Subtitled: Why this health coach stocks junk food for her kids
This time of year, many of us are doing an overhaul of habits, starting with how we eat. Maybe holiday indulgences left you feeling sluggish & not at your best? Maybe you have health goals for yourself in 2021? Maybe you simply want more clarity and time saving techniques around how you feed yourself or your family?
Even if you have other goals weighing on you (organizing and refreshing spaces of your home, decluttering your life and schedule, taking on new challenges), starting with what and how you eat ensures more peace and energy for all these other things.
I’ve tried a lot of different approaches to how we approach food as a family, and I wanted to share a candid look at an average week around the Pidel homestead: what we stock, what we eat, and a bit about why.
Intuitive Eating – An Approach to Eating and Nutrition That’s Good for Body and Soul
I find that New Year’s resolutions, especially around food & making changes, can be a bit restrictive. Yes, of course we all know we can’t just keep eating holiday cookies non-stop. But we also want to truly enjoy and relish seasons of feasting and treats. The big question is: what does a balanced & abundant set of food choices look (and feel like) for you?
A few years back – three to be precise – I decided I was done with nutritional fads. This is coming from someone who’s been no stranger to a diet & “clean eating” mentality.
I used to be very restrictive about foods that I considered acceptable, and was vegetarian & even vegan for a period of time (after my 2nd daughter was born). I studied over 100 dietary theories in my preparatory studies to be a health coach, and while many of them have value, the idea of restriction, and the subsequent mental games caused by restriction remain.
How freeing would it be to just eat what we want, when we want it, and to trust our cravings & our bodies to know what is best? The foundation of this kind of freedom has to come out of an attitude of caring and reverence for our bodies, an attitude that does not fit well with only giving them a steady stream of Oreos & ice cream.
So many of our struggles with consuming too much of foods that don’t support our overall health come about because our bodies are depleted nutritionally, not able to eliminate toxins well, and sending us confused signals in the form of cravings for sugar and processed foods. Supporting our bodies with good nutrients in food and supplements helps regulate those craving signals so they can be trusted again.
This, my friends, is the beauty of Intuitive Eating. It’s a school of thought, a philosophy that I deeply believe in, and I have seen work wonders when implemented in many of my clients’ lives through our work on the subject. I’ve also seen it take root beautifully in my own approach as a wife & mother of 4, as we experiment with what this can look like for us, both me as an individual, and my family.
Here’s some ideas of what works for us.
A Full Veggie Drawer with Easy to Eat Items
Our fridge always has full (emptying) veggie drawers. We emphasize leafy greens, spinach & kale in shakes, salads (don’t be afraid to use salad kits for ultra simplicity! If it’s complicated to make a salad it may not happen). Cucumbers with ranch are a favorite snack of the kids, and celery is a great option for me (PB & celery is my go-to for a quick fiber & protein rich snack).
The trick with veggies is to make it available and appealing in order for a good habit to form. We roast them often, and sneak them into recipes, like I’m sure many of you do.
Flexible, Tasty Fridge Staples
Our fridge and pantry always have a variety of basics that I know work well for breakfasts or snacks on the go.
We usually have bagels (gasp!) and bread of various kinds, usually Dave’s Killer Bread for our toast & sandwiches, sometimes loaves of fresh (locally made) bread from our favorite bakery. We have all the usual condiments, yogurt, a cheese drawer (cheese sticks are another great healthy snack to always have at the ready for littles), and basically a lot of “typical” things.
These kinds of items can absolutely be a party of your healthy lifestyle. Unless you have specific health issues or allergies, there’s no reason why gluten and dairy can’t play a great role in your balanced eating.
I don’t go overboard with making ultra healthy meals, or obsessing over my kids’ eating. We keep a huge variety around, from ultra healthy to a bit less so, and we guide & encourage the kids when they’re able to make their own choices (snack times). With meals, they have less choice, but we allow a gentle “trying it out” principle to guide their developing taste buds & expose them to new foods. Currently I’m on a bigger seafood kick and enjoying incorporating it into our meal plan. The kids enjoy these new GF fish sticks & I love how healthy (and yummy) they are.
A Wide Variety of Pantry Items, Some Very Healthy, Some Less So
Our pantry shows more of the same…flexibility, shall we call it.
Yes, I do stock normal whole wheat white flour (looks like we’re out now after Xmas baking!), but I also keep a bunch of different flour options like einkorn flour, GF flour, almond flour, etc. I often bake gluten free by choice, & it’s fun testing out what my family will accept. They have a nose for if it’s too “healthy”! This keeps me on my toes, trying to make sure that flavor/texture is delicious, even if gluten-free or I’ve swapped out coconut oil for corn oil, etc!
The same principle goes with our dinners. If I can find small ways to make it healthier or sneak in extra veggies, I will always go for it, but I don’t let that stop us from enjoying normal dishes we all love.
We emphasize a lot of different grains. Rice is a staple during our weeks for our meals, and I don’t stress too much if they want mac-n-cheese once in a while. If I’m making pasta ragu, I will definitely be sneaking spinach into it. Tacos are a staple, as is chili.
On the whole, our meal plans probably look surprisingly “normal,” but I do try to make sure I’m introducing some new flavors and types of dishes into our routine. Food & eating as a family should be experimental, fun & bring joy, after all. We often use Blue Apron meals (the convenience of having meals delivered to our doorstep) to introduce new recipes & ethnic foods into their diet (less access to ethnic foods where we live now than when we lived in NYC, 😔)
We will always challenge the kids to try new foods, in addition to building a healthy vocabulary around food. For example, we try not to label things as “bad,” “yucky,” “bad for you,” or “clean” as much as helping them realize: “ok, so you had some sugar or processed snacks today….how did you feel afterwards?” Following the 80/20 concept, we generally (80% of the time) eat with very high quality, nutrient rich foods of all kinds, so the other 20% of the time, we allow them to indulge within reason & find their own balance.
I’ve seen many friends & clients recovering from unhealthy mental habits around food, coming out of childhood–either with lack of food awareness, how nutritious food supports them, or not knowing what foods they do best with, or too much restriction around what they could eat. Processsed food = guilt & therefore heightened desire/fascination …and it’s forefront to me to provide my kids–by word & example–a healthy relationship (stemming from gratitude & positivity) with food & the role it plays in life.
Creating a more exploratory approach to it that encourages them to connect the foods they eat with how they actually feel is the key to helping them develop their own internal sense of what foods help them feel their best. This is something I’ve worked on with myself as well, and it has led to my own mindset shifts & a much greater food freedom.
We all know there isn’t one “diet” or way of eating that works for everyone (things like blood type, heredity, activity levels, genetics & more will play into what YOU need to thrive)…the fads will come and go, what matters is that you begin to trust yourself more, experiment more, and enjoy the process on your path to a new mindset around intuitive eating.
Nutrition beyond food – Finding Supplements to Support Your Health and Eating
And because healthy eating is only one piece of the vibrant healthy lifestyle puzzle, I’ll share a peek at our supplement drawer.
Supplements for the Kids
I have been marveling that the kids haven’t been sick once this year, and I’m reminded that we’ve had a lot less social contact than normal! But this is also not that unusual for us. This baseline of tools and supplements supports them immensely, and – knock on wood! – we haven’t had a doctor’s sick visit in going on three years (yes, wow!).
If they ever come down with something mild, we nip it in the bud in 24 hours or less and they go back to being vibrant, healthy, active kiddos. That is a momma’s dream come true & I never take it for granted (or get tired of spreading the word about this toolkit that has helped us and other families so much!)
The new immunity elderberry gummies are quite popular. They call them “the black vitamins” and can’t get enough! (The serving size is four, so they get to enjoy a couple most days).
Supplements for Me
I personally rely so much on a baseline of best-in-class nutrition to support my best energy levels & lifestyle. This system just works, and it allows my body to feel nourished & whole. Keeping up a good regimen of vitamins and supplements reduces my cravings in general, and allows me to make (mostly) healthy choices, and to indulge joyfully & wisely, when opportunities arise. Because my body is getting the nutrition it needs, I can rely on my cravings to guide my eating.
It allows me to be at my best, and most importantly, it frees up my energy ( and gives me more of it) to be MORE to the many beautiful dreams I have on my heart: to be a mother of 4 (soon to be 5); to be a business owner/entrepreneur with a growing, thriving business; and to be showing up in my community & world with as much care, intention & generosity as I can muster.
(To start out with your personalized nutrition regimen, take this 5 minute quiz)
That’s my hope for all of you too.
Whatever your dreams and goals for 2021 are, you deserve to be vibrant, energetic, and enjoying deep wellness, so you can show up at your best level. “Radical self care for radical service” continues to be my mantra & tagline. I hope it resonates with you too.
In 2021, I’d love to have all of us allow our relationship with food to be gentle & more intuitive. Less macro counting and more joy around the dinner table with loved ones, less of a restriction mindset and more of an abundance mindset.
Food can be our medicine, in many more ways than we may realize. And healing a relationship with food that is negative or controlling or just taking up too much mental space (like I had to do) is…..well, beautiful & freeing. It is also possible, and if you’re not there yet, you deserve to see just how much food can become an arena for joy and freedom in your life.
Cheers to an amazing start to the new year! I’ve got an exciting new course in the works all about Intuitive Eating…jump onto this list below to be the first to know when it’s available! When you sign up, I’ll also send you my 5 free intuitive eating mantras & affirmations/mindset tools to help jumpstart peace and food freedom.
Some more reading & resources:
*The Omnivores Dilemna, Michael Pollan
*Intuitive Eating, Tribole & Resch
*7 day healthy cleanse is a popular starting point for my clients who want to reset their cravings & start with a clean slate.
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