OK friends… here is the deal. We cleaned up our kid’s diets… like a whole lot and because we have successfully completed a #whole15 with kids in tow, we are now professionals. (just kidding) but really, it is quite a success we are celebrating.
We’ve always tried to incorporate healthier options for our kids, however, once we took a step back and really looked at what our kids were eating, we realized that we could do a better job with their food options. We didn’t do anything crazy, there was just a lot of cereal, oatmeal, bread butter, cheese and milk in their diets. More than I’d like to admit. Since Alex and I successfully completed a whole 30, we thought it would be the perfect time to have our kids jump on the wagon.
All that to say that our kids have adapted to their new/cleaner way of eating and today I am sharing with you a few tips that have helped us with this transition.
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- Gradual is key – Take ONE non-compliant food item at a time. We started with our beloved cheese and introduced compliant options that the kids loved and little by little continued to pull food items from their diets. Milk was the last one to go, and because we had already introduced coconut milk, it was an easier transition into a no cow-milk diet.
- Lead the way – Kids tend to pick up on what we invite into our lives including our food options. If we spend the entire day snacking or make grains (ahem warm crusty bread) it’s own food group, they are going to want to do the same. We saw this as an opportunity to take on a family project. We all followed the rules, we all ate the same things and we talked about the positive benefits of a healthier diet. Here’s the thing, if you are not bought in, you can’t expect them to follow along. It’s just food torture.
- Don’t give them an option – When we serve up our meals, we don’t give the kids an option of swapping it out for something else. The only option they have is that they can either finish it then or have the leftovers for their next meal. If they have an option between eating fruit and almond butter or an omelet with veggies, I’m pretty sure they’ll go through a tub of almond butter in a day and that’s not very balanced. So, we don’t give them an out. Obviously, we know our kids, what they like and what they just can’t stand and try to make their meals based on their preference. For example, Haddon does not like sweet potatoes (like he gags) so we try to keep those away from him and don’t force him to eat them. On the other hand, he loves scrambled eggs and turkey, so we give him eggs at least 4 times a week. He’s happy, we’re happy and we’re all compliant. Win!
- Pack along a bunch of snacks – There’s nothing worse than being out with the kids and not having snacks. Ok maybe not having diapers is worse, but hell has no fury than a snack-less kid. For that reason, we pack a few of our favorite whole 30 compliant snacks.
- Take breaks if you have to – No need to be a martyr here. Life happens and sometimes taking a break is more important for your family’s sanity than sticking to any food plan. What’s important is the long-term effects of changing your family’s eating habits. One meal is not going to make it or break it. Jump back on and keep moving forward.
Friends, cleaning up your kids’ diet can be like pulling teeth, but it doesn’t have to. Start slow and eventually you’ll get to a place where eating clean is the new normal!
