Primal Journal of 2 Toddlers (sofiawahaj)
(90 posts) (17 voices)-
MamaSofi
MemberMy goal: To get my 1.5 yo and 3.5 yo daughters off the grains and sugar (at least make an improvement). I am going to journal what I feed my daughters, not what I myself am eating. I have 2 kids, but they eat pretty much the same thing, so I will record it as if they are one. Any ideas/advice/recommendations are gladly accepted!
Day 1:
B: scrambled egg, dry toast dipped in black tea w/ cream & stevia
S: goldfish and apple juice (they were at babysitters house)
L: cream chicken soup w/ rice, potato, corn in it (I made it from scratch a while ago and froze it in small containers)
S: sugar-free chocolate syrup and whole milk
D: cauliflower crust pizza (same as me - it's grain-free but has tons of cheese)Okay, so today was a bad start. I know. But I am still going to record this b/c maybe other parents want to know that they are not alone in their (failed) attempts to feed their kids healthier food. This is going to be VERY HARD, esp b/c Grandma (my mother-in-law, aka queen of sugar) will be arriving for 10 days on Wed. She sneaks the kids chocolate and has the most severe sugar addiction herself that I have ever seen . But I will still try! Anything has got to be an improvement.
I am not sure how to even go about this? My kids like meat, no prob. Veggies? There's a problem. Even fruit can be problematic, esp textures (eg, I puree blueberries for their oatmeal). I think pureeing their veggies is one idea. And learning to bake close-to-primal "treats" such as the recipes from Elena's Pantry (www.elanaspantry.com) might be another solution. Of course, this sounds like more work for an already tired mom, but I really want to make an improvement. I don't want my kids growing up clueless like I did.
Please help if anyone is even reading this (though now that there are a million journals out there, who has time to read all of them?)
Posted 7 months ago # -
Hey Sofia ! Thanks for stopping by my journal ! My boys are 3 and 9 ... it IS a challenge to get them moving in the right direction, esp with the outside influences !! There is no way I can change what the babysitter feeds my 3 yo (not all bad but still processed stuff !) but I can definitely do it at home :) ... My 9 yo is a bit chubs right now (so, my mom brought him cookies when they came over ??!!) ...but my 9 yo is wanting to lose a bit of fluff ...
Here are some of the things I am trying with my kids:
* eggs, of couse
* ham & cheese slices
* trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
* teeny bit of dark choc here and there (!)
* raw milk / "milkshake" with a bit of protein powder in the milk - older kid only
* organic yogurt with agave nectar
* fresh berries
* meat that we are eating - chicken, beef, whatever
* broccoli, salad etcthings we have gotten rid of:
* grain-based snacks / cereal - crackers, puffs, cereal bars, etc
* fast-food
* grains like pasta, rice, oats as well as potatoes (still eat sweet potatoes)
* soda, all
* anything with HFCS and trans fatsthings we are still working on (!)
* juice - 3 yo has love affair with watered-down apple juice
* breaded chicken nuggets - organic, but still breaded
* wholewheat and gluten-free breads - occasionally
* mac and cheese - organic, but still !
* eating more greensI figure it is a work in progress and we will get there !! ... School lunches are the pits so my 9 yo takes his lunch (uncool but I don't care !) .... let me know how it is going for you and good luck with the MIL !!!!
Posted 7 months ago # -
Mick
Membersugar-free chocolate syrup and whole milk
Is it worth looking into raw cacao nibs?
I've no idea what's in the sugar-free chocolate syrup, but sometimes sugar-free stuff is loaded with sugar-substitutes that are probably best avoided. And how much real cocoa is in the chocolate?
I don't know what the price generally is, but I did buy a small packet of nibs once when I came across them in a health food shop, and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.
Chocolate's got some caffeine in it, but I don't know it's enough to worry about. Besides, chocolate does have nutritional value, and denying chocolate to those who already have a taste for it (or substituting something like carob) is perhaps a non-starter. Going back nearer to the "raw" state might be an option, though.
The packet I bought suggested sprinkling them on muesli - which I did occasionally, since I didn't avoid it back then - but I think you can just whizz them up in a liquidizer or food-processor with milk. To sweeten it you could add a little honey or maple syrup.
I think the thing is the more "raw" (in the sense of unprocessed) something is, the better. If food is refined, it keeps longer - case in point: white flour doesn't spoil quickly - but in the refining process, you lose vitamins, trace elements, and enzymes. Raw honey and maple syrup do have some of these, so if you want a sweetener they're OK in small amounts and certainly better than something like saccharine or aspartame that isn't natural and doesn't come with these.
I think a lot of people here would avoid milk, and some would even avoid milk products, although I know Mark has said he enjoys some cheese and yoghurt. I don't avoid them myself, and I think anyone who does had best ensure they have other sources for some of the nutrients in them - regular consumption of bone-broth, for example. I'd be very reluctant not to give small children milk. However, modern pasteurized milk (and often homogenized, too) seems not to be easily digestible for many people. And some pretty nasty things are done to some of the milk on the market, according to the WAPF:
http://www.westonaprice.org/transition/dairy.html
You can make milk (specially pasteurized milk) more digestible by treating it with a culture to lactic-ferment it, such as piima or yoghurt-culture.
There are various sources for these cultures - here's one:
http://www.fermentedtreasures.com/yogurt.html
Piima is basically a Finnish buttermilk culture.
I don't know what children would make of piima-cultured milk. In the old days something like that that would be what they'd have got in Northern Europe, America (and many other places) and they wouldn't think twice about it. If they're not used to it, perhaps they wouldn't like it - or perhaps they would with a little flavouring.
But it is more work again to make it. I've sent off for some culture myself - and a electrically-heated tray so that I can get a constant temperature under a glass jar for the culturing (72 - 75 F).
Posted 7 months ago # -
maba
MemberGood to read about your toddlers' diet Sofia. It'll come handy when I have kids of my own some day. I can understand your predicament about trying to feed the kids healthy when another member of the family is trying to do the exact opposite, albeit with good intention.
Here's the link from WAPF on Kids' nutrition:
http://westonaprice.org/children/index.htmlIf your kids don't eat their fruit but still enjoy treats like ice-cream, you can make it at home with pureed berries. Last night, I blended starwberries and canned coconut milk in a blender and froze it for some yummy, good-for-you ice-cream. Google "coconut milk ice cream recipes", you'll find lots of them. You can avoid the sweeteners and just increase the amount of fruit/berries.
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberThanks guys! The WAPF link had some good stuff in it. I definitely need to stop using treats as a reward (but they just work so well!). I have never used cacao nibs - are they like choc chips? Nor have I used Kefir, though I have seen it in the grocery store - is it like yogurt?
The 1.5 yo is still nursing (she's attached to me as I type this). The 3.5 yo just woke up and asked for her toast dipped in tea - it was the first thing she said as she woke up. I told her "we will see what we get". I haven't fed them yet.
Let's try to make a change today!
Posted 7 months ago # -
PattySt
MemberLove this idea! I have two teenagers and it's equally as difficult...mostly because our schedules are all different and they get "lazy" about their food. I alway tell them "don't be lazy about your food".
We've never had lots of junk in the house, but they tend to grab a bagel or muffin if they need something quick. Although there is much less of those in the house recently.
My 17yo daughter has made the goal of eliminating gluten and eating less sugar and starches. My 15yo son has the goal of eating more protein and vegetables. At their age it has to be their program so we are taking it in reasonable measure. The end result is for them to know what good nutrition is when they are out on their own.
I look forward to hearing about your progress. Good luck!!
Posted 7 months ago # -
Mick
MemberThe cacao nibs are literally just bits of the cacao/cocoa beans. They look like a handful of fine gravel. I just found a good picture by looking in Google Images:
http://hangproud.com/Page/1134
That's the most raw form, although something like Green & Blacks cocoa powder is pretty good and you can get that to blend into cold liquids, like milk, if you start by stirring a little into a spoonful cocoa powder and then whisking or whizzing the rest of the liquid in.
Kefir is similar to yoghurt, cultured buttermilk, etc., but has different micro-organisms in it. It's a bit thicker than piima/buttermilk and a bit tarter in flavour.
If you're interested in making some kind of fermented milk product, you don't necessarily need a starter. You should be able to make yoghurt by starting with a few spoonfuls of good commercial yoghurt. A wide-mouthed glass jar and a warm place is all you need:
Posted 7 months ago # -
Love reading that you are giving your children whole milk not lo fat!! I think it's a sin promoting low fat on toddlers and young children....well on anyone, but especially on them!!
I fed mine lots of home cooked meals, not as good as I'd give them today, but back then I was a low fat follower. A small grinder comes in very handy, as does a small food processor.
Mine are all grown, so now I'm trying to educate them on how to best feed theirs when the time comes (DD is getting married the 29th!!).
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 2: Aug 4th
B: Almost primal french toast made with gluten-free bread (http://www.elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-bread-20/), spread w/ honey and topped with a banana and scrambled egg (leftover egg from the french toast batter)
S: a handful sugar-coated fennel seeds (I was cleaning out the cupboards and she found them)
L: almost primal (except for the cheese) margarita pizza (made w/ cauliflower crust)
S: lo-fat organic choc milk (at her friend's house, not my choice!)
D: primal soup: grnd turkey, bacon, cabbage, kale, carrot soup (so good that the girls ate it w/o cheese or bread!)
S: some peach and bananasOkay, the snacks were not so good, but they were not planned snacks. Overall, today was a HUGE improvement over yesterday. I feel pretty good right now.
I also had a talk with Maya (my 3.5 yo) about health and taking care of ourselves so we can heal faster when we get boo boos. We talked about living a long time and not getting sick. I explained to her that we would have to change our diet. She cheered me on screaming, "No more junk!"
And the big news is that I cleaned my cupboards and got rid of a lot of grains! I had Maya help me pick out all the "junk" from the cupboards and we made a pile on the table. Some items (like lentils that my family cook when they come to visit me) I kept out in the garage for storage and the rest we are giving away to donations. Seeing the pile of carbs on the table was very therapeutic and cleansing - kind of an emotional side to go along with the whole physical aspect of going primal. Below is a photo of my girls in front of a pile of the junk we cleaned out of our pantry.
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AbNmLNizcMWMi
Thanks for all your comments and ideas! The book "The Truth About Children's Health" looks awesome and I had the library order it for me. Great ideas everyone!
Posted 7 months ago # -
That photo is so awesome!
The pantry-cleansing will help a LOT. That's one of the first things I did... isolate all the non-primal stuff (husband still eats it, and I will use it to cook for other people or for events or something, just to get rid of it, but I don't eat it.)
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 3: Aug 5th
B: Almost primal french toast made with gluten-free bread (http://www.elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-bread-20/), spread w/ honey and topped with a banana and scrambled egg (leftover egg from the french toast batter)
S: none
L: primal soup: grnd turkey, bacon, cabbage, kale, carrot soup (so good that the girls ate it w/o cheese or bread!)
S: fat-free greek yogurt (it was already in the fridge - next time I will buy full fat), couple bites of pineapple
D: rotisserie chicken, fresh juiced apple/pear juice
S: noneNot bad. I am thankful for the "bread". I guess I am going to have to keep some on hand or bake other grain-free baked goods. Maya (the 3 yo) did ask for the free sample of pound cake from Starbucks inside the grocery store today and I let her have it. It was just a bite. At least I didn't let her get the free cookie, which was a grocery store routine for us.
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 4: Aug 6th
B: banana (she didn't really want the GF "toast" and cream cheese I offered her. I don't think she was hungry)
S: none
L: cream chicken soup w/ rice, potato, corn in it (leftover)
S: primal blueberry muffin (made w/ almond flour)
D: rotisserie chicken, fresh apple/carrot/ginger juice
S: few blueberries w/ marscaponeAgain, she had a free sample of cake from Starbucks (inside the grocery store). Plus numerous "just sips" of sweet tea that Grandma carries around with her. Plus, whatever else Grandma might be sneaking her.
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 5: Aug 7th
B: "apple pie omelet" - sautee apples in coconut oil, cinnamon and add an egg w/ honey to make an omelet. She liked it so much, she ate TWO!
S: none
L: filled up on blueberries from blueberry picking
S: grandma's sweet tea
D: chicken w/ gorgonzola cream sauce, banana
S: grandma's sweet tea, lo-fat greek yogurtI can't even seem to keep track of what all Grandma is feeding her. Grandma just keeps giving her snacks and sips of sweet tea all day long. It annoys me and we even got in a little tiff about it last night when she was feeding her a banana when Maya hadn't eaten anything since breakfast (I didn't want her to fill up on banana and not eat enough chicken). I almost feel like giving up my effort while Grandma is here. I am tired of fighting!
Posted 7 months ago # -
Iceskater
MemberHi Sofia!
Great to see your efforts- and its more awesome that you've been able to make health actually enjoyable for your daughters.
Im the oldest sister of a 15 yr old and an 11 year old, and am having the hardest time trying to convert my (grain-and dairy-loving) family to primal living.
Ive been making all my own meals since I was 14, when I ditched the white rice (impossible to fathom in asian culture-where every single meal is centered around white rice).A good trick Ive also found is to make raw smoothies. Then I can add flax oil/seed, coconut milk, berries, greens, cocoa powder..all disguised as a 'milkshake'.
Good to hear about your progress, and good luck!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 6: Aug 8th
B: "apple pie omelet" - sautee apples in coconut oil, cinnamon and add an egg w/ honey to make an omelet.
S: none
L: mixed nuts and banana
S: grandma's sweet tea, chocolate milk
D: few bites of salmon and beets, didn't eat much so we pulled out the left over chicken
S: blueberriesGrandma and Papa took the girls and gave me the day off yesterday! It was great for me, and while I trust my husband to feed the girls, it is quite a challenge with Grandma around. I am not sure what other "snacks" Grandma fed the girls, but these are the main things they ate.
Iceskater, I can relate to how difficult it must be to go grain-free in an Asian culture - my family is Pakistani and they eat rice or bread with every curry dish. The raw smoothies are a good idea.
Posted 7 months ago # -
mom500
MemberSofia, this was great to look through - thanks for the ideas!
I have 5 kids (15, 11, and 23 month old triplets). These are things that my triplets like to eat (not all primal, but I feel good about these choices):
almond flour pancakes (I use this recipe: http://www.elanaspantry.com/pancakes/)
coconut flour pancakes (I use this recipe: http://www.cheeseslave.com/2008/10/17/coconut-flour-pancakes/)
scrambled eggs
eggs with cheese and spinach (from this recipe: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-primal-meals-in-15-minutes-or-less/ sometimes I bake them in muffin tins)
nuts (they love cashews and almonds - I just cut them up before giving them to them)
fruit (this is kind of obvious - but they eat all kinds of fruit - I just discovered they love watermelon)
cheese (especially string cheese)
raisins
salmon
ham (nitrate-free)
edamame
broccoliMy two boys are not very interested in meat and cheese, but my little girl will eat almost anything I give her. None of them are very interested in veggies (except what I've posted), but I always just give them a little and hope eventually they'll get the idea!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 7: Aug 9th
B: Coconut pancakes (primal) with honey and fresh whipped cream (no sugar) and pork sausage. (She wouldn't eat it w/o the honey though!)
S: mixed nuts
L: gnocchi and chicken soup from Olive Garden (at least no bread!)
S: nuts
D: steak w/ creamy peppercorn sauce, carrots, & mushrooms (though the kids mostly just ate the steak)
S: a piece of chocolateGrandma said I was "torturing" the kids by asking the waitress to not bring bread to our table. She acted like I was "abusing" the kids by trying to get them to eat somewhat "primal". She thought that the kids should not have to "diet" like me and my husband are. I explained that this is not a diet, that this is a lifestyle and that I was trying to IMPROVE their life, instead of causing them suffering down the road. I want them to be informed of what is healthy and not. I am not anal about it, but if unnecessary carbs can be avoided, why not? Anyways, it has been really annoying to have to fight Grandma every step of the way!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 8: Aug 10th
B: scrambled egg, toast, tea
S: not sure
L: steak
S: not sure
D: pork shoulder ribs, few bites of zucchini and yellow squash
S: soy milkI was a large part of the day, so not sure what all they had. I didn't feel like fighting in front of Grandma over the toast for breakfast, so I let her have it. They were home the entire day, so they couldn't have done too bad. Grandma did give them sweet tea, I am sure (she drinks a gallon of it every day and carries around a bottle of sweet tea like a hiker carries water).
One big problem I have is getting them to eat veggies. They like the meat alright, but getting any veggies to go with is impossible. Sometimes, it seems like my kids are on Atkins!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 9: Aug 11th
B: "apple pie omelet" - sautee apples in coconut oil, cinnamon and add an egg w/ honey to make an omelet.
S: lo-fat choc milk (leftover from other day)
L: mixed nuts and banana and apple
S: none
D: primal chicken and veggie soup
S: frito corn chips, one square dark chocolateOkay, so it would have been better if they didn't have the chocolate milk and the fritos (Grandma). But I had a talk with Maya as she was eating the fritos. It went like this:
Mom: Are those healthy?
Maya: No, they are junk.
Mom: As long as you know. They make you sick - you know that right?
Maya: Yeah, I know, but why they make you sick?
Mom: Because they are not natural and your body can't break them down. Natural foods come from plants and animals. Where did those fritos come from?
Maya: A bag.
Mom: Right. Anything from a bag or a box is junk b/c it is not natural. It's not REAL food. And that is the stuff that makes us sick.
Maya: Why Grandma eats fritos? Cause she likes them?
Mom: Yeah, she likes them. And she doesn't worry about being healthy like Mama and Papa do.BTW, soup is the best way to get veggies in the girls!
Posted 7 months ago # -
I love that conversation with you and Maya. Very clearly put too. Sounds like you're really setting the kids off on the right path!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 10: Aug 12th
B: sausage, spinach and cheese omelet
S: apple
L: random snacking during the day, so no real lunch
S: grandma's fritos, sweet tea, chocolate, coffee (thanks grandma!)
D: chicken and veggie soup, few bites of pork ribs
S: dark chocolate, banana-coconut milk-chocolate smoothie (sweetened with stevia)I couldn't control the random snacking today. Only 2 more days left. The milkshake was all my fault, but it was kinda primal (except for the stevia). I pureed the spinach for the omelet this morning. I use to keep veggie purees in the freezer and throw them into things for the kids (like mac-n-cheese), but now I seem to not have the starch to hide my purees into - but yeah, purees are another great way to trick the kids into eating veggies...
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 11: Aug 13th
B: primal blueberry muffin (made w/ coconut flour and sweetened w/ stevia) - but it wasn't sweet enough, so had to add some honey,
S: none
L: cream chicken wild rice soup from Panera bread (w/ apple and not bread on side, at least)
S: bananas, pistachios
D: eggplant parm w/ meatball italian sauce (primal)
S: noneThe soup wasn't great, but it was a pretty decent choice for eating out.
When Maya asked for a sip of Grandma's soda (Mr. Pibb - seriously?) today while we were out to lunch, I told her, "It's the same water as you have in your cup. Just drink your water." Yes, I lied. And I will lie again.
Grandma still gives the kids random bits of candy and gun and sweet tea through out the day, but she is leaving on Sat!!!!! I can't wait (for more reasons than the fact that she disrupts the primal diet for the kids).
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberToday was the most non-primal day I have had in a long time. And I am okay with it. It was grandma's last day and we spent the day in Seattle, eating and eating. Gourmet pizzas (from Serious Pie!), beers, croissants, burgers, french fries, ice cream - yeah, it was bad. Sinful. As I told Maya, it was a junk day. It doesn't happen often (about once a month) and we enjoyed it (although bloated and gasey now). I am very much looking forward to returning to my primal happiness diet tomorrow!
Posted 7 months ago # -
MamaSofi
MemberDay 13: Aug 15th
B: bananas, peaches
S: none
L: primal chicken veggie soup
S: string cheese
D: primal chicken veggie soup
S: banana, fresh squeezed apple juiceGrandma is gone today and it is infinitely easier to keep the kids away from sugar!
You know, I was surprised to read on the post today (pork loin w/ mango salsa) about how Mark's family is non-primal. He says:
"I don’t know about your extended family but, except for me, mine is non-Primal. They are fans of fat, but still very much attached to their pasta and their bread, and their cheese – oh their cheese!"
I am not sure if "extended" family is his wife and kids or further removed than that? I would really assume that his wife and kids are primal and I would be pretty shocked if they weren't???
Posted 7 months ago #
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