I try to eat healthy most of the time.
I supply my family with home cooked meals, limit salt, sugar and ‘fake’ when I can and provide them with healthy choices.
I don’t, however, eliminate treats like ice cream, chocolate and fast food.
I’ve openly tweeted and blogged before that I enjoy take out. I enjoy fast food, a greasy no-good burger, pop, chocolate and more. I don’t think I want my family to never experience these things – but I whole heartedly agree that it needs to be in moderation and selective.
While I love cooking and trying new recipes, I don’t want to be doing it all the time (maybe that’s related to the clean up?)
We don’t have dessert every night, but when we do it’s usually ice cream or a home-baked treat like chocolate cake, cookies etc.
We don’t eat out or order in every day. But when we do, I do it guilt free because the rest of the meals (or at least under most weekly circumstances) have been healthy.
And that’s okay.
When you read about making healthy choices and changes, please don’t think that I am advocating for the complete removal of all food vices. We all have them. But it’s how often we have them, and how well we do on a daily basis overall that counts.
As for our children, they should know that fast food French fries don’t replace a healthy meal but that it’s fun.
Yes, I will be ordering pizza or going through a fast food drive thru sometime in the next week. It doesn’t mean I am an awful person. It doesn’t mean I eat horribly. And when I give my son a piece of chocolate, I am only sharing in my joy for something sweet and delicious.
I do have one major trick when thinking about fast food and your children:
When we plan on doing take out (pizza, fast food) I always feed the kids first something healthy before it walks through the door. So basically, I feed them supper first. The 14 month doesn’t get to eat French fries etc. but she can have pieces of pizza but that won’t be enough to fill her. Same with my son who only wants to eat French fries (that’s certainly not a good pre-bed meal!) so I feed them. Then they can have the fast food as a treat.
The point of this post? We aren’t always going to be perfect. Sometimes conveniences wins. But we have to make these decisions in moderation and with the full understand that these meals won’t be replacing a healthy, home-cooked version.
I would be a flat out liar if I would not be enjoying some chocolate or chips and dip this weekend. Once and a while, we should all do the same. But just a little. 😉
What do you think? Should I be cutting out all junk and fast food or realize that we eat pretty well and it’s okay to indulge?
YOU'RE A TERRIBLE MOTHER! boo! hiss!
I'm kidding of course.
One of the thing that helps us eat healthy is the logistics of eating out when you're kids have allergies are just hardly worth it. Even when we do take out or fast food, I still end up making half the meal at home for those that need it. (sigh) It's been good though.
I guess.
Although I admit to often wishing we could just order a pizza some nights…
We are the same as you and eat fast food sometimes too. I think it is good to teach kids to have these foods and treats in moderation. Sometimes kids who never get a chance to learn this get a bit out of control once they get out on their own and have to start watching their own eating habits.
In general I believe in a relaxed approach to food, with few absolutes. Everything in moderation as they say (definitely includes chocolate!)
I grew up with a friend who's mother never let her have sugary treats EVER. I grew up in a french Canadian house where sugar pie made regular rotation.
When we became room mates in college she could not grocery shop alone. She could not control herself when it came to sweets. She would come home with bags full of crap. I would have to go with her and physically restrain her from going down the junk food isle.
She is much better now (it has been a long time since college) but it proved to me that moderation is key. Restriction is not the answer.
Great post. I agree that moderation is key. I don't think it's realistic to cook and eat healthy all the time, but we should certainly do our best (as you do!).
We can also make choices re: the "junk" food. Dark chocolate instead of a grocery store candy bar, a bakery-made pastry instead of something from the 7/11, homemade smoothie instead of a milkshake from McDonald's. (Speaking of which I have a post about a DIY Orange Julius today!)
I love the idea of feeding kids the good stuff first. I learned a great lesson about this exact thing.
When Emma was seven we had her birthday outdoors in the backyard. The kids were all crazy, running around like mad, and Mark was late coming back with the pizza. So I decided to start lunch without him. 🙂 I put out a giant tray of veggies – and you know what – they were almost all gone when he finally arrived with the pizza.
Lesson learned. Kids will eat if they are hungry!
Well said! It's the old 80:20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time so you don't have to worry the other 20% of the time.
Amy, it must be so hard with allergies and food restrictions some days.
Chantal/Finola, I've heard that often – or kids who spend their entire allowance secretly on candy and eating it all. I don't want treats to be a secret.
Andrea, exactly – they will eat if hungry. I know people who'd give options ie) do you want veggies and dip? No. okay how about a wrap? no. okay, how about a pop tart? and of course the kid chose the pop tart!
Fit for a kid – love that ratio!!
I completely agree – everything in moderation. My kids tell me they sometimes trade for junk food at lunch. Turns out the kids that never get fruit or veggies trade their "treats" for my kids rasberries or veggies & dip. They aren't supposed to trade at all due to allergies in the school but it happens once and a while. I think it is interesting. Good post. 🙂
I'm about the same as Amy on this one. I myself have a lot of food restrictions and find it stressful to eat out. When I do eat out, I feel sick. So, I just prepare everything myself. It does take time but once you're in the habit of it, it becomes faster than going to a restaurant or getting take-out.
Would be nice to be able to eat out at restaurants sometimes just for the social aspect. Have to say I am thankful I can't have fast food though 🙂
I think the 80/20 ratio is a pretty good rule of thumb. We've been trying to adhere to that as much as we can. All I know is that I make a pretty darn good chocolate cake and I really don't want to live in a world where I don't get to eat it every once in a while.
Shan, a world without chocolate cake would be very sad indeed 😉
Food really gets a bad rep. It isnt the food that makes a person unhealthy, its the person with out self control that makes the person unhealthy. I know from experience. I was up to 262 lbs. not too long ago. I decided to fix it. Giving your family meals that are good, healthy, affordable, and convienient is not an easy task. The osccasional dining out is not a big deal.
Exercise is the way to keep those unhealthy things in check.
I started a blog outlining my weight loss journey. fatfunnyguy.blogspot.com if you want to check it out.
SHEP