This isn't "My Way or the Highway" & School Lunches

Good Morning!

It's been a couple of days since I've been on, since I was feeling just a bit under the weather.  My body just needed lots of rest after the insanity of last week...I'm feeling much better now!

So, here is what my kiddos have taken for lunch the last few days...

 

Organic pasta w/ organic marinara, 1/2 an organic orange, & salad w/ my homemade dressing (organic green leaf lettuce & organic spinach, organic Roma tomato, fresh shredded cheese)

"Egg salad" (Not your traditional egg salad, huh?  I've not found a whole food alternative to mayo, so I've just cut it out all together.  This is just a fried organic egg, organic spinach, & organic tomato.), cheese skewer, stir fry veggies, & 1/2 an organic orange.

Taco salad (homemade organic black beans w/ shredded organic carrot, organic tomato, organic spinach, and fresh shredded cheese), organic tortilla strips, frozen edamame (will be thawed by lunch), & steamed brown rice.

Don't these make you hungry?  

I've heard from so many people how great the kid's lunches look!  It's not that difficult, really.  Once I had completely changed my thinking with regards to what makes something "lunch", it was so easy!  I realized that lunch doesn't have to be microwave meals, or sandwiches, fruit snacks, granola bars and packaged chips.  "Lunch", is whatever you eat at lunch time! Sure, you can find acceptable options for all of those things, but it's those convenience foods that make your grocery bill jump. I use mainly leftovers for their lunches, and they love it.  And, it feels good knowing that they are eating the very best that they can.

I've been reading and hearing a lot lately about people having the feeling of being judged by some who follow the whole food lifestyle.  I don't adhere to a "my way or the highway" approach.  I will meet you wherever you're at in your journey.  I do this to inform and inspire, not judge.  :) I truly believe in baby steps, and then once you see the effects, I'm certain that you will continue to take new baby steps.  

I encourage you to do your homework, do your research, and figure out what matters the most to you.  Where is it that you need to start?  Maybe this decision is motivated by wanting see if you can help your children with behavior issues, so you choose to start with artificial colors and flavors.  Perhaps it is cutting out diet beverages/foods to cut out aspartame.  Maybe it is motivated by your other health risks and issues.  Or, maybe you just start with the thing that is the easiest for you to understand...for me, that was anything labeled artificial.  

When you are cutting out, start adding in.  Replace the bad with the good.  Add in the fruits and veggies.  To my mind, conventional is better than none.  As you cut out the processed foods, and the expense of them, you may find that those dollars can be spent on organics.   You don't need to start where I did, or where anyone else has.  This is your journey, no one else's.  You need to figure out what works for you, and the baby steps that you should take to meet your goal, whatever that is.  

For my family, my goal was a chemical free, whole food diet.  In that process, my husband and I chose to go vegetarian for health reasons, but the children still eat meat.  I don't make it at home, but do buy it for cook outs for them, and only grass-fed, antibiotic/hormone free.  During this process we also wanted to cut out GMOs, and are now virtually GMO free.  I don't purchase anything that's been genetically modified for here at home, but it is difficult when we are out.  Same goes for organics...here at home, virtually everything is organic, but that isn't always the case when not at home.  I just do the very best that I can, with what I've got.  I'm often very frustrated by my available options, but I try not to get upset with myself over it.  Our food lifestyle is amazing, and a bit here and there isn't going to negate all of that.  In fact, we indulge in a treat once a week, no questions asked.  I want my children making the very best choices, but not beating themselves up over it.  We have a healthy balance going on.  I'm so proud of them! 

Have a great weekend!  See you on Tuesday!!  

:)