30 Comments

  1. Good Morning Sandy
    OK.. I do practice some of these things you mentioned..others I don't. Like, If I've got a case of Diet Coke (last week), the kids were allowed to drink that. They only get Milk and water, and the occasional juice at school, so usually on the weekends I allow a soft drink. Their grandparents love to treat them w/ a Pepsi…but normally the kids will ask me first. Today, I let my daughter get a Sierra Mist. I do not like for them to have a lot of sugar..I to do not try to keep a lot of junk in my house. Graham cookies are here..and I did get some choc.chip the other day as a special treat, but they ALWAYS ask first! I am proud of that. I think they're just scared, haha. AND we also have that "treat basket"..the candy from all the school parties. Which, usually gets thrown away cause I don't let them eat it often. That is up in the pantry. My girls eat fruits and veggies pretty good. We rarely have dessert after supper during the week either. Right now my 5 yr old is eating yogurt covered raisins as a snack.
    I was shocked to see yall go out twice a week! Wow.. Oh..we have started to order water when we do go out. mainly cause it saves $8-10!
    but for the most part..I seem to be doing Ok..hehe.. I am going to post the chicken salad recipe if you want to link it..you may need to approve first 😉

  2. Good Morning Sandy
    OK.. I do practice some of these things you mentioned..others I don't. Like, If I've got a case of Diet Coke (last week), the kids were allowed to drink that. They only get Milk and water, and the occasional juice at school, so usually on the weekends I allow a soft drink. Their grandparents love to treat them w/ a Pepsi…but normally the kids will ask me first. Today, I let my daughter get a Sierra Mist. I do not like for them to have a lot of sugar..I to do not try to keep a lot of junk in my house. Graham cookies are here..and I did get some choc.chip the other day as a special treat, but they ALWAYS ask first! I am proud of that. I think they're just scared, haha. AND we also have that "treat basket"..the candy from all the school parties. Which, usually gets thrown away cause I don't let them eat it often. That is up in the pantry. My girls eat fruits and veggies pretty good. We rarely have dessert after supper during the week either. Right now my 5 yr old is eating yogurt covered raisins as a snack.
    I was shocked to see yall go out twice a week! Wow.. Oh..we have started to order water when we do go out. mainly cause it saves $8-10!
    but for the most part..I seem to be doing Ok..hehe.. I am going to post the chicken salad recipe if you want to link it..you may need to approve first 😉

  3. Loved hearing about how you handle your kids and their eating habits. I liked the vegetable idea to stave off hunger before dinner.I would love to know what you pack in your little one's lunches since I struggle with healthy filling food choices. I will check back to see what other mamas suggest too.

  4. Loved hearing about how you handle your kids and their eating habits. I liked the vegetable idea to stave off hunger before dinner.I would love to know what you pack in your little one's lunches since I struggle with healthy filling food choices. I will check back to see what other mamas suggest too.

  5. Alyce,

    On the weekends, Jon and I often have a date (about every other weekend). On those weekends, we would count that as one meal out. Then we usually go out one other time, maybe on Saturday night or Sunday after church with the kids. If we don't have a date, one of us may take one of the kids out for some one-on-one time, which will usually involve a meal. After cooking all week long, three meals a day, I love to take the time off to have someone serve ME. 🙂

    Life by the Handful:

    My kids are pretty plain eaters, so I can't get too fancy with school lunches. Here is an example of a typical lunch:

    1/2 turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread OR a cheese stick. Sometimes they just want some deli turkey in a ziploc.

    a serving of fruit or veggies (apple, apple sauce, mandarin oranges, carrots, grapes, banana or celery)

    a serving of natural chips or natural cheetos

    an organic granola bar

    a juice box and/or a water bottle

    My son also gets to eat a snack in the afternoon, so I will usually pack him a granola bar, some pretzles, organic cheese crackers (like Ritz Bitz, but no junk in them), or the Smart Food cheese popcorn.

    Hope that helps!

  6. Alyce,

    On the weekends, Jon and I often have a date (about every other weekend). On those weekends, we would count that as one meal out. Then we usually go out one other time, maybe on Saturday night or Sunday after church with the kids. If we don't have a date, one of us may take one of the kids out for some one-on-one time, which will usually involve a meal. After cooking all week long, three meals a day, I love to take the time off to have someone serve ME. 🙂

    Life by the Handful:

    My kids are pretty plain eaters, so I can't get too fancy with school lunches. Here is an example of a typical lunch:

    1/2 turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread OR a cheese stick. Sometimes they just want some deli turkey in a ziploc.

    a serving of fruit or veggies (apple, apple sauce, mandarin oranges, carrots, grapes, banana or celery)

    a serving of natural chips or natural cheetos

    an organic granola bar

    a juice box and/or a water bottle

    My son also gets to eat a snack in the afternoon, so I will usually pack him a granola bar, some pretzles, organic cheese crackers (like Ritz Bitz, but no junk in them), or the Smart Food cheese popcorn.

    Hope that helps!

  7. We were leaving Hobby Lobby this morning and on the way out of the parking lot, Harrison askes me, "Mom, how come there are so many cars at the Fat Place?" I laughed when I realized he meant McDonald's. I have never called it that, but I've explained to them why we don't eat that type of food. They have never eaten there and don't ask to. It's just not an option.
    I'm thankful that they don't like soda. They both hate the carbonation-it makes their eyes water.
    Hopefully, they will stay on this path as they grow. We call fruit, "God's Candy" around here and they do love it (almost as much). ha ha
    Do you let your kids have the occasional "brownie blob"? I do remember your's being the best, but I won't tell your readers that you made them for Mark and I. Our little secret.
    Love you!

  8. We were leaving Hobby Lobby this morning and on the way out of the parking lot, Harrison askes me, "Mom, how come there are so many cars at the Fat Place?" I laughed when I realized he meant McDonald's. I have never called it that, but I've explained to them why we don't eat that type of food. They have never eaten there and don't ask to. It's just not an option.
    I'm thankful that they don't like soda. They both hate the carbonation-it makes their eyes water.
    Hopefully, they will stay on this path as they grow. We call fruit, "God's Candy" around here and they do love it (almost as much). ha ha
    Do you let your kids have the occasional "brownie blob"? I do remember your's being the best, but I won't tell your readers that you made them for Mark and I. Our little secret.
    Love you!

  9. Wow. I'm impressed. You are actually acting like a PARENT! Go figure. 🙂

    My kids' drink of choice, even at restaurants, is milk. Always freaks the waiters out a little bit. I always cringe when I see moms letting their one-year-olds drink out of their soda can.

    And I am so with you on the aspartame.

  10. Wow. I'm impressed. You are actually acting like a PARENT! Go figure. 🙂

    My kids' drink of choice, even at restaurants, is milk. Always freaks the waiters out a little bit. I always cringe when I see moms letting their one-year-olds drink out of their soda can.

    And I am so with you on the aspartame.

  11. Sandy, I'm so glad you know what day it is! This was a great post too. I think it's so sad to see how obese our country's children are becoming. I think there are many reasons for this including sitting in front to the TV or computer and not getting outside to run around. Many families eat fast food which will pack on the calories quickly. I remember when I was a kid we were limited in the amount of time we could watch TV. Saturday was a day to be outside not inside.

    I think your advice is great about the fruit and veggies. What you teach them growing up will stick with them. It becomes a habit. I love that you also abide by this. That speaks so much louder than words.

    I remember my mom loved chocolate. She bought one chocolate bar a week and had a little square each day. Now that's discipline! But I always remember that.

    I promise to get my days straight next week. But I always enjoy visiting you.

  12. Sandy, I'm so glad you know what day it is! This was a great post too. I think it's so sad to see how obese our country's children are becoming. I think there are many reasons for this including sitting in front to the TV or computer and not getting outside to run around. Many families eat fast food which will pack on the calories quickly. I remember when I was a kid we were limited in the amount of time we could watch TV. Saturday was a day to be outside not inside.

    I think your advice is great about the fruit and veggies. What you teach them growing up will stick with them. It becomes a habit. I love that you also abide by this. That speaks so much louder than words.

    I remember my mom loved chocolate. She bought one chocolate bar a week and had a little square each day. Now that's discipline! But I always remember that.

    I promise to get my days straight next week. But I always enjoy visiting you.

  13. I loved seeing into your "world" of eating with your family. I wish I was a strick as you are. My kiddos get a "treat" after lunch and dinner, but don't get it until then have finished whats on their plates. It's usually a cookie (oreo).

    My kids have ALWAYS loved milk – Especially Noah. He could drink me out of house and home! Right now there are 4 gallons of milk in my frig. And I mix half water half skim milk because he has so much. They have never really like juice – and honestly I was fine with that. They do however like Propel fitness water. I buy the packages and mix it for them. They love it and Noah calls it his "juice".

    Avery is the fruit eater and Noah is the veggie eater. It's vertually impossible to get Avery to eat Veggies, but I can talk Noah into eating fruit when it comes to taking dessert away!

    We have battled with Noah at the dinner table for Hours before. Now, if he chooses not to eat, he may get down, but we don't allow him to have milk or anything else. We put his plate in the frig and tell him that it's there when he get hungry. There is not one time where he didn't go back to it later. But because he chose not to eat with the family his treat is taken away.

  14. I loved seeing into your "world" of eating with your family. I wish I was a strick as you are. My kiddos get a "treat" after lunch and dinner, but don't get it until then have finished whats on their plates. It's usually a cookie (oreo).

    My kids have ALWAYS loved milk – Especially Noah. He could drink me out of house and home! Right now there are 4 gallons of milk in my frig. And I mix half water half skim milk because he has so much. They have never really like juice – and honestly I was fine with that. They do however like Propel fitness water. I buy the packages and mix it for them. They love it and Noah calls it his "juice".

    Avery is the fruit eater and Noah is the veggie eater. It's vertually impossible to get Avery to eat Veggies, but I can talk Noah into eating fruit when it comes to taking dessert away!

    We have battled with Noah at the dinner table for Hours before. Now, if he chooses not to eat, he may get down, but we don't allow him to have milk or anything else. We put his plate in the frig and tell him that it's there when he get hungry. There is not one time where he didn't go back to it later. But because he chose not to eat with the family his treat is taken away.

  15. Jess:

    I laughed out loud at what Harrison said. That's hilarious. Well done, Mom. And yes, what is life–really–without the occasional brownie blob? However, as I've grown in wisdom, I've learned to bake them a little longer and cut them with a plastic knife…which actually causes them to become "brownies"!!!! Imagine that!

  16. Jess:

    I laughed out loud at what Harrison said. That's hilarious. Well done, Mom. And yes, what is life–really–without the occasional brownie blob? However, as I've grown in wisdom, I've learned to bake them a little longer and cut them with a plastic knife…which actually causes them to become "brownies"!!!! Imagine that!

  17. Hey girl,
    I'm working on a grant to provide kids fitness programs at our Y. Thanks for making my job easy by providing all the stats. Now I won't have to do as much research. 🙂

    Okay I do have a comment on your
    #6: This is a great rule to have if you're feeding your kids the right things for dinner and you're not overloading their plates. Portion control is key. Growing up I was forced to clean my plate every night. That plate consisted of corn dogs, french fries, and fried chicken. Not so good on the growing child. I suffered an obesity problem.

    I psych my kids out by putting a heaping helping of veggies on their plate. They moan and groan so I tell them they only have to eat 1/2. They think they win by only having to eat 1/2 and I know I win because with the 1/2 they're getting a full serving of veggies.

    Love ya,
    Paula G.

  18. Hey girl,
    I'm working on a grant to provide kids fitness programs at our Y. Thanks for making my job easy by providing all the stats. Now I won't have to do as much research. 🙂

    Okay I do have a comment on your
    #6: This is a great rule to have if you're feeding your kids the right things for dinner and you're not overloading their plates. Portion control is key. Growing up I was forced to clean my plate every night. That plate consisted of corn dogs, french fries, and fried chicken. Not so good on the growing child. I suffered an obesity problem.

    I psych my kids out by putting a heaping helping of veggies on their plate. They moan and groan so I tell them they only have to eat 1/2. They think they win by only having to eat 1/2 and I know I win because with the 1/2 they're getting a full serving of veggies.

    Love ya,
    Paula G.

  19. Okay, let me ad, I absolutely know your kids are eating the right things. You laid it all out for us. I was just commenting from a general, non-organic, junky food eating aspect.

    When hubs and I started feeding the kids table food he would always stress, "you have to clean your plate" I asked him if his parents always told him that? He responded, "yes." I said, "and see the shape you're in…overweight, knee replacements, and a heart attack at 36 years old, how's that workin' out for ya?" Aren't I just the encourager!!
    PG

  20. Okay, let me ad, I absolutely know your kids are eating the right things. You laid it all out for us. I was just commenting from a general, non-organic, junky food eating aspect.

    When hubs and I started feeding the kids table food he would always stress, "you have to clean your plate" I asked him if his parents always told him that? He responded, "yes." I said, "and see the shape you're in…overweight, knee replacements, and a heart attack at 36 years old, how's that workin' out for ya?" Aren't I just the encourager!!
    PG

  21. Paula:

    Oh, heaven's YES, Paula. Thanks for pointing that out. I never make my kids clean their plate entirely. Only if they want dessert. They cannot have dessert unless they finish dinner.

    The only thing they must eat every single night is the fruit or veggie portion of dinner. They may walk away from the rest of it.

    That is a great strategy with the heaping portion. 🙂

    Sometimes I give them two different things and tell them they have to finish one of them. Same concept.

    Thanks for your input.
    Love ya!
    Sandy

    You can make that check out to "Sandy Cooper" for all my hard research work. 🙂

  22. Paula:

    Oh, heaven's YES, Paula. Thanks for pointing that out. I never make my kids clean their plate entirely. Only if they want dessert. They cannot have dessert unless they finish dinner.

    The only thing they must eat every single night is the fruit or veggie portion of dinner. They may walk away from the rest of it.

    That is a great strategy with the heaping portion. 🙂

    Sometimes I give them two different things and tell them they have to finish one of them. Same concept.

    Thanks for your input.
    Love ya!
    Sandy

    You can make that check out to "Sandy Cooper" for all my hard research work. 🙂

  23. Hi Sandy! GREAT post! We do most of those things (limiting soda and increasing water is HUGE). And I, too, hate any diet drink (can't convince my hubby though)–the chemicals just seem yucky to me. I'm not as "organic" as you, probably because I grew up on a farm and my farmer-dad just thinks the whole organic thing is mostly a load of hooey to make some marketing people rich. But, hey, that's just him (and me).

    I was interested in the Gatorade concept. Even though you don't let your kids have diet soda (or any soda) you still let them have Gatorade?? I NEVER buy it because it's mostly sugar. Blech!!

  24. Hi Sandy! GREAT post! We do most of those things (limiting soda and increasing water is HUGE). And I, too, hate any diet drink (can't convince my hubby though)–the chemicals just seem yucky to me. I'm not as "organic" as you, probably because I grew up on a farm and my farmer-dad just thinks the whole organic thing is mostly a load of hooey to make some marketing people rich. But, hey, that's just him (and me).

    I was interested in the Gatorade concept. Even though you don't let your kids have diet soda (or any soda) you still let them have Gatorade?? I NEVER buy it because it's mostly sugar. Blech!!

  25. Shelly:

    Uh oh…looks like I have my work cut out for me. Need to convince some conventional farmers about the advantages of organically grown and produced foods. I'll roll up my sleeves and give it my best shot in a future post…how's that?

    And yes, I do allow them Gatorade every once in a while (every few months, not often). It's not my favorite thing to give them…I did confess that I'm not a total Food Nazi. 🙂

    Thanks so much for your input!!!!!
    Love ya!
    Sandy

  26. Shelly:

    Uh oh…looks like I have my work cut out for me. Need to convince some conventional farmers about the advantages of organically grown and produced foods. I'll roll up my sleeves and give it my best shot in a future post…how's that?

    And yes, I do allow them Gatorade every once in a while (every few months, not often). It's not my favorite thing to give them…I did confess that I'm not a total Food Nazi. 🙂

    Thanks so much for your input!!!!!
    Love ya!
    Sandy

  27. This is such an awesome blog you guys. You all made wonderful comments and gave valuable information about keeping our kids safe by also taking care of their eating. It's never easy, though. I am a Mom of four and I have struggled with food for a long time myself. This made things so difficult because you know that what you are dealing with is directly affecting your loved ones, because they pick up on your bad eating habits (dieting, starving, and binging).
    By the grace of God and years of searching for answers I overcame. I started support groups for other women and today I help especially moms to get over their own issues so that they don't pass it on to their kids. If you or someone you know struggle with food, please go have a look at my website. There are tons of free informations especially about the fight against childhood obesity. I will keep checking out this website. Kudos to the author, I had a few good laughs this morning!
    Heleen
    http://www.EatingsDisorders.com

  28. This is such an awesome blog you guys. You all made wonderful comments and gave valuable information about keeping our kids safe by also taking care of their eating. It's never easy, though. I am a Mom of four and I have struggled with food for a long time myself. This made things so difficult because you know that what you are dealing with is directly affecting your loved ones, because they pick up on your bad eating habits (dieting, starving, and binging).
    By the grace of God and years of searching for answers I overcame. I started support groups for other women and today I help especially moms to get over their own issues so that they don't pass it on to their kids. If you or someone you know struggle with food, please go have a look at my website. There are tons of free informations especially about the fight against childhood obesity. I will keep checking out this website. Kudos to the author, I had a few good laughs this morning!
    Heleen
    http://www.EatingsDisorders.com

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