Saturday, September 01, 2007

Brain Power

There's one thing that I didn't realize until recently. Ever since I left home I haven't been a very good eater. I like to eat. I even like to eat well. I even like to try new recipes. Nick will eat pretty much anything, then lick the design off of his plate and finish by asking to lick mine. He's just a hoover. Since we've had kids though I've really begun to dread my time in the kitchen.

I want them to eat well and I want to do the best I can. It's true that Isabella is currently in a hot dog/chicken nugget & fries/mac & cheese stage that I am not going to wage WW3 to get her out of, but I do strive to provide nutrition and learn more each day about what nutritous eating is.

The thing that makes being in the kitchen so dreadful for me is the inevitable ensuing headache. I am serving three to four different dietary demographics each time I make a meal. Nick being a 6'5" athletic guy who will use that as an excuse to eat 24/7, Isabella who can eat what we eat- the operative word being can, Brooklyn who is just moving from everything mushed to all things chewable and myself eating for two while hopefully never seeing 200.

I have always loved dinner and we have always eaten good dinners. I am a recent convert to breakfast and since it's new terrain I am enjoying figuring it out. Lunch, however, still eludes me and healthy snacks are a carribean island I've never been too. One nice thing about kids is that they need to eat every 3-4 hours or else everything crashes, so I at least have the reminder to eat on a regular basis.

I am determined to fix the mistakes I made during my breastfeeding attempts that I can now see in hindsight in order to make it a successful venture this time around and so eating has begun to consume even more brainpower than normal for me. I do not eat nearly the amount of calories recommended for a breastfeeding woman, and I'm not obsessed with my weight or anything like that, I just don't think to eat.

I just did up my second round of "Once a Month Cooking". (If you're going to try this method and I highly recommend it, give it at least two cooking attempts to decide if you like it. The first time is overwhelming but the second one is a lot better!). We've been eating food from our freezer for supper for only one week and already I can feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. With supper virtually off my mind I can turn my focus to those elusive carribean islands.

I wonder if I'm just odd that I don't think about food all. day. long. Has anyone else been on a journey like mine? What has helped you master the pyramid?

3 comments:

Jen said...

I find it helpful if healthy is just what's available. We don't buy chips or much proccesed food so that our options are only what's good for us. Our fridge usually has cut up veggies available with hummus or dressing, we have little packs of raisins and nuts. Still easy to grab for a snack but much better for you.

Good luck!

Lamb said...

Hey, I am still trying to figure it out. lol
Just when I think I have it worked out I learn something that shows me where I was wrong. Go figure.
I sure do understand about Nick eating everything that is not nailed down.
Do your guys like yoghurt??? It is a great quick fix and good for them too. Also baby carrots are just the right size for little fingers like Belle's. I used to dip them in a little peanut butter for the kids that I looked after, that was after the boys were grown. I always let them eat cereal before going to bed.

Susie said...

I feel your pain. I LOVE FOOd. So losing weight has always been an uphill battle. And i love to cook and bake, mostly when watching the food network....