Eating Healthy as a Family
By Rachel Shouse
Feeding a family can be a challenge. Adding in the size of your family and the fact that you want to feed them well makes it that much more difficult. Along with that, most of us are on a budget. You probably can't just roam around the store letting your kids pick out whatever they want. Creating a healthy meal plan can help keep you from grabbing random items off the shelves. Having some healthy meal ideas can be helpful, especially if you have kids that could help cook the meals.
Planning Ahead
It might seem easier, roaming through the store and grabbing whatever comes to mind. This probably seems easier because it's what you've been doing for a long time. Think about how much easier it would be to get through the store if you already have a plan and a grocery list.
Some folks like to write down breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. In order to keep it simple, start with one meal. I got dinner plans down pretty quick, but I never planned for breakfast or lunch. My kids usually eat cereal, toaster pastries, or oatmeal for breakfast, which made planning seem like a waste of time.
You need to make sure that you're planning meals for yourself as well. It can be easy to overlook ourselves when there's so much going on. You can start with planning your favorite meals for a little while. You could also start planning for breakfast and then move onto lunch once you have your plan down.
Healthy Food Ideas
Never underestimate the power of a well-balanced diet. You can only function at your best if you're taking proper care of yourself. That means balancing the types of foods that you're ingesting. Instead of going about your day, eating as you normally would, try to incorporate some new ingredients.
- Olive oil - Olive oil is loaded with healthy fats that help you feel full for a longer period of time.
- Mushrooms - Mushrooms are the only form of vitamin d in plant form. They're great as a meat replacement as well.
- Quinoa - Quinoa is great. It contains all nine types of amino acids. It's also a complete protein, keeping you full longer again.
Get Your Kids in the Kitchen
A lot of families feel like they don't have enough time to spend quality time with each other. In order to fix that problem, try multitasking. Instead of just making dinner and shooing your children away, ask them to join you. Not only will you have extra hands for help, your children will know how to cook for themselves some day. You don't need a college student calling and asking how to make macaroni and cheese.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Owings Mills, Md.