep eating it?  And if you don't love it or like it, then don't eat it! (This is with the understanding that you have at least tried it first.)

 

You want your benefits to not only be nutritious but also enjoyable!  That leads me to the most important thing I want anyone to understand, and the number one rule I live by:

 

CONTROL YOUR DIET

DON'T LET YOUR DIET CONTROL YOU!

 

 

Let's review and think:

1. Forget eating healthy, but eating well.  It's all about balance.
2. How does this benefit me?  Example:  I'm hungry, I'll grab a fruit snack.  What are the benefits? 1)I'm still hungry.  2)Has a lot of sugar.  3) Got 3 servings of Vitamin C 4) I'm grumpy. =One benefit out of four...try something else.  You eat an orange.  1) I'm not full but it will hold me over till I can get more of a meal.  2) Has more sugar than the fruit snack.  3) Got a nice dose of vitamin C and some fiber. 4) A feel a little better. = 3 out of 4, much better.
3. Be in control of what you eat, don't let your food control you.