In our hectic 21st century world there are countless ways to model poor nutrition to our children. We often find ourselves making a choice between convenience and health... often siding with convenience, hoping the high sodium, preservatives, lakes, dyes, and abundance of modified corn substances won't compromise our longevity.
Whether you're running by a drive thru on your way to soccer practice, or serving up pre-packaged meals loaded with a dozen ingredients you've never heard of and probably can't pronounce we've all been there. Sometimes you're just happy to offer something your kids will eat. Maybe you throw in an apple or side of carrots hoping to balance it all out.
As of late, I've been researching the ingredients found in MOST processed foods. This curiosity all started when we opted to put our son on the Autism Diet. He's gluten, casein, and soy free. We also try to limit sugar intake, and avoid lakes and dyes. I've had to modify recipes and replace most the ingredients I use in meal preparation and if that's not challenging enough, coming up with convenience foods and snack options is sometimes painful to the brain and to the pocketbook.
I'm really having a hard time finding healthy, unprocessed meal and snack options that my son will actually eat. We have a small handful of favorites and it seems when I experiment with something new, he's only lukewarm about it. Occasionally I strike gold, but rarely is it a food that travels well or is quick to prepare.
My daughter is a tough one too, because unlike my son she has no dietary limitations, so when just the two of us are out, I'm always tempted to feed her fast food, to save time, and even as a treat. When we go for the "junk" I always regret it later. I really want to feel good about what I give my kids, but we live in a world where making the healthy choices often (let's face it, almost ALWAYS) takes more effort, time, and money.
Do you struggle with a busy schedule and keeping your children on a healthy diet? What types of snacks do you serve, what do you take on the road, and what are their favorite snack foods?
I'm spending so much time researching diet and nutrition, lately I've wondered if I shouldn't just go back to college www.sanfordbrown.edu and get my master's in nutrition! lol Furthering my college education could turn my new found obsession and concern for proper nutrition into an actual career!
Wendy Lindsey
Wendy is the blessed mom to a 10 year old son with Asperger's
Syndrome, a beautiful 9 year old daughter, & 6 children (miscarried) in
heaven. She's temporarily given up homeschooling to give her son the peer
modeling he was missing at home, essential for proper development in a child
with autism. Currently she works full-time with special needs children as a
para-educator. 
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