Adapting To Your Family's Nutrition Needs

It is difficult to figure out what nutrition habits fit our personal needs, right? Well, think of this task and expand it to having the responsibility of providing consistent nutrition for not only us but our family as well. That is a lot to think about. There may be a specific routine you follow that does not fit your kids’ or spouse’s needs. Your family may not like the foods you like. You may eat at different times. How can we adapt to a nutritious lifestyle that will make both ourselves and our family happy?

Last week I spoke about my schedule and how and what I eat. Practicing IF (Intermittent
Fasting), and the amount and type of food I consume are the habits I have figured out work for me. However, my two boys are young, growing, and incredibly active! The lifestyle I live does not fit the profile of a growing kid. So, I have learned to adapt to their eating schedule and needs.

Here are a few tips explaining how to find a good nutrition/meal plan for your little ones. *Scroll down if you want some great and easy recipes!

1. Meal Prep: I have said it before, and I’ll say it again. Meal prep saves me! I know this

sounds a tad dramatic. What I mean to say is that meal prep saves me so much time,
stress, and frustration. I tend to prep my boys’ breakfast and lunch the day before
during the afternoon or in the evening. I will prep in the mornings before I head to train
or teach depending on my boys’ sports schedule or mine. If you are more curious
about meal prep, check out my article from last week!​

   2. What does your family like? This is the most important thing to think about especially when it comes to your kids! If they don’t like what is on the table, odds are they aren’t going to eat it. What are your kids’ favorite flavors? What are their go-to meals? What do they hate? If you have this basic information, it is easy to adapt to creating healthy and easy meals that they will still enjoy. There is so much information on the Internet now that it is simple to find a nutrient-dense version of your kids’ favorite meal.

     3. Children are growing; don’t skimp out on their food. I understand that as my kids are growing, they need a surplus of nutrient-rich food, more so than adults do. Kids
expend more energy, have a higher metabolism, and need lots of good food to
support bone and muscle growth.

     4. Let the children have fun food. Yes, it is tough to allow our kids to eat things that aren’t 100% supportive in their health, but they are bound to discover it anyway. If we
completely shut out these types of foods to them, they won’t know how to handle
being around it when they are alone. My mantra is, “Everything in moderation.” So, if
the kids want cereal or soda, I will allow it on occasion. However, when I am the one
providing those foods, I pick the organic and healthier options. For example, when
they want a soda, I will choose a product that contains cane sugar, a better alternative
than all the fake and dangerous sweeteners that are in regular sodas.

Here are some fun snacks that I like to buy that don’t have scary nutrition labels.

• Chip Options: Pretzel Thins, Veggie Straws, Siete Tortilla Chips, Bare Sweet Potato

          Chips

• Healthy Packaged Snacks: Kind or RX bars, Epic Bison and Cranberry Bars, Trail mix
• Fruit: grapes, mandarin oranges, apples, pears

Here are some of my favorite recipes to make for my family that are easy to prep:

After you try these recipes as well as others that you’ve found and liked, I encourage you to get creative and develop some recipes on your own! It is a fun way to figure out what you like and give you more confidence in the kitchen. Including your kids in the creative process can also be a fun way to get them involved and interested in healthy cooking! 
Contact me for any more recipe ideas, prep tips, or general support. Happy prepping!