These days, it is not uncommon to come across some artfully curated meals on social media. Food blogging is an industry of its own, with beautiful pictures of nutritious food gaining attention and attracting thousands of followers. I’ve even used food blogger’s pictures as inspiration in my own journey to health, helping to shed baby weight and feel like myself again.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, social media is also a playing field for product endorsements, “detox” diets, and a whole host of other promoted regimens that are meant to be quick fixes or instant money makers for the people who sell them. Sometimes, product endorsers who lecture about health and wellness don’t even have much of a valid background in the field.
Even with all the inspiration and talk about nutrition out there, it is easy for the “normal” person to feel confused about their own diet. Most people don’t have time to curate colorful meals and are too busy on the weekends to “meal prep.” Many people also know that detox teas, 21-day programs, and waist training are not the answers to long-term health and wellness.
I want to first preface this post with the fact that I am not a nutritionist, fitness expert, and definitely not a bikini model! I’ve studied and researched a lot about nutrition – and I know what works for me and my own goals – but I don’t have any formal training in the field. I’m a busy mom of two young children whose goal is to not have a six-pack, but to feel good and have enough energy for my growing family. I love to eat, and I include every food group in my diet. I believe in a well-balanced diet, because the easiest way for our bodies to absorb nutrients is through food sources. Supplements only help if blood levels are low and/or you are unable to make up the deficit with food sources alone. I also like to leave room for plenty of indulgent-type food. My family and I lead a “normal” life, one in which Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, and pizza are not strange or rare occurrences. I like to practice a nutritional lifestyle that lets me incorporate these types of foods and not feel guilty about them.
I’ve gained close to 40 lbs with each my pregnancies. I will say it was harder to shed the weight after my second child. My second child was a rough sleeper, so many sleepless nights combined with work and some life changes left me in a position where I put nutrition on the back burner for a bit. The minute I started paying attention again and going back to my “80/20” rule was the minute that I started noticing the weight come off. I will never have a “bikini” body, and my love for food can attest to that. Yet, I try to eat mostly well for reasons other than cosmetic. For instance, heart disease runs rampant on both sides of my family and is something I worry about for myself. I always want to make sure that I have enough mental clarity, and eating well can help to ensure this, too. The 80/20 rule – in which I try to make clean choices 80% of the time and let myself indulge 20% of the time – is something that I’ve found that works for me not just right now, but long-term. I know this “no-diet,” “no calorie counting” approach is the one I’m most likely to keep down the road.
Over the years, I’ve learned to not let food become a source of stress for me. This was difficult to do because I’ve always represented a dichotomy of sorts. I consider myself to be a major “foodie,” but also want to eat healthfully. I yearn to make wholesome, nutritious meals for my boys, and yet I am no gourmet chef in the kitchen. I want to eat for energy, but not feel deprived in any way. I feel that many people fall into these categories, so I wanted to share the examples of food that I eat and serve to my own family – a “normal,” loose diet for those looking to live a little more healthfully but also allow for life’s pleasures.
I’ve realized that my family and I actually only a need a few choices for each meal every day, and we are happy with that. For some reason, I’ve always felt this compelling need to include a massive variety of food and meal options in the house, or that I would be failing my children if I didn’t spend hours in the kitchen each day – but that’s not necessary, nor is it cost or time-effective. The staples like fresh produce, eggs, grains, and quality meats are pretty much all I need for a put-together meal. I do like to experiment with interesting or exotic dishes every now and then. And we do like to eat out a lot – in which I try to have my boys sample different menu items – so this is when new flavors and textures come into play.
I will say that I am a firm believer of organic foods, but I feel that buying 100% organic is not worth it. I tend to buy organic with the food and drink that we consume a lot of – milk, apple juice (we like when the apples are U.S grown), frozen vegetables, choice meats, and fruits that are on the “dirty dozen.” For snacks, I like the Annie’s brand and Skinnypop popcorn, since this is non-GMO. Corn is heavily genetically modified in the States, so I buy organic frozen corn too. For the rest of the food items, I tend to not worry too much if they are organic or not. I only place a large emphasis on the foods we consume almost daily.
I like quick meals with simple wholesome ingredients that also pack a lot of flavor. During the week, I try to keep these pointers in mind:
Try to include some sort of fruits and vegetables with every meal
Stay hydrated
Limit the amount of snacking, and especially after dinner (this is crucial to me, because I am a habitual “snacker” and calories really add up here)
For meals that pack more calories (like lasagna and casseroles), try to keep in mind portion sizes
For breakfast, we are big egg-lovers, so I do try and make the time for a warm breakfast each morning. Breakfast should also be the most important meal, so I don’t mind taking a few extra minutes to prepare something wholesome. I do try and steer clear of sugared cereals and cereal bars. I know they are convenient, but my children are like magnets to these foods and it is hard for me to say no if they are right there in the pantry.
Sample Breakfast
I mostly eat scrambled eggs with any combination of the following: grape tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, salsa, or half of an avocado. Sometimes I like to make a breakfast burrito and put eggs in a wrap with hot sauce.
If I’m feeling more sweet than savory, sometimes I’ll have a slice of cinnamon raisin toast with a banana. This morning, we had to move quickly, so I warmed up a King’s Hawaiian roll and put peanut butter and half a banana between.
My children generally eat the same. I like to serve some simple fruit for them, like grapes, bananas, blueberries, mandarin oranges, or mangoes (we like the ones already cubed in fruit cups with no added sugar). They eat a lot of applesauce or yogurt, as well. Like I said, I am no saint, so my son has ran out the door with a chocolate chip cookie and a juice box at times. To me, this is ok every now and then!
Sample Lunch
Lately, I have really been getting into salads or “bowls” – however, present to me a cold, lackluster iceberg lettuce salad, and I would rather pass. I like to fill my salads or bowls with a variety of ingredients, and this is actually very easy to put together if you already have everything in the pantry. First, I like to start with a “base” – I usually like a spring mix, baby spinach, a wrap, or a rice blend. Next, I add more veggies which usually consist of cucumbers, grape tomatoes, or sometimes red onion. I slice up extra for my boys to have. Then I usually add some toppings. Examples include pumpkin seeds, sliced olives, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, feta or goat cheese. Of course, there are a ton more and you can get very creative, but these are my staples.
Interesting salads and bowls are how I get to express my creativity in the kitchen on a time crunch and without being a gourmet chef. If I’m feeling more sweet, I’ll put together a combination similar to this: spring mix, almonds or walnuts, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. If I’m feeling more “Mediterranean” I will do a rice blend with red onion, cucumber, feta cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. My rice blend usually consists of the boxed quinoa and brown rice, but only if I have leftover from dinner the night before.
I don’t do salads or bowls all the time. I also like to make chicken or egg salad with a little mayonnaise, served with cucumber slices and Triscuits. My children like this. Or I will put lunchmeat turkey or chicken on a wrap with lots of spinach, cheese, light mayo, and hot sauce. If I have the time and I’m home, sometimes it’s another hot meal for everyone. I’ll bake Earth’s Best chicken nuggets or Gordon’s fish filets. Earth’s Best also makes a meatless broccoli and cheese “nugget” that my children like. I try not to use the microwave as much as possible, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes we all just eat an Applegate Farm hotdog or Annie’s cheese macaroni or rice pasta. If I serve this, I usually like to boil some organic baby carrots to go with it. As of right now, they like the Cracker Barrel Havarti cheese, so we all get a few slices of that too, depending on the “main course.” Cheese is big in our house, and I usually keep a few varieties on hand to serve with fruit or veggies. Of course there are days when it’s just good ol’ PB&J.
Other quick and easy lunch options for me include frozen veggie burgers or prepared soup. I like the boxed Pacific Organic brand of soup, especially their butternut squash and carrot cashew. My boys really like chicken noodle soup or chicken with stars or pastina pasta. Sometimes I’ll even make my own version of this, using pulled chicken from leftover rotisserie, baby carrots, chicken broth, and pastina pasta. When I was little, I remember a lot of one-on-one lunches at home with my mom. My dad would be at work and my older brother and sister would be at school, so she would often turn off the television and sit down with me for a proper lunch. I specifically remember a lot of lunches that consisted of soup and buttered saltine crackers laid out on a paper plate in between us. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t do this with my own kids from time to time, too!
I feel these are all time-efficient options. I’m not perfect with everything, and I know some of my options have some preservatives and other ingredients I’m not particularly fond of, but I can’t be strict all the time.
Sample Dinner
This is where I still falter with options; however, I’ve become a lot better over the years. We are big chicken eaters, so usually chicken in some shape or form is the main course. Mondays are usually busy for us, so we have a store-bought rotisserie chicken with a frozen vegetable and prepared mashed potatoes. I love having rotisserie chickens in the fridge. They are great for chicken salad or sandwiches the next day, and the rest goes to my dog!
I love using the crock pot for chicken dishes. I’ll place chicken breasts with either salsa or barbeque sauce in the crock pot in the morning and then shred later in the day. I also make a honey-garlic chicken in the crock pot – boneless chicken thighs, honey, soy sauce, garlic powder, and a dash of Worcester sauce and ketchup. Aside from the crock pot, I also like using ground chicken for chicken burgers or chicken meatloaf. My husband is a “plain Jane” as far as food goes, so he likes just plain ground chicken with shredded parmesan cheese melted on top. We all actually like the simplicity of this, and it has become a staple in our household. Other nights, I’ll sauté chicken in olive oil and Goya’s adobo seasoning, bake honey mustard tenderloins (honey, Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise mixed and brushed on top), or stuff chicken breasts with ham, cheese, and asparagus and bake. For another quick option, Applegate Farms chicken and apple sausage are also another big hit for us.
We are not huge red meat or pork eaters in our house – we usually save steak for the professionals at restaurants – so to switch it up, we go to seafood. Lately, I’ve been getting into steaming shrimp. I simply boil some water and place shrimp in a steamer and let it steam for 10 or 15 minutes. I love mine with Old Bay, and my husband surprisingly likes a simple “bang-bang” sauce which I make from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and a touch of sriracha. I also like baking salmon or frozen fish filets. I usually roast my salmon with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and seasonings like garlic and salt.
My go-to sides are frozen or roasted vegetables and usually boxed rice, like rice pilaf, brown rice, or quinoa blend. I should note that my husband is sensitive to gluten, so we’ve actually really shied away from pasta over the years. I do make a gluten-free lasagna that he likes, and my gluten-free pasta brand of choice is Tinkyada.
My favorite vegetables to roast are asparagus, baby bliss potatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. I drizzle olive oil over cut veggies and season them with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sometimes parmesan cheese. One recipe I’ve been looking forward to trying is zucchini pizzas – roasted halved zucchinis topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Applegate farms turkey pepperoni.
As far as frozen vegetables go, we really like broccoli (I like to zest it up with lemon juice and salt), riced or mashed cauliflower, honey-glazed carrots, or organic corn.
Most nights we eat dinner from our kitchen at home, but other nights we go out to eat or get take-out. We are fortunate to have some relatively healthy options as far as take-out goes. Most of our favorite pizza places have great salads to accompany our meal. We also have a delicious Mediterranean-type place that serves yogurt-marinated chicken, kebobs, hummus, and pita. Of course, we splurge on burgers, fries, pasta, and Chinese food too.
Personally, I try to limit snacking as much as possible, because it is really hard for me to stop. Also, I’d much rather save the calories from snacking all day for dessert after dinner. If I must snack, I’m usually craving something salty and I’ll opt for nuts – pistachios or almonds. Or I’ll have a yogurt with raisins if I’m feeling something sweet. Dessert is usually whatever sweet stuff we have lying around the house for the kids – 2 chocolate chip cookies, a vanilla pudding, or a rice krispies treat.
As far as alcohol is concerned, most days I only drink coffee, water, and sparkling water (my favorite is coconut LaCroix). If I need an extra something at night, I’ll do an herbal tea with almond milk and honey. However, I do enjoy my wine on the weekends, either when we’re out to eat or at home watching a movie with my boys. I like red wine in particular, so I enjoy merlot and pinot noir. We are fortunate to live in a region with a lot of small wineries, so I love some our local wines, as well – blueberry, apple, pomegranate just to name a few! I don’t drink a lot of hard liquor or beer, but I will splurge on the occasional fancy cocktail if the occasion calls.
I’m also a big fan of easy smoothies. I don’t whip one up every single day, but will a few days a week. My staple smoothie is half almond milk and half water plus a banana, baby spinach, and frozen fruit.
Rules of Thumb
When it comes to nutrition, the three most important rules of thumb I’ve learned are these:
Make choices based on how much energy and nutrients it provides you
Eat colorfully
Think of your diet as a bank account
I’ll explain the last point a little more. This simply means that if you go heavy on one day or meal, then go light on the next. This is the same way you would treat a bank account. If you withdrawal money to buy something big or expensive, chances are you need to take it easy a bit on further purchases for your bank account to even out again. The times I’ve fallen off the wagon nutrition-wise are the times I’ve lost sight of this notion. You can splurge, just not all the time. It’s funny, because I tend to already do this intuitively when it comes to my children. I know if we’ve been on vacation or had a lazy day with them, I try to compensate with nutritious meals heavy on fruits and veggies the next day. For some reason, it is harder to do this with my own diet, but I’m certainly working on it. I have to remind myself that just because I fall off the wagon here and there doesn’t mean I can’t climb back on.
If Your Child is a Picky Eater…
As far as my kids go, many outsiders have commented on their ease of eating a variety of food. They love chicken nuggets and mac n’ cheese as much as the next kid, but their diets are not limited to “kid” food. I like to think that we cultivated their appetites by setting good examples and presenting them with a variety of food, however I know this isn’t entirely the case. I truly believe that when it comes to children’s diets, their willingness to try new foods is half the battle. I know what it’s like to try and negotiate with an unyielding child. I also know what it’s like to spend forever preparing a nutritious meal, only to have no one want to eat it. Sometimes, kids are just kids. Do what you can, and that’s the best you can do.
If you do have a picky eater, the most important thing I can recommend is to try and lead by example as much as you can. The only reason my older son eats shrimp is because my husband always orders the shrimp cocktail at a local restaurant we frequent. He thought the lemon wedges and small spoon for the cocktail sauce were so cool, that of course he wanted to try. Shrimp cocktail is almost always served as an appetizer at special gatherings on both sides of our family, so he’s grown accustomed to it. When he was only 2 years old, he scarfed down several shrimp cocktail on Christmas Eve like it was no big deal. Other family members were in awe.
Other tips I can recommend for picky eaters is to try and present problematic food items as differently as you can. My son – for some odd reason – never liked pureed sweet potatoes as a baby. Yet, when I cut up sweet potato “fries” to roast and serve them with a special mayo-dijon mustard dipping sauce, he was hooked. It may be that they are okay with the taste, but not the texture. Keep trying things to the best of your ability. I always tell my children that they don’t have to finish everything on their plate, but they do have to try a bite of everything.
Interestingly, if I find that they are gravitating more towards a certain food, I know I will instinctively reinforce this by serving that food more to try and “keep the peace.” I try to combat this behavior by mixing it up when I see the first signs of them only wanting chicken nuggets or hot dogs. My kids think that dipping sauces are fun, so that’s another trick I use to try and get them to taste things. They can have a bit of ranch dressing, ketchup, honey, or homemade dipping sauce if it gets them to eat a nutritious, well-balanced meal. Letting them help out in food preparation is also another way to keep them involved. Kids are more likely to eat something if they know they’ve helped to create it.
Lastly, kids are like adults in that they will generally take the path of less resistance whenever possible. Make eating healthy as easy as possible for them. Cut up some carrots and cucumbers for them and leave it on the table just before dinner. Keep easy snack items like applesauce pouches, raisins, and unsweetened fruit cups at their eye-level in the pantry. Place a big bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter. Let them know that you have no problem slicing and dicing it any way they want. My older son wanted a mango fruit cup in bed the other night. He knows that I will never say no to fruits and veggies. My goal is not to force-feed my kids the most nutritious food possible. They can eat chocolate and other “junk” food almost regularly, because I don’t want them to overindulge when they finally get a taste. Besides, life is too short for them not to get a taste of the good stuff. My hope is to give them enough nutritious food in an attempt to crowd out the bad stuff.
I hope this post was helpful. I am your average, run-of-the-mill mom who tries to feed the best for her family, but does not always succeed. I’m not perfect, but I do the best I can and don’t expect my children to be perfect either. Nutrition, however, will always be emphasized in our household – and it should be as fun and stress-free as possible.
