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

[Dace]

Most of my kids like tortilla soup...I love it. Instead of a fresh pepper I have always added a chopped chipotle with a tablespoon or so of the adobo...not sure if that will meet my new and improved diet guidelines but the flavor and kick is awesome!

I do have chickens but they are not yet laying ...any minute I am going to go out and find an egg, I swear! They are 20 weeks as of yesterday and now 3 of the 5 are doing the posturing for their roo thing. Getting my kids to eat eggs coming from our pet chickens will be it's own battle. One that I will win of course but nonetheless a few in this house are a little freaked about the whole thing Not to mention that the child we are discussing does not like eggs
Anywho...thanks for all the support!

Oh, another question for all you great eaters!....We have done great at omitting the obvious junk and incorporating more whole fruits, veggies, raw nuts and yogurts....but I need to work on the bread issue. Even though I have WW I know it is still crappy commercial WW. So can y'all tell me what to look for or how to make my own? Can I use regular WW flour or do I have to grind my own....and if so how do I go about that whole process. I also make a lot of pita, naan, pizza crust etc...I would like to slowly add more and more WW to my recipes...with out stirring up a complete revolt of course. Any guidance in this are would be much appreciated!

 

[big brown horse]

Most of my kids like tortilla soup...I love it. Instead of a fresh pepper I have always added a chopped chipotle with a tablespoon or so of the adobo...not sure if that will meet my new and improved diet guidelines but the flavor and kick is awesome!

I do have chickens but they are not yet laying ...any minute I am going to go out and find an egg, I swear! They are 20 weeks as of yesterday and now 3 of the 5 are doing the posturing for their roo thing. Getting my kids to eat eggs coming from our pet chickens will be it's own battle. One that I will win of course but nonetheless a few in this house are a little freaked about the whole thing Not to mention that the child we are discussing does not like eggs
Anywho...thanks for all the support!

Oh, another question for all you great eaters!....We have done great at omitting the obvious junk and incorporating more whole fruits, veggies, raw nuts and yogurts....but I need to work on the bread issue. Even though I have WW I know it is still crappy commercial WW. So can y'all tell me what to look for or how to make my own? Can I use regular WW flour or do I have to grind my own....and if so how do I go about that whole process. I also make a lot of pita, naan, pizza crust etc...I would like to slowly add more and more WW to my recipes...with out stirring up a complete revolt of course. Any guidance in this are would be much appreciated!

Oh yeah, I forgot your chickens were still young. What is it about kids and adults that think fresh eggs are yuckier than store bought? It is a very common misconseption for sure. When I would bring coworkers fresh eggs some would be grossed out by it! That came out of your chicken's bu**! And the store bought ones come from....cartons?!

I'm not the expert on bread nutrition or baking my own. We use "sprouted" bread that you can find in the health food freezer section. I was the only one to eat it, but now everyone likes it..it is a bit expensive though. I would love to learn how to make it.

 

[Blue Skys]

Oh, another question for all you great eaters!....We have done great at omitting the obvious junk and incorporating more whole fruits, veggies, raw nuts and yogurts....but I need to work on the bread issue. Even though I have WW I know it is still crappy commercial WW. So can y'all tell me what to look for or how to make my own? Can I use regular WW flour or do I have to grind my own....and if so how do I go about that whole process. I also make a lot of pita, naan, pizza crust etc...I would like to slowly add more and more WW to my recipes...with out stirring up a complete revolt of course. Any guidance in this are would be much appreciated!

I thought I would chime in to say - try your recipies with ww flour, I use the store bought kind. You never know, it may turn out just fine, and noone will care - I unnintentionally did that with my favorite biscuit recipe and I now I won't go back. If it turns out yucky, just give it to the chickens. Or you could slowly substitute regular flour for ww over time - but I say just jump in.

 

[freemotion]

If you are getting a revolt, start your homemade bread making with half white and half whole wheat, especially while you are using storebought flour. The strong taste is from rancidity, unfortunately. Fresh ground is like a completely different food.

Whole wheat bread tends to be dense. It can be crumbly. Use an oatmeal bread recipe for your first all whole wheat bread for more slice-ability.

The MEN artisan bread recipe is great with all whole wheat, I use the regular recipe, not the one they list for whole wheat. It is denser, but very good, and quite sliceable if you leave the dough in the fridge for a few days, up to two weeks. It is super easy, and wonderful with home-ground flour.

For bread to purchase, I have found two brands to be acceptable in my area, but I don't know what is available where you are. The best is Alvarado Street Bakery sprouted grain breads. Your store might order them for you if they don't carry them. The other is Nature's Promise, not as wonderful but a very good brand for big organic, and a good compromise for those who are not likely to get into the denser breads.

Most commercial whole wheat breads are mostly white flour (look for the word "enriched" in front of the words "wheat flour" as they legally have to add a few vitamins back into white flour, but they try to hide this on wheat bread labels) and lots of junk....even more than many white breads. The mainstream brands are often worse than their white flour counterparts.

Toasted whole wheat bread is to-die-for, slathered in butter! Makes wonderfully dense French toast, I soak the bread for up to half hour to really soak that egg up, I go for one egg per slice.

 

[Mackay]

Oh man, I've been all through this and It seems others here have too.

Fact of the matter is your kids are getting older and when they start working for money they will buy what they please.

When I got married my husbands microwave got put on the front lawn for the first taker and I haven't had one since. They are soooo bad for you..

consequently my kids grew up without one and felt deprived. When son number one started to work he purchased one an put it in his bedroom!

I recommend fresh air popped pop corn for snacks for those times when chips or other junk are craved.. We like to put soy sauce and garlic powder and cayenne on it....sometimes butter. Always make a lot. Its mostly air. I like brewers yeast on it too.

You can learn to make your own potato chips, and are t hey good when made out of sliced yams! At least you will know the quality of the potatoes and the oil you use.

When it comes to bread just take whatever recipes you have been using and cut the white in half with whole wheat for a transition. I make all kinds of bread and tortillas that way. But I don't make bread often. I rather get my carbs elsewhere. Never serve bread and pasta or rice at the same meal. ...thats way overload.

If you decide to grind your own wheat and commit to using only that it will slow your bread consumption way way down. I am approaching this idea myself...although we are pretty slow on the bread as it is. I just purchased a victorio manual grinder. Will try it out next week.

Sometimes instead of bread I make corn bread and I like to use blue cornmeal, generally not a gmo product. You could learn how to make sprouted seed breads, you could probably find recipes on the net.

 

[Wifezilla]

I recommend fresh air popped pop corn for snacks for those times when chips or other junk are craved

Air popped pop corn is just a bunch of carbs. It is no better than the chips or other junk. For many people, they will actually end up hungrier after eating this since it spikes blood sugar and insulin levels.

 

[freemotion]

I recommend fresh air popped pop corn for snacks for those times when chips or other junk are craved

Air popped pop corn is just a bunch of carbs. It is no better than the chips or other junk. For many people, they will actually end up hungrier after eating this since it spikes blood sugar and insulin levels.

It is a vehicle for butter and sea salt for me!!!! I am not watching my weight anymore, though. If weight management (or blood sugar/insulin) is an issue, skip the popcorn. If I have it every day, my weight starts to inch up. Though I can have it most days. It is an individual thing. But it is often the only high-glycemic carb I have all day...no bread, rice, 'taters or pasta most days.

All things in moderation.....well, except for hydrogenated fats, msg, HFCS....ok, some things in moderation!

 

[Wifezilla]

ummmmmmm....butter and sea salt....

I had that on some sweet potato for breakfast

 

[freemotion]

I do love corn....

 

[Mackay]

Lots of people will eat carbs. No matter how many times they are reminded (nagged) not to. For many people a serving of carbs in the form of popcorn is not going to kill them.

I personally have a lineage of old timers in my family who ate plenty of carbs with out heart disease or diabetes. All my elders lived past 80, except my mom due to smoking and COPD, but she made it to 79. White bread was her mainstay and no diabetes or heart disease for her.

You can by fritos which is really trashy or you can make your own popcorn.

I say, enjoy life a little. Do things in moderation and slowly and transitionally change your eating habits, especially for kids who are resistant.