On eating better

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!