My Kids are Bottomless Pits...

[NHdisneylover]

Thanks for the idea! I am going to get my older 2 to cook a meal this week. Tomorrow I'll let them pick a recipe then we'll shop and they'll try their hand at cooking it.
I might do it also with the 2 younger ones. (My 7 year old loves to cook- real food-)

I am also going to try to make some of those pampered chef chicken braid things individually- then freeze a couple for quick lunches for all of us(I don't know why I never thought to make little ones we all love the big one)

Oh will you PLEASE come back and post what they decide to make (and how it comes out)? I love to see the menus kids put together

 

[apnep]

We have only been here a year and a half though--so plenty of time was had to eat US crap. German crap is better--no HFCS and essentially no preservatives. It makes feeding everyone healthy food that much easier. And the produce tastes SO much better (even better than the CSA and pick your own things in the US, I have no idea how they do it--but even the kids comment on it).

Wish there was a ban on the HFCS...wonder why the produce tastes different. Maybe cuz they don't use chemicals? What is CSA??

Ang

 

[NHdisneylover]

Wish there was a ban on the HFCS...wonder why the produce tastes different. Maybe cuz they don't use chemicals? What is CSA??

Ang

Okay my last post tonight--being in Germany it is past midnight and I do need some sleep

CSA is community supported agriculture:
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
I so miss my weekly produce baskets. It really stretched even my cooking because I would get things i had never had before and need to prepare them. Very fun and good for local farms and the planet too

My best guess on the veggies here tasting better is that they cultivate for taste whereas we have, over the last several decades cultivated for looks or hardiness. I really don't know for sure though. I just know the stuff is incredible. Tomatoes and strawberries most especially. We have taken to tomato and basil salads almost every night the past month because we can't get enough of them (and I grew my own in Michigan and they were not half as good).

 

[tar heel]

OP -- You mentioned not doing preservatives. You might want to omit the nasty Chef Boyardee as it has one of the worst flavor enhancers ever created -- MSG.

 

[Duckiedee]

Actually, I do three meals 'from scratch' every day. LOL... but no bowing please.... It's not that hard - it is just figuring out how to do it easily.

My Crockpot is one of my best friends, and who says cooking from scratch has to be 'cooked'? A cold salad can be a nice meal. Many times we have lunch consisting of bananas with skim milk and almond butter on brown rice cakes. Or a snack might be frozen (mostly-thawed) mixed berries with greek yogurt, slivered almonds and a dash of Kashi cereal on top.

Real oatmel is quick in the microwave, etc. And you can add flax, wheatgerm, blueberries and bee pollen etc... blueberries keep you from needing to add sweetner... you can do oatmeal about 1000 ways.

And when I make dinner I usually do enough for lunch the next day - most days.

Something I do, is most weeks cook about 8 - 10 chicken breasts on the grill in or out and slice them into 3 or 4 oz portions... bag them, leave a few out and freeze the rest in a Large Ziploc (to prevent Freezer burn.) And just make sure there are 4 or 5 thawed at all times. Nothing to throw in a whole grain wrap with some veggies and nuke. You can do the same with lean steak etc.

Dried edamame (soy beans) is awesome too... very filling, snack-like and super cheap purchased in bulk. I really believe in almonds too (plain - not artificially flavoured) - a scant handful really cuts cravings. Unless there is an allergy - I think we are overly afraid of nuts... but judicious use? Give me a few nuts over Chef-Boy-R-Dee any day! Protein, fat and carbs rolled into one!

I agree with the adding more protein to snacks - it really helps cut down on over snacking. And with the water. Plain water... sometimes cool straws or personal water bottle help with that.

Some books I highly recommend are those by Tosca Reno (lots of scratch/scratch recipes!) and the Cooking for the Rushed Series by Sandi Richards (the Healthy Family is my favourite! - I tend to use Tosca's techniques though and stay away from Canned soups etc and add my own homemade versions to them.)

In Tosca's Family and Kids recipe book, she has a Healthy Breakfast Hermit cookie that has protein powder in it and nuts and dried fruit etc... very satisying and a healthy inbetween pick me up OR even a snack/breakfast if need be.

Now - scratch without a microwave???? Scratch that!!!! LOL

 

[apnep]

OP -- You mentioned not doing preservatives. You might want to omit the nasty Chef Boyardee as it has one of the worst flavor enhancers ever created -- MSG.

Does it? I don't remember seeing that on the list. I'm gonna go check in a minute. I can't help it, even I enjoy a little of the Chef's Raviolis. Must be because I used to eat it as a kid...

 

[tar heel]

Chef Boyardee has msg unless they've changed the recipes. I read all the labels when my kids were little and decided we weren't going to use it. I allowed Spaghetti Os and frozen convenience foods like Hot Pockets but not Chef Boyardee.

 

[apnep]

Actually, I do three meals 'from scratch' every day. LOL... but no bowing please.... It's not that hard - it is just figuring out how to do it easily.

I agree.

Real oatmel is quick in the microwave, etc. And you can add flax, wheatgerm, blueberries and bee pollen etc... blueberries keep you from needing to add sweetner... you can do oatmeal about 1000 ways.

Love oatmeal, fruit, and flax!

And when I make dinner I usually do enough for lunch the next day - most days.

Oops! According to Disneylover's standard, you have just been disqualified as a "from scratch" candidate! LOL!

Something I do, is most weeks cook about 8 - 10 chicken breasts on the grill in or out and slice them into 3 or 4 oz portions... bag them, leave a few out and freeze the rest in a Large Ziploc (to prevent Freezer burn.) And just make sure there are 4 or 5 thawed at all times. Nothing to throw in a whole grain wrap with some veggies and nuke. You can do the same with lean steak etc.

I have done this too! I haven't done it in a while but it's a great idea.

Now - scratch without a microwave???? Scratch that!!!! LOL

And frozen veggies... Thanks for the cookbook suggestions!

 

[tar heel]

I just googled this, and it sounds like some varieties have msg and some don't.

 

[apnep]

I just googled this, and it sounds like some varieties have msg and some don't.

Yea, I just checked mine and the ones I got don't have any preservatives in them. No MSG. But they do containe HFCS and they just sneak in as OK to buy on the nutritionist scale. DH and I went to see a nutritionist years ago for his high cholesterol/blood sugar and so now I use a formula to check out the Nutrition label when I pick stuff up I'm interested in.

 

[CowboyCO]

Soooo,

I have DS12, DD9, and DS6.

I go to the grocery store, buy a ton of food, and get the kids things such as deli meats for sandwhiches, hot pockets (I only bought because they were on sale), Chef-Boyardee, Ramen, things they can make themselves. I always get lots of fruits, and I got lots of veggies that I cut up and put into a relish tray. I went shopping on Saturday morning. It's barely MONDAY and they have already eaten all the hot pockets, most of the Chef-Boyardee, a bag of chips (for the sandwiches), and no fruit and veggies.

Is it TOO much to ask, that they portion their food out and reach for something healthy as a snack instead of eating all the junk food first?! My intention was for them to eat ONE a day of the "easy entrees" for lunch and instead of grabbing fruit or veggies to snack on, they ate all the other stuff. THIS is why I don't like to buy that junk for them because it never fails, that is the ONLY thing they will eat. It makes me SOOOOO mad. And by the Wednesday when it's all gone they will be complaning, "There's nothing to eat!" What makes me mad, is that I make it perfectly clear they need to portion their food and they don't do it. I don't want to feel like the food police, but dang it the pre-made stuff adds up which is why I don't make a habit of buying it. AND they should be eating more produce. Grrrrrr!

I'm just venting...thanks.

Ang

We have a rule in our house - NO GRAZING! If the kids are hungry they have to ask for a snack and we give them several choices. Meal times are planned out meals that are less impactful on the budget than letting the boys just eat their way through the pantry...

We are the food police. We are the Sleep Police. We are the Wii Police. I own you, you bottomless pit!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Well, I don't do three meals a day from scratch, unless you count pouring cereal in a bowl and adding milk! We do make fancier breakfasts on weekends, but during the week, I refuse to be a short-order cook! 4 kids, 4 different schools, 4 different wake up and eating times.

A great "first recipe" from the BH&G book is the chicken parmesan. Very simple and kid-friendly. We typically use jarred sauce. DS13 can make this all on his own, which I'm sure will impress the girls. He especially likes pounding the chicken. I know the Kraft website had a baked version that's probably lower in fat and calories--I was so thrilled my kids liked making the BH&G one, I didn't care.

We also love the split pea soup from that particular cookbook. The only reason we get a ham is to get a hambone for pea soup. But, maybe save that one for the fall. If you have a bread machine, throw in a loaf of homemade bread to go with.

Another easy choice with a bread machine is homemade pizza. It might take a couple tries to get it perfect, but this is a huge hit in our house, and it can be quite healthy.

 

[apnep]

We are the food police. We are the Sleep Police. We are the Wii Police. I own you, you bottomless pit!

LMAO!

 

[Duckiedee]

I own you, you bottomless pit!

LOL! Too funny!

I'm disqualified??? Ah well - I can live with that! LOL.

I CAN be really easy to get away from Factory premade foods though.

I never thought I'd get my DD off KD - but here we are - I have a box in my pantry she asked for at the grocery two weeks ago.......

Last time she had it at a friend's house - she barely touched it. (Yay!!!)

Ya gotta wean those kids... makes me wish I never gave her Kraft PB or Aunt Jemima, etc in the first place... I'm slowly getting her on to REAL 100% PB. The syrup exchange to real Maple Syrup is coming across easier... the Aunt Jemima bottle is now at about 10% Auntie and 90% Maple Syrup... Bwah ha ha ha!!!

Something I found was having her FAVOURITE good things in the house at all times when we took out the premade meals. Like Bananas, carrots, baby spinach, strawberries etc. Thankfully, she's always been a wholegrain kid who eats the crust. Someone left toaster strudels at our house one time - took MONTHS to get through them.

I also like to purchase pre-chopped when possible. It helps.

 

[Mommy2three]

my 3 kids each have their own snack box, they get stuff in it to last them for the week, if they eat it all in one day then thats it, they dont get to take snacks from the others bins. and for stuff that needs to stay in the fridge i just put a piece of paper with what it is and their name on it in their bin and then they trade the paper in for whatever the item is. not sure how this would work for actual meal stuff tho

 

[apnep]

my 3 kids each have their own snack box, they get stuff in it to last them for the week, if they eat it all in one day then thats it, they dont get to take snacks from the others bins.

This is a fantastic idea!! Gonna use it!

 

[cassandrap83]

Actually, I do three meals 'from scratch' every day. LOL... but no bowing please.... It's not that hard - it is just figuring out how to do it easily.

My Crockpot is one of my best friends, and who says cooking from scratch has to be 'cooked'? A cold salad can be a nice meal. Many times we have lunch consisting of bananas with skim milk and almond butter on brown rice cakes. Or a snack might be frozen (mostly-thawed) mixed berries with greek yogurt, slivered almonds and a dash of Kashi cereal on top.

Real oatmel is quick in the microwave, etc. And you can add flax, wheatgerm, blueberries and bee pollen etc... blueberries keep you from needing to add sweetner... you can do oatmeal about 1000 ways.

And when I make dinner I usually do enough for lunch the next day - most days.

Something I do, is most weeks cook about 8 - 10 chicken breasts on the grill in or out and slice them into 3 or 4 oz portions... bag them, leave a few out and freeze the rest in a Large Ziploc (to prevent Freezer burn.) And just make sure there are 4 or 5 thawed at all times. Nothing to throw in a whole grain wrap with some veggies and nuke. You can do the same with lean steak etc.

Dried edamame (soy beans) is awesome too... very filling, snack-like and super cheap purchased in bulk. I really believe in almonds too (plain - not artificially flavoured) - a scant handful really cuts cravings. Unless there is an allergy - I think we are overly afraid of nuts... but judicious use? Give me a few nuts over Chef-Boy-R-Dee any day! Protein, fat and carbs rolled into one!

I agree with the adding more protein to snacks - it really helps cut down on over snacking. And with the water. Plain water... sometimes cool straws or personal water bottle help with that.

Some books I highly recommend are those by Tosca Reno (lots of scratch/scratch recipes!) and the Cooking for the Rushed Series by Sandi Richards (the Healthy Family is my favourite! - I tend to use Tosca's techniques though and stay away from Canned soups etc and add my own homemade versions to them.)

In Tosca's Family and Kids recipe book, she has a Healthy Breakfast Hermit cookie that has protein powder in it and nuts and dried fruit etc... very satisying and a healthy inbetween pick me up OR even a snack/breakfast if need be.

Now - scratch without a microwave???? Scratch that!!!! LOL

I almost died laughing reading your post b/c I do the EXACT same things. I thought to myself she must do clean-eating! Then I scroll down & you mention Tosca Reno. Awesome. Isn't she the best?

 

[ENSOCK]

I feel your pain! I have a DS16 & DS11. They eat more than my DH. Playing sports does that as does just having healthy kids. I had to quit baking chicken because I would have to bake 2 whole chickens just to have a half chicken left. For supper I had boiled orka, stuffed peppers w/ cornbread dressing, and squash casserole. I made 12 stuffed peppers and they each ate 2 with the other stuff. 30 min. later they were looking for dessert!

I only shop on the weekends so they will have to eat what I cook. If DS16 does not want what I have in the house during the day he will just drive to his grandfather's house so pawpaw can feed him. Some days I complian but others I realize that when they are gone I will wish they were here so I could cook for them.

 

[Duckiedee]

I almost died laughing reading your post b/c I do the EXACT same things. I thought to myself she must do clean-eating! Then I scroll down & you mention Tosca Reno. Awesome. Isn't she the best?

Hello Clean eater!!! Doesn't it FEEL the best.

Over seven months here.

 

[mhsjax]

I don't care what I buy, healthy or not, my 3 will eat it. I swear I need Ft Knox to keep them fed. I have a teenage boy that eats anything, not much junk. Loves anything and practically Hoovers it down as soon as I get it home, and the crappy kid(just kidding, I am jealous) just gets skinnier.