Let's face it, the food thing & the kid thing is a FULL TIME gig & it's hard work!
I know as a mum my priority has always been to model to my daughters that food is to be enjoyed as well as the idea that food is the fuel our bodies needs to get through each day.
How does your car function at it's optimum if you fill it up with cheap fuel to get around?
The same can be said for food - High quality whole foods are used far more efficiently by our bodies than low quality processed foods.
So as a mum, I want to give my daughters the best chance in life & fuelling them up with good foods is far more appealing to me, so I make the effort in the kitchen to prepare healthy foods as much as I can & then when the times that pop up where we don't have access to healthy foods, I surrender, because for the most part our bodies are supercharged with gorgeous goodness.
Now as ALL mum's know, it doesn't matter how much effort you put into preparing healthy options for your children, the choice to eat that healthy meal is totally up to your child & it's gotta be plated up magnificently (Masterchef & MKR have set such a high standard for us mumma's ), appeal to ALL 5 senses, otherwise it may not even get sampled.
That's a whole lot of pressure on US mummies, so how do we avoid this?
As an intuitive eater, I've empowered my daughters to tune into their bodies to learn which foods fuel them, which foods give them energy & which do not. We all have different tastes in our family & I fully support this because we are all unique & our bodies have their own unique needs.
My daughters are growing at a fast rate & they are super active & therefore their needs are different to my 43yr young body which is less active & requires much less fuel to function.
When I first discussed the concept of intuitive eating with my daughters, their eyes lit up & the thought of eating whatever they wanted & yes, they absolutely love their junk food, however, I have to say in the main they make pretty good choices for themselves & I'm super proud of them. I've noticed subtle changes in their food choices for the better on a consistent basis & let me just say, I'm doing a happy dance on the inside.
Intuitive Eating works for my family & whilst I'll never tell anyone how they need to eat, I'll always share with you what's working for me in my life.
We do have some loose guidelines around food which work for our family & I do want to share these 10 simple practical tips with you -
+ Eat together as a family as much as you can
+ Try one mouthful of any new foods to see if you like it or not
+ Keep a stocked fruit bowl on our kitchen bench
+ Keep raw veggies ready to go in the fridge
+ Packaged foods are mainly used for school lunches
+ Kids in the Kitchen - YES! YES! YES!
+ Eating with your fingers is more appealing when trying new foods
+ Teach your children to read food ingredient labels
+ FUN ways to hydrate - soups, smoothies, ice blocks, fresh juices & kombucha
+ Make double portions as much as you can (this one's for you mumma.....)
I wholeheartedly believe in adding new wholefoods in one at a time, slowly & with minimal fuss - It's not about depriving yourself but rather using this food adventure as a chance to discover more new & yummy foods along the way.
MY THEORY?
The more gorgeous whole food goodness you add in over time (please take your time as it makes the journey worth it, I promise) the more your body loves it & wants it & you will naturally start to slowly crowd out the foods which don't energise you & make you feel great from the inside-out.
My super easy & effective wellness tip for you.....
Your local farmers market have an abundance of locally grown, beautifully flavoured whole foods in season - Market vibes are always SO cool & might I tempt you to take your children there as this is a great place for them to sample new foods away from home. My daughters love coming to our local farmers market, meeting the local growers & have tried many new foods here with success.