Can I be real with you, mom to mom?? It can feel super overwhelming when you’re trying to eat healthier and have an entire family to feed… especially if you have a spouse or kids who are resisting any changes when it comes to food! Let me first start with this: you do NOT need to eat different meals than your family!
Everyone will benefit from healthier shifts in the kitchen so don’t make it harder than it needs to be! One of our go-tos for this family of 8 is waffles made from our sourdough discard!! It’s an easy swap in a food that everyone loves that everyone benefits from! As a mom of 6 with some really stubborn personalities… here’s some tips that have helped our family over the years!
Scroll all the way to the end to get the sourdough waffle recipe!!
1- Start with little swaps instead of trying to overhaul everything at once.
Trade the more processed snacks with junkier ingredients with cleaner options. There’s some really yummy options now for chips, fruit snacks / bars, popcorn etc. Find the things your kids love the most and see if you can just clean those up a bit.
2- Keep meals simple and focus on whole foods.
Less ingredients w/ flavors you enjoy. Build your meals and snacks around good protein, veggies, fruits, healthy fats and fiber filled carbs. You don’t need to remove food groups – remove the filler ingredients you can’t even pronounce, chemicals and preservatives where you can.
3- Get input from your family.
What are meals they love and how can you continue to include those in your new healthier lifestyle? If they don’t feel like all their favorites are gone, they won’t be as resistant to the changes.
4- Take out the drinks and foods that really serve no purpose whatsoever from a nutritional standpoint.
Soda, candy, junky snacks, etc. Out of sight, out of mind. So once they aren’t around and you have healthier yummy options in their place, they’ll get used to the new options.
5- Expect a little push back and just make it a fun experience trying new things!
Especially for littles… don’t force them to finish their plate but at least help them try new things and expand their palate. Be patient as they embrace new foods and flavors!
