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I need help!!!
Started
by lissa fancy
on March 11, 2010
Hi
I need to revamp my family's diet!!! My husband and I are getting soft and cushy, my 5 yr old has terrible gas that will lead to embarrasment soon...and she seems to be developing at 5 yrs old! My 2 1/2 yr old is very busy, possibly hyperactive and I have an 11mth old baby who is showing signs of this too.
My concerns about this diet are that we are all picky eaters! We are very broke (I'm trying to be a stay at home mom) and I'm not sure of health food stores around here...
Is it possible to help these problems? Is it very hard to convert on a tight budget? Any tips for children who refuse to change eating? Do we just keep giving it to them and let them be hungry if they won't eat it? I'm desperate to change things, but filled with anxiety about making changes...... Please help!
Thanks
Hi Lissa, I'm no expert but I would say, without a doubt, you should eliminate dairy COMPLETELY! Start there and see how everyone is after a month or so. Be militant, check every product you buy for hidden dairy ( whey, cassein (sp?) etc) look up all the words that can mean dairy.................
That has to be the trickiest thing but the most rewarding........then if you decide to eliminate meat, seafood etc, you can work on that slowly, but get rid of dairy !!! The things you mention are telltale signs of the nastiness of dairy!!
i concur with Lori. As Alicia said, it can be hard at 1st cause it's very addictive, but it's so rewarding in the end!
Hi Lissa -- Agree with the others that dairy is likely the culprit here... of course, as a new vegan it can be one of the hardest things to give up! I've been cultivating a raw vegan lifestyle for a long while now, and cheese has always been a struggle for me. Luckily, there are some fabulous recipes for nut cheeses that have really satisfied that craving -- go online and do a search and you'll come up with tons of ideas... the Sunny Raw Kitchen site has some great options. I wouldn't be inclined to do the store-bought vegan cheese options as they are highly processed. Good luck!
I find with my picky 6 year old, who makes faces when i say the word rawfood or vegan, that it is best to keep it simple. I always include fresh cut fruit (strawberries and apples) on the plate and a green (broccoli or green beans) that is steamed and then salted with sea salt and tossed with a little "butter." I used to use real butter but have switched to the earthbalance and she doesn't know the difference. I did make yummy vegan burritos with spelt tortillas the other night and just gave them to her and she loved them. Just mixed some beans and brown rice with some tofutti sour cream (amazingly good) and a little non-spicy salsa and wrapped it in the tortilla. Good luck. I know feeding kids can be challenging especially when they are picky. :)
Hi Lissa,I applaud you for looking to nutrition as possible culprits for unwanted patterns in your children's lives--Rather than jumping straight to medication. I'm not in the ball park of being an expert on "the shift" but here's what I have found.
Tips for $ savings are: start with produce stands for "locally grown" rather than "organic" produce. Ours sell fruit, veggies, bread, nuts and more. Organic is certainly the accepted "gold standard" but with significantly (& justifiably) higher cost, starting out buying "locally grown" produce is much better than NO produce!
Also, you will notice when you are buying large quantities of grains, beans, veggies, fruit, etc you will be amazed at how much less your bill quickly becomes without the meat and dairy products in your buggy.
As far as getting the little ones to like the new diet-- check out "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld. She shows super easy ways to create vegetable dishes that trick your children, not only to eat, but to love their veggies. (Note, if you are planning on trying "vegan" you may need to make some substitutions in order to eliminate dairy-- as I don't think she promotes a non-dairy diet). I would also recommend substitutions for things they already like, such as: Gardein Chicken Tenders prepared in a yummy way. Flavored Soy or Rice milk, Vegan frozen waffles, so-yogurt, etc. Also, spread a touch of vegan peanut butter or maple syrup on the fruit to make it more tasty to their young pallets.
Lastly, for yourself I would highly recommend reading "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell, PhD. His words ring in my ears (and plate) every meal!
If you decide it is for you....Then you CAN DO IT! Best of Luck!
I agree with the other posters. Getting off dairy might be a good first start. Beans and rice are very easy and cheap. Soups made with dries peas or lentils go over well with my kids. I let them help shop and prepare the food we all eat. Pasta and red sauce, baked potatoes or yams and even squash can be eaten by kids when they are involved with the process.
Lissa, I just read your posting. I am 2 mon. into this new way of life and loving it. I bought Alicia's book and she is so right. Make it and put it on the table. Incorporate it into your current meals for awhile. You will be so shocked at how delicious they are. My husband has loved everything so far. My daughter is another story. I have changed things gradually. Like her lunch meat to peanut butter and crackers, fresh berries she likes and as natural as I can get to a nutrition bar. (she likes Zbars.) This way of eating is not expensive. When you cut out all the junk and only buy good it comes out to be actually cheaper. Try it!!! One day at a time.
Hi Lissa,
I don't have children, but I think you can make many of the same recipes you're used to just without the meat and cheese. Spaghetti, chili, lasagna, tacos and burritos come to mind. Dried lentils are in inexpensive, cook up faster than other dried beans, and have a more 'meaty' texture that is good in chili or a bean mixture for tacos and burritos. Tofu really takes on the flavors of what it's cooked with, so you might be able to introduce it. Just press it between paper towels to remove some of the liquid, then crumble it and sautee with taco seasoning and beans for nearly instant taco and burrito filling. Or, add it to marinara sauce for spaghetti or lasagna. Tofu freezes well, so you can stock up a little when it's on sale. And, like Ashley said, you can find meatless 'chicken' nuggets in the freezer section.
Good luck!
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