Everywhere you turn there are studies with data and such that extol the benefits of eating healthy.
Over the past few weeks I have been making sure that the boys have a protein, vegetable and fruit with their dinner. Sounds simple enough. The thing is that if your kids don’t eat, say chicken it makes it really easy to be lazy and give them cheese and peanut butter instead. Easier for me, easier for them.
The problem is that easy isn’t really cutting it in terms of nutrition.
Being willing to fight the fight is half the battle. As I have said before, when I was a teacher it would have been unthinkable to let someone else’s kids do the things my kids do with food. I am willing to fight the fight.
Planning has also been a hang up, I wasn’t putting enough thought into what they boys ate. It was time for dinner and I just pulled out whatever fruits and dairy they hadn’t already had so far that day—that they were willing to eat. If I was ambitious I made pasta and topped it with cheese.
Really it only takes 15 minutes to prepare kids food. The key is having a good variety around. That being said, I don’t anticipate changing their palettes over night, but getting a good variety of “kid food” would be a major improvement. We can work on brussels sprouts next month!
It was going pretty well. Eggs are easy, carrots have been pretty well received, cucumbers as well. Jackson choked down a chicken finger, Miller ate it them somewhat willingly. Fish sticks were eaten well with both boys. Things are going pretty well. I had some broccoli in the fridge that needed eating so I thought I’d give it a go. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Warning, don’t go any further if you have a weak stomach or are put off by my children being tortured.
First bite
Do you think he likes it?
Note the amount of butter that is left on his fork.
Showing his new muscles he got from eating the single bite of broccoli!
Then it was Miller’s turn…
Also note the amount of butter left on the fork.
Out it comes.
Why did she make me put it back in my mouth???
I think he’ll have to try it a few more times!
Then I tried to get J to eat a bite and just swallow it with some milk.
That was unsuccessful.
I am willing to fight the fight. But I also know when I am beat!
Broccoli may have beat me on this one, but I am still fighting the fight, though. We might wait a little while on broccoli again. I’m thinking zucchini next!
While J was on his Winter break we visited the Zoo. We have been to several zoos in our time and I have to say that this trip to the zoo was different than any other.
They had a black swan.
Don’t be jealous of my mad photography skillz.
He’s not at all scared. I am, though. Those things are mean!
Then we saw some lizards and turtles. I have no pictures because I was chasing M all over the place. He’s a little too big for the stroller and a little to crazy to be free. What’s a mom to do?
I think the obvious answer is to get a leash. I kid. Not really.
Then there was the flamingo show.
The flamingos were just milling about before the show. I love his expression when he sees that they are right there!
Even Miller was momentarily stunned into stopping briefly!
I never knew flamingos would march. They totally did!
I have only pictures of the back of his head. He liked the flamingos a lot. He wanted to touch them so badly!
Then it was time to feed the Lorikeets(small parrots). That was really awesome. They will land right on your arm and you feed them apple slices.
Here are two of them where you can see their gorgeous colors. 
It is a pretty small zoo, which is a good thing! By this time I was D-U-N done. And that was the end of the zoo!
