por Every day there is a new headline about a new miracle food that will whittle your waist, grow your nails shrink your hips, and make your hair thicker and life happier. Our country is obsessed with healthy eating but we have one of the highest obesity rates and heart disease rates in the world.
As moms it’s a daily struggle to get our kids to eat their vegetables, drink more water and eat less junk. We often don’t make the best food choices for ourselves and family because our lack of time and energy. It’s so much easier to go through the drive through, or the grocery store to hot deli section to get the corn dog, mac and cheese rather than cook a meal.
I know it can be confusing and frustrating trying to figure out what is healthy for the family when the food industry is constantly telling you what is good or bad to eat. What’s interesting is that the good and bad foods are constantly changing. Last month Pomegranate juice was the miracle food so we had cereals, fruit bars, cookies and candies infused with pomegranate in it. Margarine use to be touted as the healthy alternative to butter but we now know they have trans fats which can clog our arteries and lead to heart disease.
As a mother I have learned over the years to stick with some basic principles of healthy eating and read the new «miracle» food headlines with a grain of salt.
1. Eat Real Food rather than packaged processed foods. Eat as many fruits, fresh or frozen vegetables and meats.
2. Eat Less set an example for your family and eat until you’re satisfied not full.
3. Make it a rule not to eat in the car – This will help you two fold, you and your family will eat less fast food and less food from the gas stations and convenience stores.
4. Eat together as a family and not in front of the tv will reduce the mindless eating . It’s a great tradition and way to catch up with the family and enjoy meals with the people you love.
5. Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients Have you recently looked at the ingredients list on your box of mac n’ cheese? It’s full of preservatives and fillers and words that you can’t pronounce; and sound like a science project gone wrong. I know there will be days when you don’t have the energy and will to cook. There are plenty of choices to either cook straight out of the box or bag just add some fresh ingredients or limit the ingredients to words you recognize.
As busy moms don’t let these tips overwhelm your or make you feel that you have to do each and every one of them just incorporate one or two or adjust them to your family’s lifestyle. Also, give yourself some slack and let your kids have cereal for dinner it’s better than fast food and as long as it’s not a regular thing your kids and you will be happier for it
