Not a diet thread - but better food for my family

[LowFatMilkshake]

Next week I will be taking delivery of my first eer vegbox. Sad as I am I feel like Christmas all over again!

I have also decided that 3 times a week I will go to our local butcher and get some nice meat to accompany the new veg, instead of feeding my family the processed crap they love so much.

DH and DD are in for a real shock. But for me it means getting in good habits ready for when DS is weaning.

I am no longer buying any sweets, for DD bad snacks will be reduced to a packet of risps per day with lunch and for DH (who is underweight and has a physical job) some chocolate digestives.

Sweets will be earned on the sticker chart as a weekly treat!

As I need to lose weight I will also be doing the special K diet and making sure I go for a walk once a day with DC's, while DH sleeps after his early shift at work.

Am I going to succeed?

If you stick to your plan you wil.

Good luck LowFatMilkshake. I'm thinking along the same lines now I've started weaning DS. I'm being very diligent with his food and I'm hoping it'll rub off onto our diets as well.

Hey - it WILL work - it did for me. Having the time to cook stuff, and doing school walk/march/run twice a day, means that I am in size 12 for the first time in 4 years. I was working full time, but since DD was born nearly 6 months ago I cook a proper meal from 'ingredients' almost every day (much to the consternation of my bro who came over for a curry, yes I did cook it from scratch). ANd I haven't even cooked 'healthy' meals. Toad in the hole, steak and kidney pie (all with vedge obv) etc etc.

Good Luck - and keep at it!

Don't know where you are, but have a look for your nearest farmers' market. They are always on weekends and not as expensive as you might think. In fact, seasonable veg is always cheaper than supermarket flown-in-from-Peru, and while the mince might cost a bit more (like about 50p more a pack) it's so much nicer. Take the DCs, ask questions, taste free samples (of which there are always some). I'm lucky enough to have 3 different reasonably accessible ones on different Saturdays and DS (2.4) loves tasting bits of cheese, sausage, apple etc.

Thanks for your messages of support. It means a lot and is good to hear it works for others.

I dont drive so have no acess to farmers markets. However, there is one on nearby and I am sure with enough pester power I could DH to take me once in a while.

I am really looking forward to the challenge and seeing the difference it makes to the budget and not just the waiste line!

Go for it! It really is worth it. Planning meals helps make sure you are eating tasty, healthy food instead of being tempted by unhealthy stuff because you don't know what to cook.

Try farmers' markets, farm shops etc, you can get some lovely food there, and at reasonable prices too.

The only thing I would say is that I wouldn't have the children 'earn' sweets, that seems a funny message to give.

I would have sweets etc just as an occasional treat, for no reason. For example, we tend to share a bar of Green & Black's on a Friday or Saturday night, but it's not a reward or anything, just a nice part of a balanced diet.

And I probably would try not to give crisps everyday for lunch - try cutting it down gradually.

Good luck!

Portonovo,

For some reason my DD (3yrs) turned away from veg and fruit around 18mnths and would rather starve than eat it, despite the fact it was offered in some form at most meal times. And sadly we got in to a habit of going to the paper shop each day and letting her choose a sweet. Also crisps are what she lives on so by cutting out all the other junk, biscuits and sweets etc, just one pack of crisps a day is a good trade off for now.

Also the weekend treat for good behaviour is her choice depending on how many stickers she has earned and how much that give her to spend, so she may choose a comic instead of sweets etc - but it's her choice.

She's really into helping cook so I hope by involvong her in the making of new dishes she'll be more ready to try them.

And thanks to pre-school she is now prepared to eat apples and carrots again as well as eating cheese.

We live in a fairly rural town on the outskirts of a major city, but not driving means I have no access to farms shops etc -although my vegbox comes from a local farm. So I will utilise local shops - butchers and grocers etc.

LFM

Good for you - sounds fantastic! We cook from "ingredients" all the time - I honestly think once you have got used to it you won't go back.

If there is one book I would recommend above all others for this and with children its the "Dinner Lady Cookbook" - I think the author is called Janette or Jeanne Orrery (oe similar - but its not a Jamie Oliver one). The recipes in that are great for "family" eating and not Gillian McKeith-style cauliflowe and millet - just lovely chicken/pasta/hotpot/pie-type things. Also lovely puddings and cakes - it really is the only book you will need!

My DCs and 3 and 5 and they love helping with cooking as well - both can break eggs, sift, stir and "chop" (with very blunt knives!)

Good luck - I'll be watching how you get on!

Well Anchovy, I am really pleased with myself today. I made a lovely Chinese noodle soup from scratch and without a recipe to guide me. DH was very impressed. DD less so and althogh she tried a bit of chicken she stuck to her meatballs. I think she will be mor enthusiastic with more comfoting foods such as shepherds pie etc - so I will give that book you recommend a try - thanx!

DD was funny in the butchers though and when I asked what meat she would like to try (I was only intending to buy chicken) she pointed to a duck breast!! I dont like to think of duck as a meat - I like feeding them bread on the river bank and nothing else! So I suggested we get some gammon next time instead!

LFM: I don't drive either - but do live near good public transport. OK don't know where you are and if there's no buses/trains/etc then see your point but have plodded along many a surburban road with bags of spuds hanging off the back of the buggy - and if DCs old enough to walk a bit, fill buggy with shopping.

Oh, agree with whoever recommended Jeannette Orrery - I'm sure Jamie Oliver means well but find his recipes overcomplicated and the "women-should-stay-home-and-cook comments worthy of a good slap.

Just keep it simple, 1/4 plate of meat, 1/4 of potato or rice or pasta and 1/2 of veggies.

madamez, I dont mind walking at all. But even if I did we are in a town miles with local farms around but no paths on the little winders. I do use the local butchers and grocers (who import thier fruit from Egypt). But am getting a fruit and veg box that's all home grown on Tuesday, including extra spuds and yummy blood oranges!

By the way DD chose Dora the Explorer knickers instead of sweeites as her weekend treat - as she was being practical I did'nt mind it costing £5 as opposed to 50p for some sweets. And she's to youg to realise what a good deal she got!