Often times it is us mom's who want to change our diet. What is that old saying, when mom is on a diet, we all are! So true. But here is the thing. I remember always fussing and complaining about the change of foods growing up. So here are my 9 tips to help transition your family into eating a more healthy clean diet.
1) Start slow if you need to. Rather than trying to make a big change all at once or eliminating all their favorite foods, start by adding in the healthy stuff. Before you know it, some of the unhealthy choices are being crowded out.
2) Make changes to the meals you already enjoy. Clean eating doesn’t mean you can never eat things your kids love like pizza and spaghetti. Just make healthy swaps. Whole grain pita for the crust, low sugar pizza sauce (or make your own) and loads of veggies. My kids love spaghetti, so I use whole wheat or brown rice noodles and sauce without added sugar. Is it completely clean? No, but remember the 80/20 rule.
3) Encourage your kids to add a fruit or vegetable to every meal. I find if I let them pick something out at the grocery store, they are excited about eating it.
4) Meal prep on the weekend for the upcoming week. I try to cook a large batch of chicken breasts for the upcoming week in the crockpot, then shred and freeze it. I am going to start pre-cook lean hamburger and ground turkey. We love Mexican food, so I often cook salsa chicken or baked chicken fajitas so we have meat ready to add to tacos, burritos, salads, etc. I make oatmeal and a large baked omelet so there are healthy breakfast options available to reheat.
5) Add extra veggies to everything. Casseroles are easy to sneak them in, but you can also add them to most sauces, smoothies, meatloaf, etc.
6) To save money, buy things in bulk. Also, since meat is expensive, I often replace half the meat in a recipe with quinoa. It’s still high protein and makes your grocery budget stretch further.
7) Don’t fall into the trap of making one meal for your family and a separate clean meal for you. I often add something to the meal that I know my family will like even if it’s something I may not eat.
8) Educate yourself and your family as you make these changes so you know WHY you’re doing it. Help them see it’s not just “another new diet,” but a lifelong plan to keep them strong and healthy.
9) Most important of all. Don’t stress. You’ll get the hang of it, and soon you’ll be surprised how much your family loves it.
Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!
Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!
