Healthy Eating

Selecting healthy foods for our family has definitely become a job. Every day something else comes out about what you should avoid. Basically, we practically down to completely whole foods eating. The newest book I am reading is all about protecting your brain ... and it talks about how our bodies don't need any aluminum (unlike other metals like copper, iron and zinc that your body does need) but yet there is aluminum in our food. Take for example, baking powder. So went and looked at our baking powder ... and yep. aluminum!

Ack. So a trip to the co-op to get some aluminum-free baking powder and a few other more natural, whole food products. We picked up some kale (it hurts in the winter to buy kale from the grocer, because in the summer we have such an abundance of it from our own garden.) and I made kale chips for the boys. I love that I am fortunate enough to have kids who like things like kale chips. They  haven't quite acquired the taste for almond milk, but at least I can sneak that into the baking and cooking. 

Other things we've eliminated lately that have made it fun for the boys and me ... food coloring. Yep, no food coloring, which means a lot of their favorite candies. Fortunately, we discovered World Market sells the European equivalents of a lot of their favorite candies, and since those don't include food coloring we can enjoy those. We eliminated HFCS and hydrogenated oils a while ago, so those aren't new. (But yes, my son will always ask to read the ingredients when someone else brings a snack and if he sees it listed, he won't eat it. I had to watch this at soccer practice often ... I can only imagine what the other parents thought!)

D is also now no longer buying anything that just lists "natural flavorings" since there is no regulation for what that exactly means. Yes, our cupboards, refrigerator and snack drawer are definitely looking different. But I am hoping that this due diligence is for a good thing. Healthy, happy kids and a long, healthy lives.