Happy Meals for My Children

Did you know that the acronym for the “Standard American Diet” spells out “SAD”?  The majority of households in America, on a daily basis in and outside of their homes, are eating food that makes their bodies very sad.  Therefore, should I be surprised that when I start to educate people in my office on changing their diet, they have a lot of questions?  Gone are the generations that taught the next generation how to eat real food.  When people want to change over their diet, get back to what God intended for us to eat and get healthier, there is a lot of teaching that has to be done.  It can be exhausting, but it is so worth it!

Yesterday, as I sat in a mall food court, feeding my 14 month old Harper, I was saddened and amazed when I looked around.  Directly behind me, a grandfather was commenting with laughter about how long it took his grandson to eat a french fry.  Yes, he was feeding a french fry to a baby who couldn’t have been older than 5 months.  The table to my right had two children- probably 2 and 5 years old- both happily munching down on their McDonald’s Happy Meals.  Funny name, as those meals are setting them up for anything but happy.  And, the people at the table in front of me were giving their toddlers sips of Coke.  Lovely!  Have these people not seen Supersize Me?  Probably not, and the worst part is, they think nothing of eating this way and worse yet of feeding their children this way.

It took Jim Bob and I several years to change over our diet to something we were pleased with, after learning all we learned about food in school and from our classmates.  Our diet is something we put a lot of thought, effort and work into.  And, we are very proud of it.  I love the quote that says, “Either pay the farmer now or pay the doctor later.”  This is definitely something we apply to our food choices; but, don’t get me wrong, food doesn’t have to be pricey to be healthy.  As much pride as I take in preparing food for Jim Bob and me, I take even more pride in what I feed Harper.  Why?  I think one of the ways I show Harper how much I love him and I invest in his future is through food.  I love that Jim Bob and I have a clean slate with Harper.  He hasn’t, and will never, grown up on McDonald’s, so as an adult that is a horrible habit he will never have to break.  We are so blessed to be given the opportunity to shape and mold children, shouldn’t their eating habits be included in this process?  Absolutely!  And, whether or not parents realize it, they are shaping and molding their children’s eating habits (and a lot more behind the scenes of that too- like taste buds, and health).

When parents realize this, I get a lot of questions about what to feed their children.  And, the easiest place for me to speak from on that question, is to give them examples of what we do at home.  A good friend of mine who is a lactation consultant and dietician gave me one of the best pieces of advice when we started solids with Harper.  She said when it comes to eating you have choices:  What to eat, how much to eat, where to eat and when to eat.  As a parent, you are responsible and choose the what, when and where.  The only choice the child gets is how much.  I love that!  I get a lot of parents when trying healthy and/or different foods with their kids who will report back to me, “Susie just won’t eat that.”  Really?  See, in our house, Harper doesn’t get a choice.  We decide what he eats, when he eats and where, and he tells us how much.  This rule really does cut down on him being a picky eater.  And, I promise, if they are hungry enough, they will try it.  You, as a parent, want them to try it because you know it’s good for them, their taste buds are constantly developing and changing, and the more tastes/textures they are exposed to at an earlier age, the more variety they will like as they age.

I know, I know…  Because I hear it on a daily basis, you are yelling at your computer screen, “Stop talking and give me some specific ideas…  What does Harper eat?!”  Well, we never started him out on formula and/or rice cereal and/or dairy, and I’d recommend you don’t start your children out on that either.  In fact, I know you will gasp when I say this, but babies/toddlers never have to have any of those things.  Yes, my mother still ask me on a daily basis, ”Don’t you think a little rice cereal would help him sleep and feel him up?”  Rice cereal is a big deal in our society, part of the way we start out on that SAD diet adventure.  It’s a standard for babies, and it shouldn’t be…  Another post for another day.

So, here is Harper’s menu.  I say “menu” because I am trying to think of all the things we choose from to feed him.  Another words, this is the list we choose from, not what he eats in one setting.  Although as he grows, I feel like he eats the entire list in one setting.  My gosh, how do people afford more than one boy?!  I am getting a little worried!  Also, remember that when possible, we try to feed him as much organic and local produce as possible.  But, like you, we simply strive to do the best we can (sometimes that is simply not an option).

Harper’s Breakfast Menu:

Fruit: Banana or Pear or Grapefruit or Apple or Grapes or Orange

Steel Cut Oats (these only take 10minutes to cook, or you can CrockPot them).  I add sea salt and cinnamon to them.  Sometimes, I will also add extra virgin coconut oil or nut butters for added taste and good fats.  This is a favorite of Harper’s.

Apple Sauce.  Again, enhance the flavor with cinnamon, if you want.  Cinnamon is great for blood sugar!

Scrambled Eggs

Brown Rice

Harper’s Lunch/Dinner Menu:

Brown Rice

Lentils (check my blog for different recipes)

Nori Sheets (one of Harper’s absolute favorites)

Black Beans

Vegetables:  Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Squash, Pumpkin, Green Beans, Kale (he really likes kale chips, check my blog for recipe), Butternut Squash, Cucumbers, Carrots, Peas, Avocado (I know it’s a fruit!), Acorn Squash, Brocoli, Brussel Sprouts, Bell Peppers

Chicken Stock (Nourishing Tradition’s recipe.  We are not doing meat until he has molars, but this provides him good minerals.  It’s messy to feed, but he LOVES it)

Harper’s Snack Menu:

Vegetables and/or Fruit from Just Tomatoes (I adore this company, they have made my life so easy!  We do not do wheat or processed sugars with Harper, so this is my easy snack, our answer to “Puffs”)

Raisins (usually Newman’s Organic)

Brown Rice Crackers (they have nothing in them but brown rice)

Dried coconut

If it is available in your area, I highly recommend an organic co-op, like this one.  They make eating organic, fresh possible and cheap.  Many times, our organic groceries from them, are cheaper than the same non-organic ones in the store.  Not to mention, there is a whole community to help walk with you and teach you that comes with these co-ops.  We are so thankful to the Brownsfor our awesome co-op (can’t say enough here)!  Also, our BabiesRUs and WholeFoods/Central Markets are carrying a new product which really helps when we are on the go (a must for car rides):  squeezable packets of baby food.  We have tried ones from this company and this one and this one and this one.

Occasionally, we will give Harper some coconut water in his water (I used to mix it with his breastmilk bottles to make them go further too) because it provides great nutrition.  However, we don’t give him any juice (too much sugar).  He drinks water and breastmilk, that’s it.  Things like applesauce and oatmeal and some baby foods are great though because we use them to mix in his supplements.  He will take his fish oil by itself because he loves the taste, but we mix in his Standard Process supplements and probiotic with his food.

What about you?  I would love to hear some great ideas that you have fed your kids, please share!