Easing Family into Change
Breakfast is a great place to start when you begin changing your family's eating habits. The first thing you may have to do is get everybody in your household to agree to eat breakfast, even if it is consumed on the way to school or the office. Sandwiches and shakes make meals portable. Try getting some George's Junior. If you have any question that your kids won't like it, put it in some chocolate almond milk with some baby oatmeal. They will LOVE it.
Eggs are "the wonder food," and you can do so much with them: serve them as an omelet or simple boiled eggs, or hot in a scrambled- or fried-egg sandwich, or cold as sliced-egg or egg-salad sandwiches.
If your family eats cereal, ease them into whole-grain choices served with fresh fruit instead of coated with sugar. Use apple juice when you are cooking oatmeal, and lace it with protein powder, cream and cut-up fruit or berries.
For family members who 'don't have time' for breakfast, keep mozzarella sticks and boiled eggs in the refrigerator for them to grab on the way out the door. Get them to put together peanut butter sandwiches on whole grain bread the night before, or have George's Junior Shake ready in the blender.
Agreement is key to getting this plan to work for your entire family. Talk to your spouse or partner and your kids about what kind of meals you'll have, to be sure you're including foods they like.
What was in the last three lunches you took to school? Write down a list. Circle the things you traded to other kids. Write down what you got instead. Cross off the things you just threw out because nobody wanted to eat them. Did you eat half of what was in your lunch every day? More on some days, less on others?
One way to make sure you have a lunch you like is to decide for yourself what you want to eat. Help your parents shop for food. Pack yourself a lunch that you will want to eat. Eating a good lunch will make your body and brain (and your parents!) a lot happier.
You cannot take all cookies and candy and soda, so don't even try to talk your parents into that! They will think you aren't serious, and they won't let you help.
Fill your lunch box with the different food groups: protein, fruit and vegetables, and grains. The list below combines foods into tasty meals. Read this list of food and choose the things you would like to eat.
Monday
peanut butter and sliced banana on whole grain bread (p,f,g),
unsweetened applesauce (f), mozzarella cheese sticks (p) and carrot sticks (v)
Tuesday
two hard boiled eggs (p), a cheddar-cheese on whole-grain bread sandwich (p,g), apple slices rolled in protein powder and cinnamon (f,p), tomato juice (v)
Wednesday
tuna sandwich on whole grain bread (p,g), apple slices with mozzarella cheese sticks (f,p), dill pickle (v)
Thursday
peanut butter and sliced apple on whole grain bread (p,f,g), banana (f), bag of almonds (p), jicama slices or carrot sticks (v)
Friday
cold chicken leg (p), Triscuits with cottage cheese (g,p), apples rolled in protein powder and cinnamon (f,p), celery sticks with peanut butter (v,p)
If you don't like unsweetened applesauce or bananas, pack a fruit you do like. Write down some other lunch ideas, including protein, fruit, vegetables and grains in each one. One important rule: when you eat fruit, make sure you eat some protein, too.
Keep your list of lunch ideas on the refrigerator. It will be easy to see when you are making your lunch. And your parents can use it when they are making the grocery list.
(c) Kathleen DesMaisons 2006. All rights reserved.
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