I was raised with the notion that you eat to live, not live to eat. We only had real dessert for special occasions, (otherwise we sometimes had canned fruit cocktail. Jen and I made sure the cherries were distributed fairly!) I still consider fruit dessert and save it for last on my plate. Now it is fresh fruit.
The friends and coworkers I eat lunch with always make fun of me about how healthy I eat. I do splurge at home, and definitely when eating out. At work, it is easy to eat healthy because it's not easy to just go get something. I make myself be stuck there with what I have. Sure, people ask if I want anything from _______ (usually fast food,) but I am also a Golden and would rather spend my money elsewhere. (Kind of like dessert- I'd rather spend my calories elsewhere, like potato chips!)
My Dad packed my lunch from first grade until about sixth grade. He always packed a peanut butter and honey sandwich (cut diagonally) and an apple. Sometimes I'd throw in Cheezits or some other snacky food. Even when I began teaching, I packed apples and peanut butter and honey sandwiches for my myself and I'd grab a milk in the cafeteria. When I was a little worried about the thighs, I'd cut it to half a sandwich. I loved those PB&honey sandwiches.
When I was in my late 20's I started eating raw veggies and fruit and some kind of protein for lunch. That has continued and I've now perfected it. (Obviously eating the same thing over and over doesn't bother me.)
Many people say their kids liked what they ate during pregnancy. My secretary, whom I eat with everyday, thinks this baby is going to be so sick of veggies that he'll hate them. I sure hope not! If this baby has any kind of food allergy or aversions the following is why, (remember this is mainly for my reference.)
Each Sunday night I cut up a whole bunch of veggies and fruit and divide them into Tupperware tubs. The following is what I take to school each day. It ends up being a lot of food, but it is REAL food! (I try to avoid packaging.) I've eaten like this for years now.
Breakfast: either good breakfast sandwich Brant makes for me-sprouted seed English muffin, egg and bacon or sausage and a piece of fruit OR an Odwalla bar with a piece of fruit, (usually a banana and usually in the car)
10:00 snack-Greek yogurt with Chia seeds mixed in
Lunch: veggie tub: carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes (or some kind of bite-sized tomato) sometimes red peppers or celery
fruit tub: always different, but usually includes berries of some sort (right now it's strawberries, pineapple and mango)
1 boiled egg OR cottage cheese on the veggies OR avacado
Just in case snack-nuts
Car ride home snack: cheese stick and any fruit left over from lunch
(I take two calcium supplements on top of my prenatal vitamin just to make sure about calcium)
Ok, this sounds boring even to me, but it is just fine! I do look forward to hot dinner. Usually for dinner on Monday nights, we have sockeye salmon. Other nights-turkey, fish, chicken, beef of some kind with a veggie and a fruit or two veggies. And NOW I've been eating ice cream! When I go out to eat and on the weekends I tell myself I can eat whatever I want. I do and I don't worry about calories. I think it's working for me. My doctor said, "Sounds good, like the paleo diet," and we chatted about that and how his coworker doctor friend and my husband are into Cross Fit.
Baby Boy, I hope my wonderful secretary is wrong on this one. I hope you like a WIDE variety of foods that are excellent for you! I consider myself very fortunate that my parents taught me to eat well and really enjoy yourself on special occasions. Sharing a special occasion meal means even more that way.
And now that I say that... it's time for some Light Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell! Ha! : )
.JPG)