Radically changing family's diet - has anyone done it?

[Catladyagain]

Hi folks,

I would be grateful to hear from anyone who has decided their family needs more nutritious, healthy eating and has successfully taken everyone through quite significant change. I'm thinking - processed food and particularly processed snacks gone, relaxing for the odd party or playdate but 6 days a week, looking after our bodies as the latest science on gut health is telling us. How have you done it, especially in the face of most other kids at school pick up eating processed food - biscuits, sweets, etc. Going against the grain feels hard... would love to know what you said to your fam through the process and what meals youve introduced. Many Thanks,

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You could start off with a gradual shift to the food you would prefer everyone to be eating. Processed food is a huge umbrella that includes bread, pasta etc as well as ‘junk’. I think entirely limiting food types can cause it’s own problems so better to be subtle about it in eyes of your DC if you can

Do it slowly and you are more likely to succeed. Focus on one thing and gradually introduce that. When it has been fully integrated , progress to another thing. A food battle is not what you want, not at any level.

We are doing it slowly . We changed our bread , cereals and snacks in January . I make all cakes/ biscuits , give porridge or less processed cereals ( things like oat flakes ) buy sourdough or crosta mollica products for wraps and pizza bases . Give salted crisps or popcorn rather than anything more processed . Easter time I started to tackle the main meals .. so now I make quiches and nut roasts and make things like stir fry sauces from scratch - it’s a slow process but I think we will get there

I should have said my teen DS’s are fussy and growth spurting so like others have said you don’t want a food battle

Thank you very much all. Yes, slow is essential undoubtedly. Its the way to talk to the family I really need... I'm too obsessive so healthy food chat creeps in too much and I've started to say if you finish your greens then you can have more X. I don't like this approach but I'm at a loss how to get our 5 yo to eat even half of what he's supposed to be eating. His diet is way worse than mine was, his dad is obese. Tbf my son has generally come eventually to the good stuff when I 'nick' his food off his plate playfully because 'I luuurve brocoli or kidney beans so much!" He claims them all and eats them at that point. But the amount of sugar in young kids diets these days is terrible! I think baking our own sweet stuff with as many whole ingredients is a great idea, thank you.

Honestly, I think an 80/20 approach is best. I make all our main meals from scratch and DC have from scratch food provided at nursery too. Breakfast if they're home is porridge, oats and yogurt, fruit or sourdough toast. Lunch and dinner always homemade. I bake once a week. They eat a lot of fruit for snacks and I always do a packed lunch if we are going out. If they eat some processed food around that I'm ok with it as it doesn't form the bulk of their diet, or mine.

Thanks headcheffer. Appreciate the details. Would love to know what you offer for packed lunches? Sourdough difficult for sandwiches and child doesn't like them much anyway as doesn't eat spreads/ butter. I'm aiming for 80% and equally I'm fine with that.

I have found modelling a healthy diet over time starts to sink in as the norm. I also talk to my dc about a healthy plate of food- protein, veg, good fats and complex carbs, and what each is for. Explain that sugar doesn't add anything but humans evolved to grab sugars when they could because they were scarce, so it's ok to have a fizzy drink and some chocolate on a Friday night say. I don't think battling at meal times works.
As pp have said make one change at a time, we used to buy those corner yogurts so I stopped and made my own- literally just a bowl with some plain yogurt and to start with some sprinkles on top, or crumbled up chocolate. It worked so easily and I've since replaced expected things like kit Kats with Nairn's oat biscuits with chocolate chips.
I don't think you need to overtalk the changes. Just simply say oh we've got these this week because they were on offer, or wouldn't it be fun to make our own lollies and get them involved.
Definitely 80 20 here too, lots more progress to make but we will get there
Good luck