Believe it or not, parenthood doesn’t have to be all dino nuggets and macaroni!
Although I’ve been a pretty healthy eater most of my adult life, food allergies and intolerances have forced my family to change what and how we eat. It does make it a little easier to say “no” to certain foods when one or more of your family members will spend several hours in the bathroom as a result of consuming said food, but there are ways to introduce healthy eating to your family without the threat of violent illness.
The simplest thing I’ve found that keeps my diet clean and healthy also works for my kids: don’t buy junk food.
If it’s not here, we don’t eat it. Fresh fruits and veggies, nuts (we have some nut allergies, so we stick to almonds, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts), and some easy ingredients for snack bars are my go-tos. I’m also a fan of tortilla chips with salsa, hummus, guacamole, or cheese (vegan cheese for those of us with dairy issues!). Even with all the best healthy options on hand, if there is junk food here, we eat it. That’s not to say my kids never have Pop-Tarts or ice cream, but it’s a rare treat rather than a regular household staple.
While a lot of people say that eating healthy is expensive, I’m here to tell you that when feeding a family of four growing boys and a mom who works out for a living, it is cheaper to eat WELL than it is to buy those cheap convenience foods. Whole foods fill you up faster and good nutrition keeps you from feeling famished all the time. I don’t eat nearly as much as people might expect, but it’s only because what I do eat is nutrient-dense. The same goes for our kids!
So here’s a breakdown of a typical week in the Oliver house (recipes at the end of post):
| Sunday | Breakfast:
Fruit, homemade Lara Bar |
Lunch:
Gluten Free Waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon |
Snack:
popcorn |
Dinner:
Burgers (no bun for gluten free option) and fries, side salad |
| Monday | Breakfast:
Smoothies |
Lunch:
Sandwiches (lettuce wrap for gluten free) and fruit |
Snack:
Chips and salsa |
Dinner:
Instant Pot Lemon chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli; peanut butter chocolate chip cookies |
| Tuesday | Breakfast:
Strawberry Yum Yum (named by my husband!) |
Lunch:
Sandwiches (lettuce wrap for gluten free) and fruit |
Snack:
Banana with peanut butter and vegan chocolate chips |
Dinner:
Taco Bowls |
| Wednesday | Breakfast:
Leftover Strawberry Yum Yum |
Lunch:
Leftover Taco Bowl with tortilla chips |
Snack:
Homemade Lara Bars |
Dinner:
London broil, instant pot baked potatoes, Brussels sprouts; gluten free lemon blueberry cake |
| Thursday | Breakfast:
Hard boiled eggs, sliced oranges |
Lunch:
Sandwiches (lettuce wrap for gluten free) and fruit |
Snack:
Popcorn |
Dinner:
Chicken stir fry with cauliflower rice |
| Friday | Breakfast: Smoothies | Lunch:
Grilled chicken, fries, baby carrots |
Snack:
Trail mix |
Dinner:
Homemade gluten free pizza |
| Saturday | Breakfast:
Honey Nut Cheerios |
Lunch:
Leftover pizza |
Snack: Greek yogurt parfait | Dinner:
Turkey Meatloaf, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes |
Below is my grocery list for the week as well. Aldi is my favorite place to shop, as it is so much cheaper than anywhere else, but WalMart Grocery Pickup is an absolute lifesaver during the school year!
| oranges | apples | Almond milk |
| grapes | Frozen strawberries | bananas |
| Frozen blueberries | Almonds | Honey wheat bread |
| dates | figs | Peanut butter |
| Dried pineapple | Gluten free flour | Strawberry jam |
| eggs | bacon | popcorn |
| burgers | Brioche buns | Tortilla chips |
| frozen French fries | salad mix | salsa |
| Greek yogurt | boneless skinless chicken breast | lemons |
| potatoes | frozen broccoli | Vegan chocolate chips |
| gluten free oats | cauliflower rice | Ground turkey |
| tomatoes | shredded cheddar | Shredded mozzarella |
| Vegan cheese | onion | steak |
| Brussels sprouts | Gluten free cake mix | tamari |
| Mixed vegetables | Frozen grilled chicken | Baby carrots |
| Tomato sauce | Honey nut cheerios | Corn on the cob |
| Sweet potatoes | Lactose free milk | Kombucha |
We spend around $250 per week on groceries. I know that sounds like a lot, BUT we don’t eat out often (other than kids eat free night at Urban Stack or Community Pie!) and there are six of us eating three meals and at least one snack per day. That breaks down to $6 per person per day for food.
Recipes:
| Homemade Lara Bars
Ingredients: 1 cup dates 1 cup almonds 1 cup dried fruit (I use figs and dried pineapple most often) Toss everything into a sturdy food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes a big ball. Place the ball in the fridge for about a half hour, then remove to a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the ball and fold the parchment paper around it, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a square. Refrigerate overnight, then slice into bars. |
| Gluten Free/Dairy Free Waffles
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I like Great Value or Bob’s Red Mill) 2 tbs sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 eggs 1 ½ cups warm almond or coconut milk 6 tbs melted coconut oil 1 tsp vanilla extract Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined and fluffy. This is an important step when using GF flour – it tends to be dry, so you want to mix it well! Ladle into the waffle iron and cool on a rack (don’t stack your waffles! It’ll make them chewy. That crisp outside will only stick around if you cool on a rack.) |
| Favorite Smoothie
Ingredients: Greek yogurt (or Almond Milk yogurt if dairy free) Almond milk Frozen blueberries Frozen Strawberries One banana Almond milk Ice Truth be told, I don’t measure anything for this smoothie! I toss in a handful of strawberries, a handful of blueberries, a banana, a dollop of yogurt, some ice, and enough milk to make it drinkable. For my hubs and me, I also add in a scoop of Shakeology. Blend and serve! |
| Strawberry Yum Yum
Ingredients: ½ cup coconut oil (melted) ¾ cup pure maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 ½ cups gluten free flour 1 ½ cups gluten free old fashioned oats ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp baking soda ¼ salt 1 cup strawberry jam 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries Preheat oven to 350F. Use coconut oil to lightly grease a 9×11 glass baking dish. Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer) with whisk attachment, beat coconut oil and maple syrup on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until combined. Add vanilla and whisk for another 30 seconds. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat on low speed until blended and crumbly – it should resemble wet sand. Put all but 1 cup of mixture into the bottom of baking dish and press flat. Melt strawberry jam and pour over crust, then sprinkle remaining oat mixture over the top. Add strawberries to finish and bake approximately 25 minutes. Let cool and slice into bars. |
