Eating Habits

[Dita]

In today's society with all the fast food joints and the convenience of delivery, how do you keep your kids healthy? How much fast food do they eat per week? Restaurant food? How many home cooked meals do they eat per week? What about canned foods or TV dinners?

I am finding that since I've been home with Carson this past week I feel great about being able to monitor what he eats for breakfast and lunch and not just dinner (which was RARELY home cooked because Ken and I both work). I have a feeling that his candy, chips and cookie intake has totally decreased since his daycare lady was a little more relaxed about what the kids snack on. I love preparing meals for him that consist of a healthy mix of different foods and giving him the option between a Gogurt or an apple if he wants to snack.

I just need to grocery shop now so I can start cooking at nights (which I still have yet to do this whole week) and I want to stock my cupboards of more healthy goodness! :)

[supernova]

Because my husband and I work fulltime, I find it very hard to find things that are healthy for my son, that he'll actually like, and that he's physically able to eat (he's 14 months old) and that I don't have to spend my whole evening making, thereby squandering my time with him. We don't eat out very much, but I admit to giving in to chicken nuggets or hotdogs at least once a week.

I would *love* people to share some healthy recipes that don't take a long time to prepare and that a little one is likely to enjoy. (He attends a daycare attached to a Jewish temple, so lunches must be kosher and vegetarian, which makes things even a bit more difficult.)

[courey]

One a week we have pizza, but the rest of the time we cook. We can't really afford to go out, and seldom have the time anyway, so the kids and I rarely have fast food... maybe once every few months, if that. Canned foods, like Chef Boyardee, that's also about once a week if I fix something I know the kids won't eat [like Beef Stew, for whatever their reasoning is, mainly this one is my daughter]; I would rather she eat something else than hear her screaming and get stressed out... it's a picking my battles kind of thing. Tv dinners, we just don't do.

[-Jes]

My kid is super picky, so his meals are pretty simple. We don't eat out at restaurants hardly at all and I think fast food is nasty and way too expensive, so we don't get that very often. He doesn't drink much soda pop or eat much candy, because I just don't buy it. He only drinks milk(regular or chocolate), water or 100% juice. I cook dinner everynight and try to cook things that he likes or that I can easily modify into something he likes. If what I am making is something he absolutely cannot stand, I will make him a sandwich, either ham or turkey. Now... here is the thing with my son... He won't eat vegetables. At all. He used to eat them like mad until about a year ago. Then he just stopped and he refuses to even try them now. I have given up trying to force him. I figure he will try again when he is ready to quit being such a weinie about it. I can get him to eat apples and bananas and that is about it for fruit. *sigh*

[FaerieDreamer]

We've just gotten really into establishing Xavier's eating habits w/ table foods. I'm finding that *I'm* actually eating a lot healthier now, because I want to set a good example for him. We don't go out for fast food that often at all, and if we do, he only gets french fries. I think I'm lucky in that he will pretty much eat anything we give him. There are very few items that he doesn't like, although I'm sure that will change when he can start really learning how to be picky. *laugh*

He doesn't get tv dinners, but there are times that I am really tempted to give in and get some of those gerber graduates meals because I do have a hard time finding things to give him for lunches. For breakfast, he usually has yogurt or cream of wheat, w/ a piece of toast and some fruit. Lunches can be anything from left over dinner, to a hot dog (about once a week), a grilled cheese sandwich, or a veggie burger, w/ fruit and veggie. He eats whatever we eat for dinner.

Snacks we have a big problem with. I am more than likely to give him a couple crackers, or graham crackers or something. My husband will give him oreos and popcicles and more sugary stuff. Once in a while is okay, but I don't want him to really get into too much sugar.

[Clementine]

we get take out about once a week.
twice if we're feeling really lazy.

we have a set habit of going to the grocery store every sunday morning. it's nice and quiet then. we plan out what meals we'll be having before we go, and that saves a lot of time and money.
i cook most of the time though the week since i'm home, and neil cooks sometimes at the weekend.
i'm super picky about the foods ethan eats, so we've been eating healthier as well since he's been eating big-people-food.
i allow any kind of treats, as long as it's all natural. artificial colorings and flavors (as well as preservatives, corn syrup, msg, and hydrogenated oils) piss me off. so we mainly stick with all natural ice cream and chocolate milk for treats.
i'm a chinese food-aholic, so that's our "bad thing" we do. although, it's a no msg store, so that's good. ethan loves noodles and rice. makes sense, as that's what i craved during my pregnancy! the owner of the restaurant said she was sure he was gonna come out chinese. ;l

on a bragging note....my boy loves SALAD!!!!!! WHOOP! WHOOP!
remember the thread about the boy who wouldn't eat his veggies? well, his fave snack now is carrot sticks! i just keep putting them in front of him no matter how many times he refuses it. i had read that you sometimes have to offer a food 10 or more times before it will be accepted. it worked :)
*does veggie dance*

[-Jes]

That was MY non-veggie eating boy. *sigh* I wish the ten times thing would work for him. Salad! That is so unfair!

[Dita]

Carson LOVES salad too. Especially tomatoes. He'll eat a whole one like it's an apple.

[Clementine]

That was MY non-veggie eating boy. *sigh* I wish the ten times thing would work for him. Salad! That is so unfair!
i KNEW i'd jinx myself for posting that! i know better.
he's refused every vegetable except carrots for the last two days! ;l

[-Jes]

At least he will eat carrots! Mine is a turd when it comes to the veggies. "Eww!! They taste soury."