Yesterday, my post was all about healthy eating in our household. It was a post meant to inspire some people with visions of pretty dishes, and also meant to inform my readers of my commitment to nutrition for my family. However, it may have led some people astray, because I love my good, unhealthy eats, too!
Today’s word is:
Balance.
I love sugar and processed foods just like the next person. The more I considered yesterday’s post, the more I felt I portrayed a disingenuous mom, because I do not keep a regimented hold on the food prepared for my family. However, as I mentioned, I do try to plan dinners, and those are usually our healthiest meals.
So, I decided I would take a picture of my snacking throughout the day, to show that it isn’t all healthy, fresh foods that are ingested in the house!
Now, I will have to say, I don’t know if I just didn’t want to take a picture of everything I wanted to eat, but didn’t; or, if this is my usual splurge. I just don’t know. I realized yesterday I like to snack during the day when I am standing around trying to remember what I should be doing.
I had two cups of coffee yesterday! I usually have one, but this week is looking like a two cup a day kind of week. Years ago, I found out if I put the peppermint patties in the freezer, I ultimately eat less, and they give me my “something sweet” that I want, and since they are snack sized and individually wrapped, they provide a perfect “portion control.” I like to rationalize I mitigated the chips ‘n salsa by eating homemade salsa and dip (the dip is cilantro-jalapeno dip), but perhaps the only healthy component about the dip is how little sodium is in there (none was added, outside of the sour cream and mayo). For dinner, we made homemade sweet ‘n sour chicken (with sauce from a jar), over a bed of rice, with fresh peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and pineapple – but, for once, I forgot to take a picture!
Weekends are difficult for me to continue the healthy eating streak, and I need to plan better for the weekends. Usually, we eat out more than not – it’s definitely not something I am proud to admit.
However, it is important to show balance in my meals, and quite frankly, all areas of my life. “Work hard, play hard; eat healthy, eat some junk.” My mother-in-law references a quote from a book she read, “Everything in moderation, even moderation.” There is a time and place for healthy eats, and a time and place for sugar-ladened, processed foods.
Furthermore, my family became more tolerant of processed foods when my son was slow to gain weight when he started solids. Like my husband as a child, my son can eat a horde (yes, a small group of people) and not gain any weight (oh, to have that problem, right?). After a nutritionist recommended adding sweetened condensed milk to everything, and having it work to get the doctors off our backs, my son gets free reign over many of his snacking desires. Some days, it takes every ounce of willpower to not eat his leftovers, or when he asks for mac ‘n cheese for breakfast, to stick with making my own, healthy breakfast!
As a mother, I shoot to provide a well-balanced approach to life – for myself, and for my children. Truth is, I’ve seen what happens to families when there is a rigid family member in the midst; as my children’s role model, I want them to see a healthy approach to all facets of life, so as to avoid potential pitfalls that come from not leading a balanced lifestyle.
How do you interject balance in your family? What approaches help you stay balanced?
Love this post! As a mom and someone who tries to be as healthy as I can I agree that balance is very important! Great post!
Thank you so much!! And, thank you for the kind words!