Ok... As you read this, please keep in mind that I am NOT losing my mind, I am just a bit overwhelmed with life and please, please, please don't throw tomatoes at me or stop reading my blog. PLEASE. Also, if you haven't had a chance, take a look and please take part in my 300th giveaway!
Here I go... I am very interested in all the things and opinions on food and nutrition. I have really taken to the whole foods, traditional foods, Weston A. Price, Nourishing Traditions type philosophy about food.
There are so many awesome resources and ideas and blogs out there that deal with foods. Now I have got to be honest, I am struggling when it comes to whole foods the whole time.
I get very overwhelmed if I am busy that morning, look up at the clock and it is lunch time. What am I going to feed my kids?! I know most of you might be saying.. "Peanut butter and jelly, you idiot!" but it's just not that easy for me. My kids have different food allergies and honestly, I get overwhelmed and I shut down. The "simple" answer is often lost to me.
Therefore, I get into this horrible pattern. It goes a little something like this... (This is the conversation in my mind..) "I have NO idea what I am going to make the kids for lunch. It's already past lunch time!" --> "I live a block from 14 different resteraunts, let's just go grab something quick." --> "Tomorrow will be different. I will figure something out tomorrow." I get home, get the kids sat down and we eat the food. I hate how it tastes, but at this point I am so emotionally, metally and physically tired that I just sit in blessed "I didn't have to make lunch" solitude. After a while, it hits me. It hits me that I took part in the dreaded what it takes out and puts in cycle. I took valuable money OUT of my purse and spent our valuable money on putting IN crappy foods in our body. I then begin mentally beating myself down. Do I not care about my heath, my family's health, my wanting a baby? Do I care more about not cooking and being tired more than my family?
On and on it goes... Let me tell you my friends... I am done. I am done with this vicious cycle of being stressed and overwhelmed about our foods.
I. am. done.!
I am not going to stress over wheat gluten or not being able to get pregnant due to eating bread (which I was this morning! stressing, totally stressing like crazy over it!).
I am not going to stress over whether my children can eat a peice of cake made from a box for their birthday.
I am not going to stress over feeding them chicken nuggets from a bag or hot dogs once in a great while (it's got to better than running to a resteraunt for Pete's sake!).
I am not stressing over this anymore. I am going to continue to put the best foods and most natural, whole and nutritional foods into my family but I am not stressing anymore.
I can tell you one thing... If this keeps up, my husband won't have to worry about what he and the kids are eating, he's going to have to worry about finding another wife because I tell you, I am going to have a stroke from high blood pressure due to worrying about what we are eating!
Ok. I am done. Please don't hate me and please don't send hate mail and hate comments. I hope y'all still love me and my crazy psychoness! :)
More ideas of what works for more sane people than me.. click here!
9 comments:
and hello stressing can affect getting pregnant too!! i have never been into the organic/natural thing so I don't really have a say either way...however, I have gone back to carb free this week in hopes of getting pregnant again. You mentioned gluten free for you in hopes of getting pregnant...tell me more about that...if it doesn't stress you out too much!!
Understood...TOTALLY! I WANT to do better - but especially lately - do not do better. I've felt awful...and I have been such a bad friend and I promise I do love you! (So sorry that I didn't talk the other night - I literally feel AWFUL and am ready for Friday. Counting down the hours until surgery! I promise we'll talk soon...it might be next week, but I am thinking of and praying for you in the meantime.) No judgement on your food choices here, girlfriend! :)
You know, I'm trying to offer more whole foods to my family too but there are things I keep around because I know I can't do it all. I keep reasonbly healhty, lower sugar cereal for easy go to breakfasts/snacks. I usually keep a few boxes of mac n cheese around. I get Annie's when I can get it on sale. I buy hot dogs when I can get Hebrew National hot dogs on sale. And peanut butter and jelly are staples. One suggestion that may help you is to write up an automated meal plan for breakfasts & lunches. List 5 or so quick and easy "go to" foods that you're willing to feed your family and can keep on hand. When you can't decide just look at your list. Hang in there. You don't have to do it all.
I just love reading your blog. You are so honest. I love that! I think it's great that you love your family so much you want to provide healthy food choices for them. Thanks for sharing.
I was right there with you early this year. After the new year I was obsessively reading books and blogs and desparately trying to change everything at once. Um, yeah it was a bit overwhelming. I felt like all I thought about was what was wrong or right with the food I was making.
We deal with food allergies too and we have 4 kids. So I know what you are going through. My suggestion is to have a back up plan for the days when you don't have time to make the perfect meal. This can be organic convenience foods or homemade convenience foods, or whatever works for you. And then don't beat yourself up when things don't go perfectly. They never do for anyone.
Each family will have a different way of making eating healthy work for them. Good luck!
No hate or judgment here! I so hear you! When we are tired and run down, it is even harder to think, plan etc.
I agree with Janet--make a short list and keep it in a convenient place. Try to find simple options to make your day easier, and don't worry about perfection. (That is MY downfall.)
I also have been trying to prepare food in bulk (hard because my family of teens eats soooo much) but it's really nice to have several days of home made granola bars.
Also, I've noticed the blog for "$5 dinners" has a section for food allergies incl. gluten, so there might be some nice options to be found on the web.
Take care! kerrydi@pacbell.net
Good for you Jodi!! I do it too...feel awful for giving them "less than perfect food"...but I had to work myself out of it. The stress was probably less healthy than the hotdogs!
So now, there are days when my kids get pizza from walmart or hotdogs or whatever and we just ENJOY it. It saves my neck and it's cheap and I know that MOST of the time, I'm feeding them good stuff.
From everyone I talk to who is transitioning to whole foods...they go through this SAME struggle. How about that...you're not crazy...you're normal! :)
List 5 or so quick and easy "go to" foods that you're willing to feed your family and can keep on hand. When you can't decide just look at your list. Hang in there. You don't have to do it all.
free classified india
Appreciate you bllogging this
Post a Comment