How to convert kids

Share your experience, challenges and success implementing the McDougall program with family and children.

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How to convert kids

Postby amgmmg » Wed Jan 25, 2017 2:41 am

I have been following this diet for 4 years.
y son who is 12 eats mostly my food. But I would say he is a vegetarian. He will eat pizza once a week, and he will eat ice cream at school or if my husband buys it.
For lunch, he has vegan butter and jam sandwiches. I know I should do my own butter Today I gave him tahini and jam sandwiches. But the bread is the regular white bread.
Even if I bake bread they will not eat it, and I have not been successful at baking a good loaf
bread that I can slice for sandwiches.

We do not get oil free bread here, except for Lebanese bread, which is more like a wrap.
At night he eats whatever I cook. For snacks sometimes he has toasted cheese and tomato (moxarella homemade cheese). or smoothies.

But I have noticed that he had put on weight. He is a big boy, broad shoulders, and big structure, and the last two months he has not done much exercise. He started again.

What can I feed him? When he does sports, which he started again, he plays one or two hours and he is hungry.
If we are out of the house and he gets hungry then I do not have many options here, so he would eat something vegetarian. Unless I buy fruit.
There are some vegan places, but not where I usually shop, I really would like him to lose some weight, but I do not want to make him feel bad about his weight.

But on the other hand, I have my daughter, who is 8, slim , but she does not eat anything I cook, except for some pasta with tomato sauce, and she is getting tired of it, and some rice.
She eats meat when she goes to friends or if my husband buys her something. At home I buy vegan sausages. not ideal, but she will not eat the ones I make. She takes sausages to school.
She will not eat homemade pizza but will gladly eat a regular pizza. She eats perhaps one fruit a day. and then if we are out I have no option than to buy some regular food. I do buy sometimes baby food for her (the fruit ones, but she chooses the one with yogurt), or sometimes I force her to eat banana.

I feel bad because then I need to buy her regular food. The only thing she might drink is a banana milkshake (banana, water and soy milk). Other than that she does not eat anything. She has cereal in the morning (and it is not compliant cereal). with soya milk.

We bought a Yonanas type of appliance, to make ice cream. FIrst two times she had them. Now she eats a teaspoon and says she does not want any more.

She loves animal but she says animals are already dead. She does not want to hear anything I say.

I get so frustrated when it comes supper time. I cannot feed her vegan sausages every day because I do not know what it is inside, and they are expensive.

Thank you
amgmmg
 
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby mapat » Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:34 am

Being responsible for cooking for my daughter and her three children and their many friends, I have made gradual changes for them. Went from white bread, to 'colored' white bread, in steps to now we no longer buy white bread, and they will even eat whole wheat bread if that's all that's here. Variety wraps are also an option.

Grandsons are will soon be 18 & 21; they both went through that 'chubby' stage around age twelve. Some extra weight at that age is often just a normal preparation for the soon-to-come growth spurt of 4-8 inches, seemingly 'overnight' that boys go through.

Boys seem to like potatos--and there are so many ways to fix them. Mine also tend to prefer 'grab & eat' foods.

Granddaughter will soon be 10, but she loves her veggies, so no problems there. We almost always have veggie tray available to snack on. Picky eaters are really hard (22 yr old granddaughter); often not willing to even try anything new or different.
None of them are interested in going to only vegan, but small changes can add up to much healthier diets for them. I have cut their portion sizes of meats; or 'delayed' the cooking of them so they get impatient and fill up on the starches and maybe A veggie first.

Been too long online...perhaps I'll think of more suggestions later if you're interested.
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby amgmmg » Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:09 pm

Thank you for your comments. So I am glad you say a bit of chubbiness at that age is normal.

I do not cook meat, but I will try to switch the bread little by little.

Thank you
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby mapat » Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:59 am

While my granddaughter loves her veggies, the boys will eat only peas, green beans and the occasional salad. While I try to discourage unhealthy foods, I try to focus more on getting them to eat healthier options. Sometimes it helps just cooking things a different way (baked or sauteed rather than boiled or steamed), using a different dipping sauce, and often just 'hiding' veggies in foods they do eat (finely chopped spinach, etc in chili or spaghetti sauce). Sometimes doing recipes from different cultures-- (veggies then become just a part of stir-fry rather than just sauteed veggies) ('if you don't like it, pick it out'--usually too much trouble so they just eat it anyway)

We don't have much 'discussions' about healthy eating (they aren't around/still/interested enough to actually 'discuss'), but I share information when I can. The 17 yr old has certainly cut down on his soda consumption after I mentioned a study about how high-fructose corn syrup can affect hormones (lowering testosterone and raising 'girlie' hormones)! Kids are not generally interested in the health aspects, but more what they like or don't like, and the sensory--the feel of what they eat--crunchy, icy, smooth, creamy etc. My picky eater is very much about the sensory issues.

Different spices may also help. The older boy loves garlic, the younger 'mexican'/hot/spicy foods. So trying to find variations from the foods they do like the most, and adapting those tastes or the feel of it to healthier options. (taco seasoning on eggplant or potato oven-baked 'fries')

It is a challenge. More about the girls and dairy next time...
mapat
 
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby amgmmg » Sat Jan 28, 2017 3:11 am

Thank you for sharing your insights. It certainly gives me ideas.
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby Lyndzie » Tue Jan 31, 2017 4:14 pm

After seeing this thread I went to check our bread, and sure enough, it has oil! We use Kloeppinger's 100% Whole Wheat bread. Despite the oil, I will continue to use it for the kiddos due to price, availability and being 100% whole wheat. I don't eat it myself.

The Forks Over Knives folks have a new book titled Forks Over Knive Family. It has information for everything from pregnancy to baby food to introducing healthier foods to older children. I checked it out from my local library, maybe one near you has it, too?

My kids are younger, 2 and 4, but some of the things I've done are things people above have already recommended. I suddenly kept forgetting to buy cheese at the store. I started using Jiff natural peanut butter (contains palm oil, salt, and sugar), then decided to make my own at home. I quit buying canned foods with added salt. We were vegetarian already, so it was just reducing eggs and cheese.

I'm of the mindset that what I make for dinner is what is for dinner. If there is something new or weird, I include a side that is reasonable in case they don't like the main dish. But children will not starve to death. They will eventually eat something. It is totally reasonable of you to only have cut up veggies and hummus when they want a snack, or an apple with peanut butter. And the children also are allowed to decline, they just don't get anything else. This is just how I choose to run my kitchen, everyone has their own method. But think about it: did your mom give you whatever you wanted for dinner? No way! It was meatloaf and mash potatoes or nothing!!

I've been playing way too many of the weekly webinars while I cook in the kitchen, and the kids overhear parts of it and sometimes have questions. There is also a couple other "cool" channels about veganism in general. Bite Size Vegan has an animal activism angle, but it a bit too graphic for me. High Carb Hannah cusses, but has good cooking videos. MommyTang is a family favorite (the girls love her!). Nicado Avocado is pretty cool, too. The cool factor might be motivating - it's why I became a vegetarian back in middle school!

Also, we've had a lot of funerals to attend in the past two years (we have a big extended family), which has led to lots of questions about life and death, and an opportunity to talk about the importance of eating plants to stay healthy.

I think you are doing the most important thing - living by example. Keep being awesome, and showing them that you are what you eat.
Lindsey
My food journal: Adventures in Eating
My pregnancy journal: Maybe a Baby 2017
www.lindseyhead.coach
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby mapat » Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:20 pm

Thanks Lyndzie for your thoughts. A friend of mine long ago, (with a family of 9 children!) had a sign in her kitchen: "There are two choices for dinner...take it or leave it". Which is how I also brought up my four children. Unless there was a specific, known dislike-- like the oldest could not eat cream sauces, the 2nd couldn't do peanut butter, the girls didn't like chili. In cases like that, I also prepared an alternative, but generally, yes, whatever mom prepared was dinner and that was that, and they always had to at least try new foods.

I was debating whether or not to start a new thread: "Because it's there", or just continue here. When I was growing up we had meals. Snacks were very occasional, like maybe once a month, if that. Kids today seem to be much more into 'grazing', with more snacks than actual meals. If they only eat healthy choices and only when they are hungry, that could be a good thing. But, with too many unhealthy choices available--not good.

My grandsons especially are into 'grab and eat' foods. This is a great opportunity to introduce healthier choices. If that's all there is, they are much more likely to try it or eat it, simply because it is there. This is why we try to keep the unhealthy choices out of the house!! Almost always have a veggie tray available, salad and salad toppings mixed up and ready to go. Fruit like apples/oranges/bananas/etc in a bowl on the table.

Another thread mentioned cooking for others first, but I tend to cook my healthier choices first. It's ready, if they 'can't wait', they generally eat it, or at least try it. If they want less healthy choices they have to wait, or sometimes just cook it for themselves.

What suggestions would any of you have for foods or snacks to put out or have available to tempt people/children into eating, or at least trying something, simply 'because it's there'??
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Re: How to convert kids

Postby Lyndzie » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:34 pm

Hi mapat. I was trying to steer my kids away from snacking when I realized that eating this way, for me as an adult, requires more meals to stay full. When transitioning to lower calorie density foods, I just can't seem to eat enough in one sitting to stay full for 4-6 hours. I would have to be uncomfortably full to get enough food.

Our snacks are usually pretty simple. Whole wheat pita bread, cut veggies (carrots, bell peppers), fruit (apples, clementines, oranges, bananas, frozen mango chunks), hummus, whole wheat crackers, popcorn, peanuts & raisins, smoothies. I buy apples and oranges by the bag so they are always available.

As far as when snacking is ok, my girls usually have breakfast around 7am, so they ask for a snack around 9:30. If it's anywhere remotely close to lunch, they can "save their appetite." Lunch around noon, afternoon snack around 3, dinner around 6. All day grazing doesn't happen, though I know many people that do that. It works better for my kids to have a predictable schedule. Once dinner is over, it's bedtime and no more food, which they know, so that way they don't skip dinner and think they can pick something better later (I have, on rare occasion, just sat their plate aside if they didn't eat much, so that if they are truly hungry they can have something, but they sure don't get another option.)

To comment on my bread discovery from my earlier post, I just came across 100% whole wheat pita bread. It is no oil! I cut it in half and put peanut butter and jelly on the inside and the kids were in heaven. It's going into our regular rotation now!!
Lindsey
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