The Picky Eater and Food Freedom: Part 2

In my last post The Picky Eater and Food Freedom: Part 1, we talked about the harms of using food with punishments, threatening or forced and coerced. In this post, I promised to offer a few tips that could make households with picky eaters a more enjoyable time, since food is meant to be enjoyed! Also by honoring each persons food freedom, it helps celebrate and trust that our bodies know what they need. While my tips may not work in every family, I am simply sharing what has worked in my own home, not only with my own picky eater but with other picky eaters that have visited too.

Remember a whole lot goes into what makes food seem appetizing from color, to smell to texture to visual appeal!

So here are the tips with no further ado!

1.) Kids do not generally like complicated meals, especially young kids! They want child friendly meals like mac and cheese, bananas, pizza, cheese burgers and fries, so first tip is keep it simple and child friendly.

2.) Even if you are on a tight budget always try to buy one thing new that you and your family have never tried before. By trying new foods, you may just find more and more your child likes. For example I learned my picky eater happens to like okra, Lima beans, clam chowder and frog legs! Also a new food you have no idea what it is can lead to all sorts of fun learning, where did it come from, how is it usually cooked?

3.) Along with trying the new food theme, calmly but firmly request that they try the new food ( any time something new is offered on their plate)  Assure them that if they don't like it they don't have to eat it but they need to at least try it. Let them try it on their terms such as touching their tongue to it, a tiny bite, however they feel comfortable trying it, do not demand they have to have a certain size bite, chew it and swallow it. The simple request is to just try it, stay calm and do not give any sign of reactions. If they try it and eat it great, if they try it and say they don't like it, fine just calmly say "Well you tried it and that is all we ask, you never know if you like something or not unless you try it!" and then drop it.  They may resist trying in the beginning, but once they gain trust that you will not make them eat it, it will become natural for them to try the new foods to decide if they like them or not.

4.) Make a list of what your family members like, if they are like mine, my 2 guys like many of the same things while I will eat anything and my picky eater daughter has a completely different taste from any other member with the exception of Pizza and Country Fried Chicken.  At the same time I cook many different things that I have never made before but I try to offer meals rotating who may like it. So I will cook my new meal, a meal the whole family likes, a meal the guys like, a dinner my daughter will eat. In this manner I know I am at least cooking twice a week a meal the picky eater will eat for sure. Plan your menu accordingly to include each members personal tastes.

5.) The Buffet Style Meals- this is one of my favorite solutions to the picky eater dilemma! While we do not go out often, when we do we always made sure we went to buffet style restaurants.  I knew then my picky eater could choose her own foods and we would not be wasting money on a meal ordered and then tossed because it was not what she thought.   I also apply the Buffet style dinner at home when ever possible, you may want to include it in your menu a few times a week. A buffet style meal 3 times a week plus individual likes taken into consideration well that almost gets you through a whole week of meals that a picky eater will eat!  Instead of mixing a salad together, put everything into individual bowls for a salad bar, you may even include soup for a soup and salad bar  but you can include things like bowls of shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, craisins, shredded lettuce, tomato wedges, sliced mushrooms, Diced apples and perhaps croutons. Let them then, fix their own plates, picking what foods they actually want to eat or try.

The Buffet style dinner can include all sorts of meals like taco night ( again have all food prepared and served in individual bowls)  build your own sandwiches ( variety of lunch meats, cheeses, tomato slices and fresh fruits offered for on the side)  Fajitas ( steak, chicken or pork cooked and then individual bowls of lettuce, cheese, sauteed onions , sauteed green peppers, sauteed mixed veggies, sauteed mushrooms whatever and have tortilla shells to put it all in!)

Even the pickiest of eater will usually eat quite well for buffet style dinners, if you offer a variety of veggies, fruits, cheeses, boiled eggs and meats, all separate and them having full control of the foods they want to include on their plate. A Buffet served meal also works for all 3 meals of the day!

The Picky Eater and Food Freedom Part: 1

For many, the thought of giving children food freedom, is one of the hardest things to let go of next to perhaps the video game and electronic devices. Sometimes it is just so drilled into our heads that a child must eat what is put before them, without other choices given simply because that is how we were raised as children.

Fears range from "I will create a picky eater or make my picky eater even pickier " to " We are on a very tight food budget, we can not afford to give choices or let them eat what they want, when they want!" to " Oh gosh, my child would eat only junk food if they were allowed!" "A child must eat what I cook and that is it, it would be wasteful to do otherwise or This is NOT a restaurant!"

Peaceful parenting and radical unschooling is about building connections with a child in a healthy balanced way. It is respecting the child enough, to treat them as a human being and realize everyone is an individual with different likes and tastes. It is about trusting the human body knows what it needs ( the reason behind cravings, such as consuming large amounts of orange juice in the winter months or when having a common cold.)

Threatening a child that if they do not eat what is put before them, they will not get anything else the rest of the day, or no dessert, or have to go to bed early does a number of harmful things. For one, it upsets the child and when one is tense and upset their body can not digest food properly. It also can do the very thing a parent is trying to avoid and actually deepen food aversions and create a life long dislike for certain foods!

Think about it, do you like everything you eat? When do you eat, by a clock or when your body tells you are hungry?

Many things go into why we like what we do, and sometimes in children this is magnified. There are many reasons why they may be picky or not want to eat what you cook for them.  They may not like the smell, sometimes it is texture and some can be very sensitive to textures! They may not like the color as certain colors can be unappetizing! They simply may not be hungry when the parent says it is time to eat! They may not like their food touching other types of food on their plate.

As far as money being a concern, is it more frugal to make a plate for a child who does not want to eat what you created and will sit there until it is cold and thrown out anyway, or crying the whole time they are eating it ( I don't know about you but I can not eat when I am crying!) or would it be cheaper to actually let them make a peanut butter sandwich or mac and cheese or any other number of .50 cent alternatives that they WILL eat?  I found for my family it was far cheaper to let our picky eater have the cheap alternatives.

Food is meant to be nourishing and enjoyable, when a power struggle takes place, this is lost and the chance to make good connections , happy connections with our children is also lost. Here is another thing to consider, most families in the USA are eating a S.A.D diet (Standard American Diet) and this is really quite an unhealthy diet. Essentially then, your food choices that are being forced or coerced for your child to eat, is no healthier than perhaps what the child wants to eat! If they are not hungry, by pushing them to eat, you are perhaps encouraging over eating that can lead to the obesity problems that is such a huge problem in the United States.

By allowing the child choices of what to eat and when to eat, he is being allowed to listen to his own body which knows best. The parent can not tell if the child is hungry or not, but the child sure knows! By allowing them to choose the foods they like, you are acknowledging they are individuals.

Dinner does not have to be full of power struggles, fights, yelling and crying, it just doesn't , why would one choose to make meal time miserable for their child? There is no reason to guilt, shame or threaten a child simply cause they don't want what you cooked. This came from an era where you ate everything on your plate because it was the Great Depression! Now I almost gaurantee is is stemming more from a "I cooked it, you eat it" mentality and if the child does not want it, the cook and perhaps the spouse too, take it all too personally and there fore use their size from a place of resentment to bully a child into eating.

Many perents are not aware this is essentially what they are doing, they are simply using the tools that was taught to them. It is time to question where and why we use the tools of our parents. Sometimes this means changing the tools we know, learning new methods, perhaps better methods.

Making your children happy, is not spoiling them! It is building connections, learning to understand them and celebrate them for who they are, not what we want them to be. It is helping your child listen to their own bodies and trusting that the human body knows what it needs and when it is hungry.

While I am addressing the issue here of the harms of forcing children to eat, my next post will offer tips on ways to make meal time enjoyable and dealing with the picky eater.

In the meantime, don't just take my word for it, here is some further reading for you!

What Forced Eating Looks Like 20 Years Later

Forced Eating Leads to Eating Disorders

Pushing kids to eat may cause Obesity later

Mealtime Atmosphere and Eating Behavior

Hot Chocolate Mix

This is enough mix to fill large ice cream bucket!

8 cups powdered Milk
3 cups baking cocoa
1 cup French Vanilla powdered Creamer
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

Put everything large plastic Ice Cream bucket and mix well, store with lid on it.

To use, place 4 Tablespoons of mix to 1 cup boiling water in cup and serve.

Octobers Food Costs = $300

We went shopping on the 5th to do our once a month large shopping day, purchasing everything we needed for Octobers menu. I did forget hot sauce and cranberries as we were tired and just plain tired of fighting the large shopping crowd that day. Seems like everyone in town was shopping! I was very pleased with the final result of our menu cost though......

$300 for a family of 4 for a whole month of food!

Now we will of course have to get milk and bread as we run out throughout the month and some fresh fruit but that is pretty much it. We have $150 left for food so I figure the $50 for these items and the remaining $100 I can use for either reduced meat sales or to build up my prepping pantry. Not that I am preparing for the end of the world or anything but I would love to have a stocked pantry that could last several months to a year.

As for spending the $300 for the month, that actually is a figure I am tickled pink with for a family. That is actually on the high side too because it was not JUST for what was on the menu which only covered dinners. I have 8 lbs. of rolled oats at home so I did not have to worry about that but I did have to buy other things.

While I won't list every single thing I bought for the $300 (the receipt is a mile long!) I will give you and idea of some of the items we purchased for that money.

Honey ( always pricey)
25 pounds of sugar ( tis the baking season)
6 pounds apples
lots and lots of fresh produce such as cabbage, carrots, bananas, brussel sprouts, green peppers...
40 pounds of potatoes ( hey they were on sale for $3 a 10 pound bag!)
Heavy cream ( again always expensive)
6 packages of bacon
24 cans of tuna
Apple Cider ( my only splurge and so worth it!)
Blue cheese
mozzarella cheese
cheddar cheese
Walnuts
Raisins

Okay, Okay you get the point and that does not even cover a 1/4 of the list but those were some of the major ones that stick out for me.

No cold cereal  was purchased or anything so we did pretty good! The one thing I do plan on going back for Tuesday ( other than the 2 items I forgot!) would be some large pumpkins while they are on sale so I can cook it up and freeze the puree.

Okay, so I am off to go make some pumpkin bread and granola cereal this morning! Have a fantastic week you all!

What are you making from scratch this week?

 

October's Menu!

I pretty much am only planning out the Month of October's dinner menu.

For breakfast and lunches we will have a variety  of granola cereals, smoothies, yogurts, toaster pastries, banana breads, pumpkin breads and muffins all made from scratch.

 Dinners:

Sat. Oct.5 –   New England Dinner Gratin

Sun. Oct.6-   Brussel Sprout, Chicken-Apple Sausage Bake

Mon. Oct.7-   Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Arugula Salad

Tue. Oct. 8-   Chili

Wed. Oct. 9- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes and Fried Cabbage

Thur. Oct.10 Tuna, White Bean and Red Onion Salad

Fri. Oct. 11- Homemade Pizza

Sat. Oct. 12.  Chicken Nuggets with Watermelon and Arugula Salad

Sun. Oct. 13- Blue Cheese Mushroom and Onion Potato Gratin w/ arugula salad

 

Mon. Oct. 14- Waffles and fresh fruit salad

Tues. Oct. 15- Black Bean Burgers

Wed. Oct. 16- Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, green beans (Hubby B-day)

Thurs. Oct. 17- BLT Pasta

Fri. Oct. 18-   Leftovers

Sat. Oct. 19- Split Pea and Ham Soup

Sun. Oct. 20- No Mayo TunaSalad with twice baked Sweet Potato’s

Mon. Oct. 21- Creole Rice, Sausage and Cabbage Soup

 

Repeat Menu

 

Happy Fall you all, what is on your menu this month?

Before Shopping Photos #2

You may remember our Before Shopping Photos a little over a year ago, before receiving SNAP when our monthly grocery amount averaged $250 a month for a family of 5. You can refresh your memory and see that post HERE.

For the last 6 months we have been receiving 575 a month ( which now has gone down for the next 6 months  to $505) for a family of now 4. This is a whole lot of food for us and as you can see, puts us at a much better standing at the end of a grocery term, right before the major shopping day around the 5th of each month.

The first photo shows the  small chest freezer we purchased at the beginning of the year with a 25 pound bag of flour, several bags of homemade stock and some fries. Items were transferred from here to fill the freezer above the refrigerator so that the chest freezer had room for that days shopping.

The next photo is the fridge freezer after the chest freezer had been combined in it. It is full and has no room in it for more. It has frozen fruits,  veggies, a pork loin roast,  a duck, a whole chicken, chicken breasts,  sweet potato fries, pork chops and a steak that was on sale.

The next photo of the refrigerator, well  that is actually pretty empty but has milk, butter, eggs and some condiments left.

Then we get to the cupboards that has oatmeal, sauerkraut, soups, relish, tomato paste, jelly, raisins, and some rice a roni boxes (my sons friend gave us them as it is not something I would buy).  The one cupboard I forgot to take photos of, has fresh potato's, brown rice  and 10 pounds of rolled oats..

All in All I had 2 weeks worth of meals still at the end of the month, breakfasts and dinners were covered, however we were lacking things for lunch  although I could have fudged that for a little by making muffins, waffles, biscuits and banana breads as I have bananas frozen already for that purpose.

As for the duck, my hubby and kids have never had duck before so I wanted to give them that experience as this country girl loves a good duck! While it is pretty expensive, I was able to purchase it due to how frugal I am in general for grocery shopping.  It is in my freezer for a special occasion dinner, and this is the only meat I purchased last month that was not on sale.  All the other meats were drastically reduced and I pick them up through out the month when I see them at the greatly reduced prices which builds up our food  inventory at home.

All in all , the food stamps certainly puts us in a much more comfortable position at the end of a food shopping period and we plan on building up our food  inventory in a very substantial way over the next 6 months when our goal is to get back off of the food stamps.

How long would your food stash last if that was all you had?

Sour Cream Fresh Fruit Salad

Sorry no photos, I was so  hungry I wanted to eat and forgot to take a picture! LOL



3 apples peeled, cored and diced
3 plums, pitted and diced with skin on
1 banana sliced
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup citrus tangerine/ orange juice
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon



Put everything in a medium bowl, stir well and chill for an hour prior to serving!

Don't Forget the Coconut Water

Everyone can benefit with summer upon us with "Mother Natures Sport Drink" aka Coconut water! For those who battle with dehydration issues such as those undergoing chemo or active in sports, or simply active outdoors in the summer heat!

Being easy to find ( I get pure 100% coconut water in the juice section of Walmarts) it is a wonderful thing to keep on hand. It is slightly pricey but 4 single serving boxes last me 2 weeks as I have 2 a week usually about day 2 and day 3 after chemo.

Coconut water is better at hydrating you than anything else available and usually you can start feeling the results almost immediately going from lethargic to perky. It is easy to digest, cholesterol free and has potassium levels comparable to 4 bananas.

If you have high potassium levels, than you would not want to drink coconut water, but for others the benefits are priceless.

I had a cancer survivor friend recommend it as it was the only thing that made her feel better after chemo treatments, and I am so glad she did! It certainly has become a regular item in my battling cancer diet!

If you would like to read more go to http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/truth-about-coconut-water


Fight on, Rock on!

Freedom Series: Honoring Food Choices

Whole Life Unschooling extends the philosophy into all the other areas of living, beyond simply how one learns. This means a democracy and equality reside in the household as every member is honored and respected as an individual with same freedoms adults are granted so long as it is not infringing upon someone else's freedoms or causing harm.

Food Freedom falls into this area where food is not restricted, and one is free to choose what to eat and when, based on when their own body says it is hungry and what it desires to satisfy it's hunger. As adults, we have cravings and if paying attention to our body, give into those cravings as a body has a way of knowing what it needs, whether it is sweets , oranges or other fruit, veggies, or whatever. We know when we are hungry, so we eat, this also goes for children as it is the way our bodies are designed so why as adults do we restrict what and when they eat? Many are afraid if a child is allowed to eat with the same freedoms as adults, all they will eat is junk food and candy, yet this would only be the case, if that is all that is offered in a household.


Many times in our house it was a matter of financial circumstance, we had a very small food budget and the only way to get us through the month was if I did the shopping for our family and watched how much we all ate. We had $250 a month for food for a family of 5. We still made snacks and such but our diets were restricted as a whole to a tiny budget and I tried to choose a little of something that each member would like as a dinner or snacks like smoothies.

This has changes recently, now we are a family of 4 with a grocery budget of $429 to $570 a month so this has opened the door for total freedom in many ways along with simplifying my days!

For May each member will be allowed $100 to buy their own food, leaving me $170 to fill in the gaps and to cook weekend family dinners.

We have broken this up into 2 shopping trips of $50 where they shop for meals for 2 weeks at a time with me mentoring and helping when needed. Believe it or not it was hubby freaking out over how to shop in a frugal manner and get enough meals!

There are a few guidelines where the $50 goes to get what they want including snacks but to bear in mind the 3 meals a day for 2 weeks.  What they buy they prepare, I will only cook family meals on the weekends. They can eat their own food, when they are hungry without having to ask.  They can not take another persons food, they do not have to share their own food, but bartering and trading are perfectly acceptable!

When it came to the first shopping trip it was my daughter, hubby and myself that went, our 15 year old son decided he did not want to go. To respect his desire to stay home, I picked out his food on the $50 based on foods I know he loves and could fix himself.

My daughter has been going through her food kind of fast and I have gently reminded her a couple times that her food has to last until she gets more money to shop in 2 weeks, she is not very good at self regulating!

Yesterday as she had it in her head she has to wait a month ( that is how I normally shop, is for a month at a time with just having hubby pick up a few things here and there throughout the month when he gets out of work and is already uptown.)  She came to me and asked....

"Mom, how long can a person survive without food? A Month?" I was like you know I am not sure but I don't think so, we would have to google it to be sure..... her response a very dramatic "OMG I knew it I am going to STARVE TO DEATH!" Ha ha poor baby!

All in all though it has been a great experience and seeing how different everyone food choices were. And seeing how everyone in the family has self control over their food, all but our soon to be 12 year old daughter anyways ha ha.

I will do another post showing those choices and what was purchased.

I am also LOVING not to have to worry about what to cook for dinner 5 nights a week! Awesome!

Making May's Breast Fighting Meal Plan

http://www.ivillage.com/breast-cancer-fighting-diet/4-a-142414?p=2   This link has a good foundation for creating a healthy diet packed with all sorts of breast cancer fighting or prevention abilities. For me it is a solid foundation on which to build upon and add to, but not to use as the only diet plan.

There are many foods out there such as Sour Sop fruit that can help in the fight against cancer that are not included in this diet, which is why I see it as a foundation diet in which to build upon to enhance it even further.

This base/foundation diet recommends daily:

3 - 6 servings of whole grains a day

1 to 2 servings of beans

9+ servings of fruits and veggies a day

1 or 2 servings of low fat dairy

1 or 2 servings of soy products

fatty fish 2x a week

garlic, herbs and spices used liberally

2 T flax seed daily

4 to 6 cups green tea ( cold or hot)

virgin olive oil




And this would make up the base, that I will add to or take away from, and create a page here soon with my diet and what all I eat!

Have a fantastic Weekend Everyone!






 

Healthy Master Muffin Mix

3 c. white flour
4 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1 c. ground flax seed
2 c. powdered milk
3 T. double acting baking powder



To Use:

Use 3 cups of master muffin mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil or melted butter
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla or other flavoring
1/2 c. Honey or 3/4 c. agave
1 c. berries, nuts, whatever

Bake at 400 degrees in 13 x 9 greased pan for 20 minutes or in greased or lined muffin pan for about 15 minutes.

Granola #1

5 cups old fashioned oats ( not the quick kind)
1 c. dried milk
1/2 c. ground flax seed
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans ( or any nuts you like)

3/4 c. Agave , Honey or Maple Syrup
1. T. Molasses
1/3 c. olive oil

Raisins added AFTER Baking .


Mix all the dry ingredients together.  In a saucepan on medium high heat, and stirring frequently, heat the Sweetener you are using with the olive oil until nice and thin, and mixed together well.  Spread the dry ingredients into a large rectangular pan and then add the heated sweeteners to it. Mix very well until the oats are coated nicely.

Bake between 225 and 250 degrees for an hour stirring well after 30 minutes. Turn oven off and leave granola in oven.....stirring well again after 30 minutes. Take out and add raisins or dried cranberries to it and store in air tight container.


NOTE: We used Agave and this did not make it quite sweet enough as a granola cereal for our liking so when serving as a cereal a teaspoon of honey remedied this just fine. Also is great for serving on something already sweet like vanilla ice cream or fruit yogurt or even smoothies.

Tofu Apple Spinach Salad

1 bunch Romaine Lettuce shredded
2 cups fresh Spinach
1 block Tofu cut in small cubes
3 apples, peeled and cut into cubes
1 large Carrot Shredded
6 green onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 TB olive oil


In large bowl, add the lettuce and spinach leaves. Add shredded carrot and cubed apples. Chop 3 of the green onions and add to bowl. Set Aside.

In fry pan heat olive and add Tofu.  Chop 3 of the green onions and add to fy pan along with the 1 tsp. minced garlic. Stir frequently with wooden spoon until Tofu is browned.

Add Tofu to Salad mixture and toss well.

Either eat as you would a salad or in whole wheat Tortilla Shells.

Pumpkin Cookies

• 4 cups all-purpose flour ( do 2 whole wheat and 2 all purpose)
• 3 cups  sugar
• 3 T. Molasses
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, molasses,cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and vanilla; beat by hand or with electric mixer until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12  minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire rack.

Menu Plan for December 3- 11

What do you know, I made one! LOL
Hubby says he can't wait that it sounds yummy to him!
Enjoy!

The Menu Plan

Monday-December 3

Breakfast- Coco Wheats, Whole wheat toast with pumpkin butter

Lunch- Lunch meat w/ cheese sandwiches, grapefruit, fresh carrots

Dinner- Soup made out of left over pork roast, added potatos, can of tomatos, carrots etc.,    corn bread

Tuesday

Breakfast- Toast with pumpkin butter, grapefruit

Lunch- P & B Sandwiches, fresh carrots

Dinner- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Wednesday

Breakfast- Oatmeal, fruit

Lunch- Celery, green onions, whole wheat toast

Dinner- Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad

Thursday

Breakfast- Whole Wheat Pancake Fruit Rolls

Lunch- Bananas and Cream, veggies

Dinner- Slow Cooker Chili, Corn Bread

Friday

Breakfast- Hot Cereal, Fruit

Lunch- Muffins

Dinner- Japanese Chicken in a Pot, Fried Rice, veggies

Saturday

Breakfast- Muffins

Lunch- Bananas and Cream, Veggies

Dinner- Chicken Enchiladas, veggies

 

 

Sunday

Breakfast- Hot Cereal, Whole Wheat Toast, Fruit

Lunch- Cheese Tortillas

Dinner- Chinese Spiced Roast Chicken, Fried Rice, Veggie Tray

Monday

Breakfast- French toast, Fruit

Lunch- P&B sandwiches, veggies

Dinner- Tortillas, veggies

Tuesday December 11

Breakfast- Hot Cereal, Whole Wheat Toast, Fruit

Lunch- Tuna Sandwiches, veggies, fruit

Dinner- Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, veggies, fruit

 

Ways to start a Raw Foods Diet

If you are like me being raised on processed foods, fried foods, junk foods and overly cooked foods that break down all the wonderful living enzymes, leaving it virtually lacking in nutrition, you may find it hard converting over to a raw foods menu.

These living enzymes in our foods is what aides us in giving us our bodies needs and having our immune systems work properly. Did you know that just 1 teaspoon of white sugar will block your immune system from working properly for up to 4 hours?  Also when we cook our foods, it kills all the benefits, raw foods have to offer our bodies. We should be eating at least 80% raw foods, yet most of us are lucky to even be eating 10% and certainly not on a regular basis either.

I have been wanting to convert to a whole foods/ raw foods diet for quite some time now,  yet every time I go food shopping, it is a struggle, my taste buds tell me I LIKE all the processed foods. Being a habit of 44 years is also working against me. This is for sure creating a struggle for me in our journey to a healthier lifestyle and my radar for processed foods seems to run on automatic any time I visit a grocery store.

If is is so difficult to convert and change your diet, what is one to do?


Where do you start?

Where to start- First step take white flour, white sugar, junk food, fried food, packaged foods, caffeine and alcoholol out of your diet.


Start each day with an 8 ounce glass of water with a ginger slice and freshly squeezed lemon in it.

prepare weekly menus for the month and make sure at each meal you incorporate at least one raw food into it, this goes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The raw food can be smoothies, green juice ( should be at least 1 green smoothie or juice a day with greens such as kale or spinach greens  and green apple in it ) fresh juices made with your juicer at home, Salads with freshly made raw salad dressing,  fruit salads, raw soups, or fresh veggie trays.

Be sure to be drinking plain water in between meals.


So this is my plan for December to move away from processed foods and will post updates on how it is going.

Have you been successful converting to a whole foods and raw foods diet? What tips do you have that really worked for you?

Dog Mush

1 can of Mackerl
1 cup brown rice
1 cup rolled oats
1 can green beans
8 cups water
1 apple cored and cut into small squares or pieces


Take the bones out of the mackerl and flake the pieces of Mackerl into a 2 quart pan along with the liquid from the can.  Add the rest of ingredients, cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every now and then.  Take off burner and let cool.

Store in plastic gallon ice cream bucket in fridge and serve for lunch and dinner to your dog. We heat ours up in the microwave for 2 minutes to give the dog a warm meal. ( we feed something different for breakfast)

Chicken Soup Sunday's Squawk

Special News Alert  just in, Jodi the only female hen out of the 3 silkies was murdered in her sleep last night. This news is devastating to her owners who had, had high hopes for pure silkie chicks in the spring. Tim and Champion, the 2 Silkie Roosters were taken into protective custody and Jodi's death, is still under investigation although the gruesomeness of the crime scene suggests the possibility of a hardened serial killer.


In other news, the chickens are making quite the squawk about the exciting news of Lucy the ISA Brown red hen laying her first egg, marking the start of the GREAT EGG PRODUCTION RACE.

Stay tuned for more news on the Chicken Squawk Channel..............

Health Conscious Shopping List

Shopping List

Date___/___/___

Item QTY Condiments Peanut Butter _____ Olive Oil _____ Maple Syrup _____ Olives _____ Tomato Paste _____ Tomato Sauce _____ Diced Tomato _____ Catsup _____ Mustard _____ ……………….. _____ ……………….. _____ ……………….. _____ Canned/Dried Fruits/Nuts Dates _____ Prunes _____ Mandarin Oranges_____ Raisins _____ Raw Almonds _____ Walnuts _____ Macadamia Nuts _____ Pecans _____ Sunflower Seeds _____ Figs _____ ……………….. _____ ……………….. _____ ……………….. _____ Canned Tuna _____ Mackerel _____ Salmon _____ Cream Mushroom_____ Cream Chicken _____ Chicken Noodle ______ Split Pea Soup _____ Tomato Soup _____ Chick Peas _____ ………………. _____ ………………. _____ ………………. _____ Starches Whole Wheat Pasta____ Egg Noodles ____ Brown Rice ____ Wild Rice ____ Black Beans ____ Pinto Beans ____ Kidney Beans ____

Item QTY White Beans ____ Dried Split Peas ____ Whole Wheat ____ Barley ____ Quinoa ____ ………………. ____ Baking Supplies Whole Wheat Flour____ Graham Flour ____ Rye Flour ____ Buckwheat Flour ____ Corn Meal ____ Baking Cocoa ____ Powdered Milk ____ Coconut Milk ____ Coconut Flakes ____ Marshmallows ____ Baking Soda ____ Baking Powder ____ Corn Starch ____ Yeast ____ Salt/Pepper ____ Spices ____ Coffee ____ Instant Coffee ____ Coffee Creamer ____ Tea ____ ………………… ____ Household Baking Soda ____ Vinegar ____ Borax ____ Castile Soap ____ Washing Soda ____ Hand Soaps ____ Dish Soap ____ Light Bulbs ____ Vacuum Bags ____ Paper Goods Toilet Paper _____ Aluminum Foil _____ Parchment Paper _____ Wax Paper _____ Pets Dog Toys ____ Brewers Yeast ____ Cod Liver ____ Cat Food ____

Item QTY Frozen Orange Juice ____ Broccoli ____ Asparagus ____ Green Beans ____ Okra ____ Ice Cream ____ ……………… ____ ……………… ____ Personal Razors ____ Shampoo ____ Conditioner ____ Toothpaste ____ Floss ____ Deodorant ____ Whey Protein ____ Allergy Meds ____ Aspirins/Tylenol ____ Cough Drops ____ Cold Meds ____ Band Aids ____ Maxi Pads ____ Dairy Heavy Cream ____ Sour Cream ____ Milk ____ Almond Milk ____ Eggs ____ Butter ____ Cottage Cheese ____ Plain Yogurt ____ Cream Cheese ____ Cheddar Cheese ____ Monterey Jack ____ Swiss Cheese ____ Parmesan ____ Blue Cheese ____ Mozzarella ____ Specialty Cheese ____ Velveeta Cheese ____ Specialty Store Raw Foods Almond Butter ____ A. C. Vinegar ____ Honey ____ Wheat Germ ____ Coconut Butter ____

Item QTY Other Specialty Store Items Broccoli Seeds ____ Alfalfa Seeds ____ Flax Seeds ____ Oat Groats _____ Carob Powder ____ Agave Nectar ____ Stevia ____ Sundried Tomato ____ Sundried Shiitake Mushrooms ____ Dried Seaweed ____ Nama Shoya ____ Breads Whole Wheat ____ Multi-Grain ____ Buns ____ Tortilla Shells ____ Pita ____ Day Old ____ Crackers ____ Sushi Wraps ____ Meat Chicken ____ Tilapia Fish ____ Shrimp ____ Turkey ____ Ham ____ Bacon ____ Sausage ____ Beef Roast ____ Steak ____ Pork Chops ____ Pork Roast ____ Corned Beef ____ Liver _____ Lunchmeats _____ Fresh Produce Onions ____ Garlic ____ Leeks ____ Avocados ____ Asparagus ____ Cauliflower ____ Sweet Peas ____ Cabbage ____ Carrots ____ Eggplant ____ Sweet Potatoes ____ Bananas ____ Kiwi ____ Melons ____ Pineapple ____ Red Grapes (USA)____ Ginger Root _____ Lemons ____ Limes ____ Mangos ____ Papaya ____ Portabella Shrooms____ Maitake Shrooms ____ White Button ____ Bok Choy ____ Grapefruit ____ Oranges ____ Acorn Squash ____ Jicama ____ Parsnips ____ Coconut ____ Organic Produce Spinach ____ Apples ____ Strawberries ____ Blueberries ____ Blackberries ____ Potatoes ____ Celery ____ Cranberries ____ Jalapeno Peppers ____ Sweet Bell Peppers____

October-Going Unprocessed!

If you look at a label and you come across something you can not pronounce and is not found in your kitchen, there is a good chance Mother Nature did not make it and a good sign that we should not be eating it.

This is our motto for October, we will not be purchasing any processed foods! In taking care of our health and what goes into our bodies, it could have large potentials for saving money too! So much of what supermarkets carry are processed foods containing chemicals and other harmful things for our bodies.

So for October we will only be doing whole-foods, if we can not make it in our kitchen and do not recognize the hard to pronounce ingredients, we do not buy it.  This also applies to harmful corn syrup products and carmel coloring!

I actually came across a blog dedicated to this asking you to sign the pledge at http://www.eatingrules.com/october-unprocessed-2012/


This may be hard in some ways as we have been raised very much on processed foods and our bodies have learned to crave junk, but I am sure we can do it for one month and see how it goes!

Would you like to join us and go unprocessed for October? Let us know in the comments!