Lose weight, cook as a Family!
Did you know that cooking together reduces the risk of obesity and eating disorders, and makes kids happier? Instilling lifelong behaviors is best done by example.
This past weekend, my family visited Grandma and Grandpa; what a trip it was! We shopped and cooked, ate and laughed, and even packed a picnic one day; it made me think about how I fell in love with food as a kid. Eating wholesome meals is about more than modeling sound nutrition; it’s about family unity, connectedness, ritual, identity and meaning.
My parents were divorced when I was young, so me and my sister always tried to help with chores around the house; including meal prep. It wasn’t long until I was pretty good at a few recipes, and I was super proud when I could share my cooking skills at the dinner table.
So here I am, as a Dad, working with our young family, getting them excited about cooking at home and creating those lifelong behaviors of eating fresh, healthy, foods. Our daughter has a play kitchen in our grown-up kitchen, and she’s all about climbing up on her stool to help Mommy and Daddy stir and mix up our next concoction.
Today, I’d like to talk about healthy eating your whole family can enjoy, and how food shapes our lives. But before I dive in, make sure to take a look at last week’s newsletter if you missed it, with news about my new cookbook, Eat Like Your LIFE Depends on it. You can use this link HERE to get up to speed.
We often hear about food in the context of physical health - eating for a strong heart, healthy weight, and glowing skin. But what about the other impacts of food, like how it makes us feel emotionally and mentally?
Read on to learn more about some of the things you can practice at home to up your food game and enjoy your time at the table ;-)
Are you trying to eat healthier but having difficulty getting the whole family on board? If so, you’re not alone.
It isn’t unusual to find families who prepare different meals for each family member, mostly from a box or package, each made in a different factory, eaten in under 20 minutes while watching television or distracted by smartphones. In my house growing up, there were two things on the menu: take it or leave it. I’m acutely aware of the challenges that families face.
From stress and busy work schedules, to budget constraints and limited food accessibility, many obstacles can get in the way of healthier habits.
Plus, family members may not always agree on what to eat.
Parents following a specialty diet may eat differently than the rest of the family. Tantrum-prone toddlers may refuse to eat at mealtimes while crossing their arms in disgust. Teenagers might stop at the drive-through on their way home from school and skip the family dinner.
While it can feel overwhelming, with a mix of careful planning and a willingness to be flexible, it’s possible to get your family on the same page with healthier habits.
Here are several realistic tips for eating healthier as a family.
Let go of perfection:
Despite what social media may have you believe, there’s no perfect way to eat healthier. This means that your meals don’t have to be expensive, complicated, time-consuming, or picture perfect.
Instead, it’s important to be realistic and do the best you can to help your family make healthy choices. Plus, by taking off the pressure to have a perfect diet, you’re more likely to find a healthier way of eating that works for your family.
Avoid labeling foods as off-limits:
While some ingredients are certainly more nutritious than others, it’s important to foster a healthy relationship with food by avoiding language like “bad” or “off-limits.” Plus, being too restrictive can create stress and tension around mealtimes.
Instead, don’t treat any food as off-limits. All foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle within moderation. Consider using the language of “always” foods and “sometimes” foods. Fruits and vegetables are “always” a great option for snacks, but we only have birthday treats “sometimes” when it’s someone’s birthday.
Check out this interesting article on how the family dinner table dynamics may be associated with childhood obesity, link HERE.
Make healthy eating about wellness, not weight:
Not only are diets inappropriate for children, but discussing body weight in front of kids can lead to disordered thoughts and behaviors around eating.
Rather than talking about the calorie or fat content of food, focus on its benefits, such as how it tastes or the nutrients it provides.
Similarly, make a point to speak with your kids about loving your body and treating it with kindness. After all, hearing positive talk from parents can help build and sustain a healthy body image and self-esteem in kids.
Keep meal planning simple:
Meal planning is a great time-saving strategy, as you only have to go grocery shopping once or twice during the week. However, deciding on which recipes to make can be tricky.
While there’s a time and place for trying out a fancy new recipe you found on Pinterest, it’s best to stick to simple meal ideas during the week.
In fact, I recommend avoiding new or complicated meals on busy days, and keeping two to three backup meals in the freezer or pantry in case of a hiccup in the day’s plan.
Another tip is to make meal planning a collaborative process by keeping a sheet of paper or a dry erase board in the kitchen to create a running list of meal ideas that the whole family can contribute to.
Tired of making the same meals every week? Check out my new cookbook and bookmark recipes that you’re interested in making as a family.
Make meal prep a priority:
One of the most common hurdles I hear from families is a lack of time to prepare home-cooked meals and snacks.
While it may seem like a large time commitment, setting aside an hour or two to prep a batch of meals and snacks can actually save you time during the week.
The first step toward making meal prep a priority is examining your schedule and blocking off a designated meal prep time.
In practice, this could look like setting aside time on Sunday to make a batch of oven-baked chicken breasts, a large fruit salad, and a sheet pan of roasted zucchini and tomatoes.
You also don’t have to do all the work yourself.
Try splitting up meal prep responsibilities among family members or ask for help from a friend or family member to spend time with your little ones while you and your partner have a meal prep date together.
Eat together:
Eating together as a family - without distractions - has numerous benefits, including encouraging healthier eating habits, promoting bonding, and aiding social and emotional development.
Furthermore, studies show that kids of families that eat together tend to eat less fast food and more fruits and vegetables.
There are benefits for adults, too. One study found that parents who participate in family dinners have higher levels of self-esteem and lower rates of depression and stress.
While it may not be realistic to eat together every night, try to make family dinners a priority as often as you can.
Here are some tips to encourage a distraction-free meal:
Make the dinner table a no-phone zone.
Engage in conversation around the table by asking fun, thought-provoking questions. For example, if you could have any kind of animal for a pet, what would it be and why? You can also take turns, having each family member come up with a question.
Give each family member a task, such as helping with cooking, setting the table, or doing dishes.
Incorporate more fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables:
One of the easiest ways to eat more vegetables is by incorporating them into meals that your family already enjoys.
For example, if Friday is Mexican night, set out a variety of vegetables, such as chopped peppers, mushrooms, spinach, onions, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro, for each member to use as fajita toppings.
Worried about the cost? There are many ways to save money on produce. For example, seasonal vegetables are often less expensive and better-tasting than out-of-season selections.
Frozen veggies are another great option, they have a longer shelf life. Plus, frozen vegetables cook quickly and come in bulk, making them more cost-effective.
Finally, if you have limited access to fresh products or are looking for another budget-friendly pick, some canned vegetables are available that are low sodium or no-added-salt options. Examples of canned vegetables to keep on hand include carrots, beets, diced tomatoes, pumpkin, corn, and peas.
Optimize vegetables for snack time:
If you have the choice between chopping up vegetables for a snack or grabbing a bag of chips, convenience will likely win out.
Encourage your family to snack on vegetables by having washed and cut options ready to go in the fridge. Simply slice the veggies into sticks or strips and store them in clear containers, such as mason jars or zippered plastic bags.
This way, the vegetables are easily visible and quick to grab. You can even place a nutritious dip, such as salsa, hummus, or egg salad, next to the jar of veggies for a complete snack.
If dinner is taking a while to get on the table, offer some fresh veggies to munch on beforehand to curb your family’s hunger.
Make one meal for the whole family:
It can be tempting to keep family members happy by preparing more than one meal at dinnertime. I see this most often in households with picky eaters. For example, while the rest of the family is eating a casserole, one child might have a sandwich or a bowl of cereal.
While it may seem easier in the moment, eating the same meal is important for getting your family on the same track with healthier habits. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to force your kids to eat foods that they dislike.
For families with picky eaters, I recommend serving dishes by deconstructing them. For example, when making taco bowls, serve all the ingredients separately and have each member construct their own bowl “buffet” style.
Similarly, rather than plating food for each family member, serve meals family-style so that each person can pick and choose what and how much they want to eat.
Serve foods in new and exciting ways:
A great way to get kids - and even adults - to eat healthier snacks is by presenting a variety of foods in new and interactive ways.
For example, rather than placing one snack option in a bowl, put together a snack tray or board. You can also maximize the nutritional value of the snack by providing options from multiple food groups.
If you want to include dips, such as hummus or peanut butter, serving snacks in a muffin tin is a fun way for kids to mix and match different flavors and textures.
Here are some examples of foods to include:
apple slices
mandarine orange segments
sliced strawberries
dried cherries
sugar snap peas
cherry tomatoes
baby carrots
bell pepper slices
lightly salted almonds or cashews
celery strips or zucchini slices
Say goodbye to the clean plate club:
For a healthy relationship with food, it’s important for kids to be able to recognize their hunger and fullness cues. Therefore, while it’s understandable to want your kids to eat well and thrive, pressuring them to finish their plate or eat when they’re not hungry compromises these healthy biological cues.
To reduce power struggles at meals and encourage mindful eating, I recommend following this approach: Parents choose which foods to offer and when, and children decide how much or whether they want to eat.
Avoid using dessert as a reward:
It’s not uncommon to promise a dessert in exchange for your child eating their vegetables. However, using sweets as a reward “sets up the mentality that some foods are better or more valued than others.”
While desserts shouldn’t be used as rewards, they can still provide a fun and delicious way to add more nutrients to your family’s day. For example, some nutritious options include grilled fruit kabobs, watermelon cubes, or sliced strawberries.
Also, keep in mind that as all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle, traditional desserts like ice cream and brownies can be made in a healthy manner so that they can also be enjoyed from time to time.
Make your own flavored drinks:
While it’s important to drink enough water, sometimes you just need something a little bit more exciting. Get the whole family involved in making healthier beverages at home by combining seltzer water with a few ounces of 100% fruit juice. See my cookbook on some great ideas!
Making your own beverages is a fun way to cut back on drinks that are high in added sugar - the major cause of obesity in the United States.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of your family dynamics, while it requires some trial and error, eating healthier has countless benefits for the whole family.
Just remember to think positively and encourage healthier habits without being restrictive or adding pressure.
By taking it one step at a time, you’ll find that it’s possible to find a healthier way of eating that’s both realistic and sustainable for your family.
I hope some of these tips will help you and your family create memorable meals and a safe place to exchange family values.
Don’t forget, we’ve got cookbooks in each office for those of you that would like to buy one at a discounted price. Hopefully I ordered enough! If not, and you’d like to get cooking right away, you can find them for sale on Amazon, using this LINK.
May some of the (60+) recipes in “Eat Like Your LIFE Depends on it” find a way into your heart and kitchen. I’m hoping they create fond memories of where, when, and who you first shared and tasted them with. Enjoy your sense of wonder, taste and smell as you prepare each dish and share them with your loved ones. Let’s spread the word, one dish at a time, how enjoyable eating healthy “Like our life depends on it!” can be….
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ design your life, create your reality…
This is life changing!
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