Healthy Eating Choices for Your Family

Making the decision to eat well and to feed your family healthy choices is important. Making good healthy meals and sitting down to eat together is invaluable to the strength of the family in many ways.

I was a single mom for many years and raised two beautiful daughters. We always set down to a good and healthy home cooked dinner at night. We ate breakfast in the mornings before the girls went to school of a healthy cereal topped with fruit, yogurt and fruit topped with granola, or some other simple healthy choice. On the weekends we made a big breakfast, at least one morning, of French toast with fruit, eggs scrambled with veggies and cheese, etc. The girls from a very young age often helped with this weekend breakfast. We looked forward to the time together and enjoying the good meal. We would often on warm days take a picnic to the park or just eat outside on the lawn. We would choose what really good things we were going to take to enjoy. Eating good foods was a part of our lifestyle and is still a part of each of lives today.

There is a popular myth out there that eating healthy costs more than eating badly. I simply couldn't disagree more. As a single Mom I was always on a very tight budget and I believe that eating at home and cooking instead of eating fast food or buying packaged quick food or frozen dinners was very much a part of a good budget. I honestly don't understand how families can afford to eat out all the time or eat prepackaged convenience meals. I now have more money to spend at my discretion than I did then, but I still think this is an expensive choice. The cost is not only in money but loss of value in your life in more important ways.

I won't try to outline meal plans or bunches of recipes for you here. There are a million sources today of places to get ideas on healthy cooking and recipes. I don't think there is any recipe I could give or many meal plans that is going to so inspire you that it would change your life. I do believe there are some choices you can make that will make a difference. Think of feeding your family and yourself as part of your daily experience and responsibility like brushing teeth, taking your child's hand before crossing the street, or taking a shower. These are not luxuries these are things we do. Your family sharing a good meal, feeding them healthy foods, these are not luxuries; these should just be things we do.

Starting with good food in your cabinets is certainly a good start. Look at buying food as an investment in your health and well being. These days I spend a little more and buy organic veggies when I can, I buy natural meats without added antibiotics or growth hormones. Today these items are readily available at the supermarket and often at better at least one morning prices than the health food stores. When shopping I try to make the most of different types of stores and try to get the best food for the best price. Your local Wal-Mart or Member's club will have many organic produce items, natural meats and other good healthy choices in breads, cereals, pastas, yogurts, juices, etc. What you can't find there you can get at your heath food grocery. And you can do this and still save money compared to eating fast food and other junk foods.

Cooking healthy doesn't have to be complicated or fancy. A simple piece of grilled meat (in the right size portion), a good fresh salad, a simple side dish, (such as steamed or sautéed veggies, steamed new potatoes, or brown rice pilaf) with a whole grain roll is a good and healthy dinner. I love making one dish meals, soups and stews, pasta dishes, rice dishes. They can be quick and easy to make and just full of good nutrition and it's easy to warm up leftovers and have a second good meal. Pasta dishes using the whole wheat pasta or multi-grain pastas that are available everywhere now can be a very good healthy choice when mixed with veggies and proteins. When cooking use healthy oils, such as olive oil, canola oil or high in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats and no hydrogenated fats. You don't need a lot of oil in non-stick pans just a little for flavor and browning. Make use of garlic, onion and herbs that add a lot of flavor for low calories and add good fresh veggies and good protein with either meat, poultry or seafood and/or nuts and seeds. I love beans in chili dishes, soups or side dishes. They are cheap, super healthy, can be seasoned and used in many different types of dishes and cuisines.

For sauces I use chicken stock, low fat milk or citrus juices or a combination of these as a base for the sauce with cornstarch for thickening or a flour roux. To flavor sauces you can add herbs, spices, cheeses, fruit zests, etc. When adding cheese to a sauce if you use a strong cheese, sharp cheddar, Romano, Parmesan, asiago, etc you will get more flavor using less cheese therefore making a lighter sauce. When I make an alfredo type sauce I use a combination of low fat milk and chicken stock for a total of about 1 1/3 C, adding fresh garlic, onion sautéed in a little olive oil and thickened with cornstarch and about 1/3 C of fresh grated Parmesan, and seasoned with salt, pepper and fresh or dried basil (if you like you can put the cheese, cornstarch and warm liquid in blender and blend on high and it will emulsify the cheese into the liquid so it will make a very creamy and thick sauce).

I am not opposed to some fat in cooking as long it's a good fat or good meat protein that is low in fat. Olives have good fat, avocados have a good fat, nuts are a good fat, just eat them in a balanced meal. I eat low fat red meat in moderation. I eat cheese in moderation. I eat sweets in moderation. When I have sweets I choose low fat ice cream, dark chocolate, whole grain cookies such as oatmeal and chocolate chip, or oatmeal, raisin with walnuts, etc. These are choices that are nutritious, I strive for a balance. I believe that we should enjoy and be grateful for what we have in life. Enjoying good foods and sharing them with our loved ones is part of a healthy and well balanced life.

Here's to good life and good food!