Tag: meals

No mom wants to become a short order chef, especially when the complaining eater isn’t a kid, but a husband.

If you relate, you are not alone.

Very often it is one partner who wants to get healthier, while another likes meat and potatoes; or one partner who has a food allergy, while one can eat anything; or one partner hates vegetables while the other is a vegetarian.

When two adults have very different food cravings or food upbringings, and kids are involved, it makes mealtime even more complicated; and it makes it much harder to raise kids who will eat everything.

Here are some ways to shift mealtime, so you can agree on what to eat.

A great go-to menu is enjoyable for the mind and satisfying for the body. The idea of creating a go-to menu stems from research that says we make over 200 food-related choices per day, yet the average person estimates this number to be just 15. This huge disparity suggests there’s a lot of unconscious choices interfering with our weight loss efforts.

This is especially true when we’re stressed, tired, bored, or lonely—the most common states when we’re particularly vulnerable to poor eating or overeating.

Many years ago, I was pregnant, single and alone. I gave birth in a foreign country, and never saw my baby. I had no emotional support. Several years later, I was happily married, and we got pregnant. I gave birth with a supportive husband, but away from extended family and friends. We had no emotional support. These contrasting, yet similar, experiences motivate me to offer comfort, encouragement and guidance to new families. There are, however, major gaps in helping new families in our communities.

Believe it or not, your family’s eating habits can have a profound effect on your child’s academic success. The routine of preparing and sharing meals regularly creates a sense of family togetherness and unity. Though the hustle and bustle of everyday life can get in the way, it’s important to carve out time specifically to sit down together around the table. Students who eat dinner with their families often are more likely to:

* Do well in school (40 percent more likely to earn A's and B's in school)