Eating the way I want

Gosh, it was almost two months ago that I wrote this: "Today we had our first playdate (of the summer), and for lunch I made funny shapes on their plate with cheese. There are so many flickr groups out there in blog-land --Work In Progress Friday, Color Week, Corners of my Home... I would love to see a week of Fun for Kids Lunches - because I know there are mom's out there with great ideas, and the motivation of coming up with five unique lunches is a great challenge. Don't know how to start such a thing - it won't be very good if it is only me (good on the motivation, bad on the variety). So, something else to figure out this month!"

Well, haven't done anything about it, but discovered that there is at least one very dedicated mother who is coming up with creative lunches. This blog is incredible... I've only read a few months worth, but my idea list has blossomed! I'm not vegan, not really even vegetarian anymore, but her commitment to doing this is huge. Today the kids and I took a picnic lunch to the lake for a hike/bike (girls hiked, the boy biked), and it was a trick, as ever, for me to think of something creative to eat (given that Siena doesn't like sandwiches and Sterling doesn't like much else). This blog has given me some great ideas (and two incredible lunch box ideas - here and here). Now, to begin to plan for the fall, when I'll have Sterling in Lunch Bunch for a few days a week, and all of us the rest of the time. I really like the idea of planning the lunch at breakfast, so even for Siena and I at home, it is like just opening up the lunch pail and eating, instead of making and planning and sweating over it (yeah, it is silly, but lunch is the toughest meal of the day for me).

The other thing that jazzed me about this blog is that she is also struggling with sugar addiction, something I hate to even verbalize, but is certainly a part of my struggle with food and healthy eating.

So, intentional Thursday... I really want to continue in my pursuit of a healthy, balanced approach to eating the way I want.

Balanced is the key word here. I tend to be a swinging black or white girl, and finding the appropriate middle ground is quite difficult for me. It's either sugar all the time, or no sugar, not ever, even if it kills me (which it nearly does). Some key things to try for (this is the intentional part):
- planned breakfast and lunches
- minimizing sugar intake during meals and especially desserts
- eliminating sugar intake for snacks
- hence, make up a snack list so I don't panic and eat a chocolate bar instead of trail mix.
- gently encourage the kids to try new things and eat more variety
- accept that they won't eat more variety, and work better with what they love

Nothing too exciting, this, but a starting place. I would like to be excited about packing the monkey's lunch if I can, and it will take me the next few weeks to get ideas flowing so it is great!

Happy (healthy) Eating!