One Step Forward, Two Steps Back!

That's how our food journey has been since kindergarten was on the horizon this year.  I think my son sensed that this change was going to be stressful and he hunkered down.  He stopped eating the healthy options he had opened up to prior.  Then once school started he went a whole week without eating his lunch. The situation wasn't much better at home either.  It was a struggle to get anything nutritious into his body.  To make matters worse, the school was offering him snacks with gluten instead of giving him the snack that was sent from home.  Sure enough, an asthma attack ensued.

The communication has been getting better with each week that passes.  Still, the stress has been doing a number on his immune system.  The candy that gets sent home for his good behavior hasn't helped either.  Granted, it is getting sent home for us to deal with.  We just have to figure out a plan so that my son doesn't feel cheated.  Though I did notice that less candy was sent home this week, so maybe the kids are getting more comfortable in class.  That wouldn't be a terrible thing in my eyes.  :-)

I honestly can't say I blame my son for reacting to this huge change in this way.  It took me quite a bit of reflection (after I calmed down) to see that as an adult this is something I struggle with as well.  When I'm stressed I tend to make poor food choices.  I also am less likely to take my vitamins.  When I talked to a group of moms about it the consensus was that it's human nature.  All I know is that I freaked out when my son had the recent asthma attack.  It felt like we were going back to square one.

Which is my reason for writing today.  It seems we are now in a phase where we are going back more than forward.  The stress and junk foods are definitely at the root...I'm sure of it.  We were on a path with a good balance, and now I feel like we have to figure it out all over again.  On the positive side, the teacher is now on board with his eating restrictions.  He brings his own lunch, so all that entails is that she make sure he doesn't get the general snack that is handed out.

As a result of us getting knocked off our path, I'm realizing that I'm going to have to relinquish some control.  I know what works, and know what keeps the asthma attacks at bay.  Yet I can't force Logan to make the right choices while at school and really can't expect perfection from the teacher either.  Even we slip up sometimes at home!  Except that at home I'm in a better position to gauge when he can have something and when he can't.  It's harder to expect a teacher who's tending to 20 students to do the same.  I guess time will tell what's in my son's best interest.  If this doesn't work then there are other options in the school realm that we can explore.

How I Added Raw Fruits and Veggies to the Mix

Late last year I was at my wits end trying to think of ways to add more raw fruits and veggies to my son's diet.  While his eating had improved, he was still missing out on the healing nutrients and enzymes that a variety of raw veggies and fruits contain.  This was especially important to me since my son became prone to asthma and bronchitis earlier last year.

Around the same time, I was seriously debating cutting juice from his diet.  Setting a clear boundary as far as how much was okay was a struggle, and I suspected it was contributing to him not having an interest in the real stuff.  One night while sharing my conflicted thoughts with some friends it dawned on me that juicing would solve both issues. 

We didn't get a juicer as quickly as I would have liked.  A good one is not cheap, and from my research it's important to get a quality one.  The size of the chute, ease of cleaning and level of noise were common barriers to use mentioned by many reviewers.  Also, I learned that low quality juicers reach temperatures that can destroy nutrients, similar to what happens during cooking.  We wanted to set ourselves up for success so we decided to hold off until we could get the right one for our needs. 

Good thing we did, because we ended up being gifted one for Christmas.  My husband's mother even got us the one we had our hearts set on; a Breville BJE510XL.  When Christmas came it was love at first sight.  Our juicing journey was finally beginning. 

 

At first the kids weren't interested.  The texture is different than processed juice which I suppose is why they turned their nose up to it at first.  By the second week of water and almond milk my son began requesting that we make him apple juice from the juicer.  Once he was accustomed to that, he asked me to put an orange down the chute.  Then one day he had me add a lemon. 

Taking notice of this pattern, I decided that I would wait for the perfect opportunity to sneak other fruits and veggies in.  I didn't want to destroy his trust, so I decided that I would go with produce of a similar color and start with small amounts.  First I added in fruits like pineapple and strawberries.  Then I got brave and added a carrot.  The progress I was making was wonderful, but I doubted that I would ever be able to add greens in.  Then one day the door opened.  Logan started asking that green apples be added to his juice.  I took this as the green light and added a kale leaf to his juice.  He drank it down without hesitation!  I had found a way in.  Sweet victory!  

Now I use green apples as the base, and add in small amounts of whatever greens I have.  Spinach, swiss chard, kale and collards all work well.  The lemon that he insists on actually works to cut the taste of the greens.  The apple and orange sweeten it up making it an enjoyment to his senses.  I just pay attention not to add too many greens as he is particularly sensitive to the texture.  My husband made a blend last night that got pushed aside because the texture was too thick.  So it's been a bit of trial and error for us.   

Do you juice?  What blends are your favorite? 

Almond Butter Banana Smoothie

I've come to learn that often it's the small steps that have the best results in our home.  My son has a much easier time trying something for the first time if it is only slightly different from what he is already used to.   

One such example is the almond butter smoothie I now make for my kids.  It started out as a basic recipe that I learned about through "What's Eating Your Child".  My son can't tolerate milk, and making this each day gave me the peace of mind that he was getting some nutrients. 

The idea to add in other ingredients came after I tried an almond butter smoothie from Whole Foods.  It dawned on me that a number of the ingredients on the order board are a staple in our home.  I even thought of some other items that I keep on hand that would go great in it. 

The basic way I make his protein shake is with:

2 cups of almond milk*
1 scoop of Metagenics Ultracare for Kids 
Contents of a probiotic capsule.  
*Coconut, rice or soy milk can also be used.

To make the smoothie, I put the above ingredients in the blender and add 2 tablespoon of almond butter (peanut butter is fine), two bananas (this blog recommends frozen), ice and a touch of maple syrup.  Blend until smooth.   

 

Other things I will add if I have on hand:

Sliced almonds

Walnuts

Flax seeds/meal
Chia seeds

*For thinner consistency use less seeds/nuts.  For thicker, use more.

Once done, I top with cinnamon.  Sliced almonds too, if desired.

My kids love this drink.  They ask for it often.  That's the great things about kids.  They encourage healthy routines even when we don't feel like it or forget.  :-)   Which is a good thing since this smoothie has the potential to provide a number of healthy fats and nutrients. 

Here's a shot of them enjoying the finished product. 

Do your kids like smoothies?   What kind do you make?