A Mommy Story

I want to eat healthy. I really do. It’s not like I go to the grocery each week thinking, “Gee, what can I buy that will add pounds to my waistline and double digits to my cholesterol?”

But there are lots of things that get in the way of providing the healthiest food for my family. First is the issue of time. Aaron works his 40 hours for the day job, then comes home to work his second job (writing for a movie website) most of the evening. I have nursing school, blogging, and caring for two needy little girls. Breakfasts are simple waffles or bagels, lunches most often consist of sandwiches, and dinners must be made quickly, with as few steps as possible. This requires a reliance on convenience foods.

Second is the issue of cost. Have you noticed how healthy food seems to cost more? Of course convenience foods are more expensive, but even fresh produce is costly. I hate having to choose between healthy or cheap foods, and when the choice needs to be made, I usually choose healthier foods for the girls, and junk for Aaron and I. And then I feel bad that I had to make that choice.

Those are excuses, though. I know we need to eat better. There are several convenience foods that are healthy, saving me time and calories all in one. And while I currently buy organic only for the girls (we buy two milks – organic for Cordy, regular for us), and they eat more fruits and veggies than Aaron and I do, it’s time for all of us to start eating better.

I’m trying to look at it this way: the costs of buying healthier foods may be high, but heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, cancer, and all of the other health consequences that go along with those are even more expensive. And dying early is not something I’d like to consider, either.

How do I plan to start? I want to increase the amount of veggies we eat, using frozen to help with quick preparation. I love the little single-serve frozen veggie trays available nowadays, giving me an easy option at lunch when I’m rushing to fill sippy cups, bottles, and Disney plates.

Also, I want to make an effort to eat less meat when we can (I believe this was NoMeatPoWeek?). OK, this one will be hard, considering my husband is practically a carnivore. I’m already starting to show him that beef isn’t the only edible animal out there, and that chicken, turkey and pork can be tasty, too. I want to make organic choices where we can, too, especially when it comes to meat and milk.

The hardest part of all of this is weaning us off of the junk. We like our Doritos, our frozen pizzas, and our ice cream bars. And chocolate – oh, I don’t know if I can give that up. Moderation is good, right?

This is all part of a larger plan for me. I’m hitting the point where I’m sick of feeling fat (what? you didn’t know? oh, well, there’s a post coming on that topic in the next week!), and I think making some healthier choices when it comes to eating will be a good start in the process of living healthier. Although you may have to pry the chocolate out of my cold, dead hands.

This post was part of the Healthy Living Blog Blast being hosted by The Parent Bloggers Network and sponsored by Kroger. Want a chance to win a $50 Kroger gift card? You have until midnight Pacific time (that’s 3am here, local folks!) to write a post about how your family plans to live more healthfully in 2008.