Better eating habits and kids....Need more help!!

[big brown horse]

Sorry, I have not sprouted since my collage days, so I can't help you.

I remember it was very easy, I used a mason jar and a fitted screen or two that I got at the health food store.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Its pretty easy to sprout beans & grains. Try mung beans, they are actually quite good, but NOT alfalfa! They have a toxic substance in them, I can't remember the name off hand.

Get a piece of screen cut into a circle the size of a canning lid, or tap a whole bunch of holes in a canning lid (a la bug catching jar), attach to the jar using the ring. You soak the beans overnight, then rinse & drain (using the perfed top) every day, a couple of times a day. After each drain, lay the jar on its side or top down, and slanted into a bowl to catch any runoff. 2-3 days later, you have sprouts easy peasy!

 

[Dace]

I think I could do that!

Screen....hmmmm. Maybe the perforated lid would be easier to make.

 

[carol.bi]

Every parent go through a phase where he/she has to struggle with the eating patterns of their kids.We live in a unique time .Never before in human history has so much food available so cheaply all the time.and there are restaurants,they don't offer you you seconds,they do something even more sneakier.There is no denying that kids love the delicate,creamy taste of bread, pastry and other processed foods.But these are the types of food that causes the massive insulin response in human bodies which leads to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes
Kids show less interest when they are fed with the same combination of meal.If they see choices ,it helps.one can also combine 2-3 different types of food to make a small meal.Actually it does not take much time and if it is it is easy to handle and fun they will show interest. You can learn more on http://www.habitchanger.com/

 

[me&thegals]

Welcome, carol.bi!! And great advice! Yes, it is really tough to teach kids to eat well in a society that eats so badly, restaurants with such enormous portion sizes, billboards and junkfood everywhere, junky school lunch programs. But, it looks like many folks are managing it anyway!

 

[Javamama]

You are so right, Carol. Heck, I have a hard time myself. We are constantly bombarded by the typical American diet, even told it's so good for us. From school to friends to TV, it's really hard to combat it all the time. I lose out frequently but hope that my knowledge is power and will soak in.

 

[TanksHill]

Hi Carol, looks like an interesting web site.

Dace, I sprout on occasion. I read the sprouting book by Ann Wigmore. Interesting stuff. do a you tube search. Lots of demonstrations and examples of different methods. Mung beans like it dark and get nice and plump under pressure. For example I use a soup tureen and screen for the first day or so. Then as they grow I have a bowl that fits inside the tureen. I weight it down. I know my mung beans are done usually because they lift the heavy bowl right up. strong little buggars.

Wheat grass is easy to grow on a windowsill. That's a good one to slip in the smoothies. My kids could not believe they were drinking grass.

NoobieChicenLady.... What's up with the toxic alfalfa??? Do you have any more info???

 

[carol.bi]

Kids often like processed foods because they tastes good but these foods causes our blood sugar level to soar,and the body responds by making tons of insulin. Kids often turn down the same kind of food that are offered to them so one of the best ways is to offer a variety of foods by accommodating the best ingredients in the basic meal.Eating can be fun.Learn more on http://www.habitchanger.com/

 

[noobiechickenlady]

NoobieChicenLady.... What's up with the toxic alfalfa??? Do you have any more info???

Missed this, sorry. I read about it in Nourishing Traditions. I did another quick search and found that the toxin is called Canavanine. It depletes as the seed is sprouted, but the sprout still contains the substance until it actually turns green. Which is not at the point that most people eat sprouts. Its a carcinogen.
I like the mung beans & sprouted black beans myself. I'm working on sprouting some wheat at the moment, though.

Dace, an easier method I recently learned about is to use a clean nylon stocking instead of the perfed lid. Makes sense and I bet its easier. One of those DOH! moments

 

[Dace]

Hey all, thought I would revive this as I am having another struggle with my son.

As finances have tightened some crap has found it's way back into our diet and it is creating some issues.

For example, my son the other night, did not want what we were having. I said just try it! DD7 did and liked it (although she technically did not know what it was which is usually half the battle...once you put a name to something then they can proclaim "I don't like pork!") anywho....so I said fine then make yourself a quesadilla...and he did.

Yesterday DH was taking all of the kids and their friends somewhere and I made everyone breakfast, fried eggs, potatoes and watermelon. DS is not eating, we tell him you better eat. He proclaims to to like anything that is being offered....after much grumbling I relent and tell him to fix himself something and he grabs a box of Ritz and puts cheese on top. Well that pissed me off as that is not breakfast!

So here is the issue....he does not like anything. Really, almost not fruits or veg, (apples) will eat mostly only chicken, pasta, quesadillas, hamburgers and that about sums it up. He is also very ridged about what he eats and is a bit of a germ-aphobe...for example, when he gets out a glass, he rinses it before he fills it wiht water. We heard on the radio on time about how ice in fast food places was tested and found to have as much bacteria as a toilet...it has been years since he will get ice in a drink if we are out. So I know that his food issues are related and run deep!

I need this child to eat. He is 13 and has always been a horrible eater. DH thinks we go back to the days when children had to sit at the table until they finished dinner. I disagree and do not think that is the appropriate method. Any ideas on how to get a very stubborn, very picky boy to eat?