I FEEL your pain
I get it, you're busy and cooking isn't your favorite thing. (Psst... it's not mine either) AND to top it off... you have a kid that is the pickiest of picky eaters ever so deciphering what to make them that resembles a healthy option is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box to guide you.
Welcome to parenting.
You start off with this little baby that only drinks milk. Pretty simple stuff... Whether you breast fed or used a formula; those first six months were straight forward. Until the Dr. advised you to start introducing solid foods anyways; it was a fun and interesting learning experience for you both... the latter being more realistic.
As they got older you watched their preferences change, almost instantly in some cases, refusing the whole food option they inhaled the day before. You quickly decided that introducing the same food they refused was just not worth the hassle. You're tired, even on a whopping 6 hours of sleep, being on your game in that power struggle isn't worth it. The primal feeling of just getting that little body fed dominated your thought processes and just simply getting anything in to avoid a meltdown became the main priority. Boom. They ate some french fries, they aren't hungry anymore. You pat yourself on the back for even surviving another day.
Did you know that studies have shown that you need to introduce a new food 11 times before the child actually decides if they like it or not. ELEVEN TIMES. You're thinking "Ummmmm... yeah, no thanks... I'm not shoving pureed asparagus in my kids face more than once because I don't even like it. "
Sadly, this is where it all started. But no matter where you are or where you've been; you're here trying to get some clarity on what to do now. Take a breath and remember, you are doing your best. I know you are.
Here's the thing; your kids are wicked smart. Another pat on the back, you're their parent. They know what they want and that includes what's on their plate. They gravitate towards the sweet, the salty, the crunchy and the fatty. And that shit is everywhere.
Equally, they understand that they want to be a strong, tough, little badass. And the paradox happens: how do we get them to eat healthy options now? Now that they've had a taste of the dark side, how the hell are we going to change their habits? The habits we, ourselves, the good-intentioned parents created?
Trust me on this one thing: if a kid thinks it was their idea they are all in. Whether you are at the stage that there are a handful of veggies they will eat, or none at, you can transform their choices. While tricking them into thinking it was their brilliant plan. Well... technically it is.
It starts with a desire to be an informed consumer. Bingo. You got that nailed. Next, just because it's labeled "organic" or has the words "healthy, protein rich, light or sugar free " somewhere on the box does not mean that its good for them (or you). Additionally, if you ate it when you were a kid or it’s a family favorite does not mean it’s a good staple in the weekly menu.
What would happen if you wrote down for one week, never mind that's too much time and organization. What if for 2 days you logged what your kids ate and the ingredients contained within each packet? I'm not saying decipher the micronutrients here. Just ingredients. I dare you, double dog dare in fact.
I can nearly guarantee you will not only be shocked at the list but also confused as to what some of the ingredients are.
TODAY’S LIST OF INGREDIENTS TO AVOID:
(and where they are hidden)
Sodium nitrite –deli meats and hot dogs
Sodium benzoate – pickles, sauces, jams and juices
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) –butter, chewing gum, and cereal
Potassium bromate – breads, cakes, cookies
Sulpher dioxide – dried fruits: raisins, apricots…
Aspartame – gum, juice boxes, sodas, anything with “sugar free” on the label, jams and jellies
Sucralose (i.e. Splenda) – yogurt, cereal bars, desserts, canned fruit, drinks, condiments
GMOs – WHY? Because if nature intended it to have that cellular structure it would have made it that way
Artificial flavors – masking low quality foods with promises of good taste they entice your taste buds with lies
Food dyes (labeled Red #40, Yellow #5, etc) – linked to hyperactivity, ADD, ADHD, cancer, tumors, the list goes on
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) – this flavor enhancing additive is a culprit for providing allergic reactions and being a gut unbalancing party pooper
This is the Crystal Clear mission
To educate. To inspire. To support you in making the best decisions possible and teaching your kids the same calculation.