My Family Won't Eat That Way

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My Family Won't Eat That Way
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Many times when I talk to people, especially women, about eating naturally they tell me that they themselves would love to eat more healthy but their family just won't go along with it. My suggestion, if your want to alter your family's eating habits, is not to announce that you're making any changes and to make such subtle changes that they won't even notice.
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For example, with many dishes, you can add more vegetables and decrease or even eliminate the meat without it being glaringly obvious. Pasta dishes and stir-fries are two examples. Say you make spaghetti with a mushroom-tomato sauce instead of meat sauce. So, you're just having something a little different. Spice it up a bit; put some diced bell peppers in or even a little hot peppers, and chunks of onion and tomato. Make it real tasty and they may even ask you to make it that way again. Lasagna, ravioli, any number of pasta dishes can be made without meat and without causing a lot of suspicion that Mom is up to something. Just make sure that you're putting lots of good things in, not just taking out the meat. Stir-fries and other oriental dishes; Mexican dishes like burritos, tacos and fajitas can be handled the same way. There are many tasty, meatless vegetable soups that can serve as a main course as well.
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Start by slipping these meatless meals in once or twice a week. Make note of the ones your family likes and make them fairly regularly. Keep experimenting. As time goes on you will be able to go with plant-based meals more often without anyone even noticing the change and, before too long, meals with meat will be the exception to the rule.
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Incorporate some highly nutritious soy into the menu by adding tofu (look for an organically produced brand) to casseroles, sauces, soups, etc. Shred it, break it up into small pieces, put it in the food processor and puree it. Since tofu is tasteless and takes on the flavor of the food it's cooked with, they probably won't even notice that there's anything different. And you don't have to tell.
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If you have milk drinkers in the family or they are in the habit of eating breakfast cereal with milk, you may want to get them to try substituting a plant-based milk such as rice milk, almond milk or soy milk. Of course, that's not something you can do without them noticing. Approach it with a spirit of adventure. Test the different varieties yourself and see what you like. When they see you using something new they may just want to try it. Children (and adults with a sweet tooth) may prefer one of the vanilla flavored varieties. You could even put an assortment of plant milks in the refrigerator and let them experiment for themselves. Some are available in carob and chocolate flavors as well as plain and vanilla. One advantage of plant milks is that you can store them unopened on the shelf for months. If you and your family prefer to continue drinking cow's milk, try to find a source of organic or biodynamic milk. That way you can at least avoid daily doses of Bovine Growth Hormone and antibiotics.
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In regard to cereal, if your family is used to eating the sweetened, step-above-junk-food varieties, try gradually switching them over to more wholesome kinds. Grains are one of the most important components of our diets, the one of which we need the most servings. But if those servings are filled with additives and loaded with refined sugar, we might as well be eating Twinkies or Ho-Hos. Try the simpler, more natural selections like plain shredded wheat, oatmeal, the bran cereals and granola. It's very important to read the nutrition and ingredient labels on cereal boxes. Just because something claims to be a healthy food doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best thing for you. Look for cereals with high fiber and carbohydrate content, low sugar and fat content (especially saturated fat) and few, if any additives, preservatives or hydrogenated oils. And, by all means, try to keep them from dumping a truckload of sugar on their cereal. Topping it with sweet fruits like strawberries, raisins or peaches and vanilla-flavored soymilk should help eliminate the sugar or, at least, decrease it.
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Some foods that you should really encourage your family to eat, if they're not already doing so, are green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli), orange and yellow vegetables (especially sweet potatoes), a variety of fresh fruits including grapes, berries, strawberries and melons; whole grain breads and cereals and lots of natural spring water and juices. Just to eliminate soda and highly sweetened drinks from the daily fare is a major step in the right direction by itself.
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Carbonated drinks and the most common snack foods are probably the worst components of the Standard American Diet. Try to gradually replace potato chips, Fritos, Chips Ahoy and Reese's Cups with dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Nuts should be purchased in the shell and only shelled right before eating. Although they are high in fat content, it's the kind of fat our bodies need, and they're also high in protein, vitamin E, the B vitamins and calcium. If you're watching your saturated fat content, you should go easy on cashews, Brazil nuts and macadamias.
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Popcorn is a great snack when it's not loaded with oil, butter, salt and flavorings. It's an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, has only 30 calories in a popped cup and virtually no fat if cooked in an air popper.
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Instead of the sugar-laden cookies, candy bars and pastries that you find on the grocery store shelves, try making your own cookies and confections from whole grain flour and other nutritious ingredients like apples, raisins, cranberries, nuts, oats, bran. The Cornucopia Baking Book, due out in August, will provide you with a host of healthy recipes for baked goods. Of course, you can also experiment on your own. Making up new cookie recipes can be a lot of fun. (See the recipe for Peanut Butter Balls).
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If you can possibly add some seaweed to your family's diet you would be giving them what may well be the most nutrient-rich food in the world. Seaweed, or sea vegetables as it is often called, is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals, a good source of protein and very low in calories. The mineral content is three to four times as high as just about any other food you can eat. Try incorporating it into sauces, stir-fries and possibly salads and casseroles.
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In summation, if your family is not dietetically adventurous, make gradual and subtle changes. Maybe down the road, when they've unwittingly made the adjustments, you can tell them that they've been eating tofu and seaweed.
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Or maybe not.
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This article is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing in this publication is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or health-care provider before starting any new diet or procedure involving your health. Prompt professional medical guidance is recommended for any health problem.