Sunday, July 7, 2013

Skeptic... not Critic

What a week. After surviving the stomach bug over the holiday, I felt my house needed a cleansing as well as our diets. Lambert has had several health issues lately and my kids are just crazy all of the time so I thought maybe it might be time to re-evaluate our diet. It's taken me a long time to even think there might be something to a nutritious diet, a real nutritious diet, and my family's health. I am that mom... McDonalds is a staple at our house... or it used to be until about a year and a half or so ago. We stopped it cold... This was very difficult for Hoot, but he's embraced it now and curses it any time we drive by. We eat out a lot and we just don't eat healthy. I'm the girl that was raised on Mountain Dew, and loved a can of SPAM fried up with okra. (I still like it but Lambert won't allow it in the house). I scoffed at "The go green Vegans, carbless freakazoids, and juice junkie health whackadoos my whole adult life. I like beef, fried up best, smothered in gravy of any kind, but white is the best! and bread and dessert and anything that tastes good. The gals at Chick Fil A know me by name and one asked me on one particular morning drive thru visit if I thought my (7) Equals for my large coffee might be excessive. I told the 16 year old skinny little order taker to mind her own business and that I was an adult and she responded, "My pleasure". This truly happened. I love to eat good food. I love to prepare it and serve it and I love to enjoy the dining experience of eating out. I love it all. It's become our entertainment. On Saturday nights and most every other nights we decide where we will go eat. I've been reading a lot about kids and diet and I think that's whats made me really take a look at how I'm serving my family. It's not good. And change is hard. Especially when your married to Lambert who is a bigger junk food junkie than myself. After looking at nutrition and the chemicals in the food I serve every day, I did it. I cleaned out the pantry and the refrigerator and made myself a list of staples and headed into Houston. I've been reading a lot about the Feingold Diet. Please don't judge. I'm not a nut! Neither of my littles have ADHD, but this diet makes so much sense to me. Everything I serve is processed and full of chemicals that we don't need in our bodies. I threw it all out, except for a small stash of my Equal... I know I know (Kim) it's bad for me. I bought the Agave Nector and I will get used to it. I just love SWEET coffee and tea and I can't stand the thought of using up that many calories on tea and coffee sweetened by real sugar, so I use 7 Equals and sometimes mix it up with a Sweeten Low. I drove myself to Whole Foods, bracing for the Birkenstock harry armpit nuts I was sure to encounter... I walked in, not carrying my recyclable grocery bags like everyone else walking in with me. I could not believe my eyes and what I had been missing out on all these years. The colors and the smells, it was like a rainbow of fresh local fruits and veggies and seafood and cheeses and prepared foods and beef!! I got lost in the hours I spent wandering up and down the isles and isles of glorious beautiful healthy foods. So lost that when I found myself at the cash register I hadn't quite come to from the psychedelic food daze I had been under until the clerk repeated the total of my shopping bill. Could eating healthy really cost this much? I may have to reconsider everything. I could buy a new bag at Louie's, for this ticket. I'm one of those that never looks at prices when I shop girls. Not because were tycoons rolling in hundred dollar bills at night, but because I ALWAYS buy the same products and have never ever been shocked by the grocery bill. Probably because we eat out all of the time and Lambert pays those bills. I'm sure if we compared it apples to apples it would even out. But still this hurt!! Somehow when the clerk asked me if I wanted ice for my bags of organic Almond Milk and my Range free all natural chicken (Not sure I said that right,or what it means, I'm a rookie) the sting of the bill was eased a bit. Who ices down their grocery bags? Come on, and I did like that they offered paper double bags instead of the flimsy plastic bags to loser customers that didn't bring their own from home and they even helped me carry out my two carts worth of organic goodness. Will my family eat it? Not sure yet. But if I keep serving it and not permitting snacks later, they will have to. Who is the parent anyway? I don't want to feel like a loser parent any more and that's what I feel like when we're never home and always eating on the go. We do great in so many other areas but we stink it up when it comes to nutrition. I know it won't all happen overnight and it will take some time to get used to, but we have to make a change. I'm hoping to have the kinks worked out by the time school starts so my kids will be geniuses. Not to say we won't ever eat out again or we won't have treats, but I'm committed to being a better food provider to my family! PRAY FOR ME!!!

Before I made my way to Whole Foods I stopped off for a few pantry necessities to help make our new healthy food look and seemingly taste better. My pantry feels fresh and beautiful and I think that will help trick the littles when they select their all natural, artificial flavor free snacks in the afternoons! I'm so not an IKEA fan, after unsuccessfully trying to assemble a desk that took me over an hour to find all the boxes in their warehouse, and then opening it up to find 7,000 pieces that one needed and engineering degree to put together and metric tools not to mention, several years ago. I'm still bitter, but they do have the very best storage options for the very best prices. I got really cute baskets, a new fruit stand, and new glassware and bowls for a song. They were practically giving it away. AND because I was going to Houston, I checked out Craigslist, (I know I know) and found Hoot a red Pottery Barn Desk, Hutch and Chair for $150.00. Picked it up and grabbed an all natural Crave Cupcake and cute $5.00 milk (you can do that when you save big on Craigslist) and called it a day! A good day indeed.
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I love food too!!! Were more alike than different!
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Libbie can actually hold these glass tumblers all by herself without spilling!!
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They are the perfet juice size. I bought organic Santa Cruiz Lemonade. YUMMY

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$2.00 IKEA!!! Linen flour sack cloths. I thought I was in France for a bit...

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just in case my napkins try to blow away :)

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Back in France... these are my favorites with coffee in the morning. I never buy them, because my little grocer doesn't sell regional yummy food like Whole Foods (Palmiers) Soooo delish and all natural so I feel better ;) And they have the VERY best ever premade Pimento Cheese spread.

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Agvae, it's good for me:)

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Even my pick Hoot liked Bell and Evans Chicken Tenders. He ate everything on his plate which included the nuggets, garlic sauteed spinach (who knew) strawberries and organic yogurt...

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and my other picky eater (Lambert) enjoyed home made chicken salad on GLUTEN FREE toasted bread. IT was really really good.

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Local eggs boiled for me tomorrow.



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It was almost free. I could not resist and Hoot will do so much better in school this year because he will have a serene place of his own to study from and he can tack my picture to his cork board :) He made the A/B honor roll with only one B (89) last year and came in second in the spelling bee... not bragging, just clarifying.

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For dessert we shared (ONE) Crave vanilla and chocolate icing Cupcake, which was too die for!! I'm a sucker for packaging. I will buy poop if it's wrapped up beautifully and has a pretty label. Seriously.



14 comments:

  1. Okay..SO SO SO proud of you girl!!!! I do not judge but I am so happy you are looking at this and trying new things. BUT I could help you. There are ways to eat healthy and not spend as much. Look at the blog 100 days of no processed foods. Let's do a Trader Joe's trip together one day! They are cheaper and they have a lot of good stuff...organic, whole foods. There are good recipes out there that the kids love and they have no clue how healthy it is.


    I am certainly not perfect when it comes to eating healthy but we have been on a journey toward that for so many years with our health issues....I really could guide you because some of the stuff out there is not very good.


    Your photos are to die for and I cannot believe you were here in town and did not call me...

    I am just laughing so hard about the desk. You have an addiction girl.. A good addiction but an addiction nonetheless.
    Kim

    P.S. I bet you really went to Whole Foods for the Prosecco;)

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  2. ok ok ok ok I'll try it!! Especially since your pantry looks that cute. Seriously I love the burlap on your shelves and the baskets. We too are a little to junk foodie over here. We have been trying t eat high protein low carb and no processed but it has been very gradual. You are encouraging me to step it up a bit:)
    By the way I'm ordering the fruit holder and baskets now haha!

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  3. We have been eating healthier for about a month now and my kids are still struggling a bit. I love it though.....I feel so much better! I am even on my 11th day of p90x.....that is huge for me!!!!!
    You make me laugh so much......you are the best writer there it!!!!!! I love you!!!

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  4. Oh and Laura and I did a day of cooking last week where we ended up with five freezer meals to ensure that we don't eat out......
    I have banned all fast food from my house except Chick fil a but even that is going to be a treat and not all the time!!!
    I would love to go to Trader Joe's sometime too.

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  5. I love your fruit and veggie basket! Kroger actually has a pretty good selection for basics for healthy eating. There is a Health Food store on Baker too. Although, I do love the occasional trip to Whole Foods. And...have you tried truvia? It is a good sweetener for you, not as bad as splenda and nothing compared to Equal and Sweet n Low :)

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  6. oh this post kills me..laughing so hard! YAY for you!! Your pantry looks fantastic..did you wrap those shelves in burlap?? LOVE IT..and is that fruit stand from IKEA?? I need that! I agree with Kim...you do not have to buy all your stuff at Whole Foods..Trader Joes is the way to go...and I bet you have a co-op close by in Houston that would save you money too! I buy lots in bulk (flour, rice, quinoa, cocoa powder, nuts) and store them in jars, because I love how organic and healthy it looks!! AND good buy on the desk!! and I would have paid $5 for that milk too (and I dont drink milk :), that bottle is adorable!!!!

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  7. oh..and STEVIA is my go to for sweet in my tea! Some of them have a funny taste to me, but I LOVE Stevia in the Raw, it comes in packets like your Equal...give it a try..it us SUPER sweet, you might only need 6 packets ;) xo

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  8. just ran to Target for Stevia. I was surprised at the selection of natural healthy foods. Like I said, I buy the same things every months and never vary. I think I have blinders on when I enter the store. So I bought several new healthy snackies and the stevia.... I rid my pantry and sugar bowl of the Equal :(

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  9. I'm doing the happy dance for you! Such exciting news! I'll be sure to send healthy eating blogs and sites your way. Stevia is a great natural sweetner...so glad you found it...and it has no ugly side effects like the little blue and pink packets! ;) Oh, and in our little town, Kroger on Garth has a pretty good organic and healthy section. The one on Alexander is getting better. The Annie's Cheddar Bunnies at Target are WAY cheaper than Kroger, for what it's worth. In Houston, Trader Joe's is awesome, and has much better prices than Whole Foods. By the way, not sure if they told you or not, but you get $$ for every bag you bring (even the brown paper ones) and reuse at Whole Foods. Target gives you $.05 for every bag of yours they use. :)
    Love ya tons!

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  10. How have I not known this? And why haven't my baytown peeps taken me along on a field trip to Trader Joes... Oh yeah probably because you know I make fun of you behind your back for eating healthy! HA!!! Next time you go Christy.... you better drag me along! And Kim,,,I want details on savings. Make me a checklist of dos and don'ts I'm reading the 100 days now!!

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  11. I am feeling so blessed by all the kind words and encouragement. This isn't going to be easy for the Lambert family. But good news my picky eaters cleaned their healthy little plates again this evening!!!

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  12. You are in BIG trouble girl. I " heard" around the blogosphere that you went to Trader Joes and did not call me!

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  13. Ha Ha HA! Lambert had a doctors appt. in Houston today so we came in. I'm not a bugger!

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  14. So glad you found me and glad so that I could find you and read this post. I'm celebrating with you! This is a great change for your family. Food is medicine...and we really are what we eat. You are right to remember YOU are the parent, and what mama says goes! :) Your children will adapt and be better for it. Mind don't even remember the day when they didn't eat this way. You go, girl! Oh, and Udi's is my favorite gluten free bread. It toasts beautifully!

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