Nourishing the Mind, Body, and Soul

One of the biggest tasks families face is meal planning. Everyone has to eat, and determining what your family will eat 3 times a day is no small feat. 

A few years ago, a friend of mine who is a father of 5 requested family meal recommendations. I confidently sent him my family’s staple dinner meals including spaghetti, baked chicken cooked in prepared sauces and sandwiches. Yet, the truth is that my husband and I continue to wrestle with this daily task.

While we seem to be on target so far with everyone growing and healthy, we continue to feel like we hit the lottery every night we manage to provide a delicious meal. There are a few general rules that make mealtime filling not only for our bodies, but for our minds and souls.

Share mealtimes together

Research shows that shared family mealtimes improve children’s resilience and improve their ability to thrive in adulthood. When families eat together, free from screen distractions, we talk and download our days. For small children, hearing lots of words at the dinner table and beyond enhances their vocabulary and contributes to strong reading skills. If you have tweens and teens, shared mealtimes provide a coveted opportunity to have a conversation with your emerging adult. These special times allow everyone to get the 411 on the school days, work days and everything in between. Shared mealtimes also normalize creating space to sit down and savor a nutritious meal. 

Let’s make a healthy plate 

While meals don’t have to be extravagant, they should be well balanced. Caregivers can create well balanced meals every time. Unfortunately, if we leave meal planning up to our kids, every meal would consist of noodles, super spicy and sweet snacks. Instead, we can help our family members make the best choices for their bodies. Every meal should include fruits and/or non-starchy vegetables; these colorful foods are full of natural vitamins and antioxidants. High fiber fruits and veggies also help regulate our digestive systems. Consider filling half of every plate with non-starchy vegetables and fruits. This may mean including a large salad that fills half the plate or including broccoli AND oranges on the same dinner plate. The other half of the plate should include a protein and a starch. Proteins like meats, beans and nuts keep us satisfied and provide necessary nutrients for growth and strength. Starches like potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread are rich sources of energy. Yet, they should only be about one fourth of our plate. So, next time you make a sandwich for dinner, consider adding slaw and fruit as a side instead of potato chips. 

Don’t drink all your calories

Many of us have become accustomed to having an ice cold sweet tea or the mouth tingle of a freshly opened soda with every meal. While these sweet drinks satisfy an immediate desire, they are full of sugary calories that do not satiate us; drinks can’t satisfy our hunger. We still have to eat real food to consume meaningful calories. So, don’t waste calories on a sweet drink. Instead, consider pairing those sweet potatoes with a cup of milk. Better yet, wet your palate with some ice cold water after you eat those well seasoned collards. Save those sweet drinks as an 8 ounce special treat once a day or once every few days. Or better yet, have you ever had cucumber water? So refreshing ! Consider giving fruit infused water a swirl. Now, that’s luxury that won’t cost you calories!

Meal planning hacks can make the week easier

There are a few things families can do to ease the task of meal planning. One thing families can do is make a large entree serving to last a couple of days. This may mean grilling a whole chicken or cooking a whole roast. Sometimes savory vegetables like carrots, onions and potatoes can be cooked with the meat to simplify meal prep. Likewise, cooking meats in prepared sauces creates a delicious entrée that can be enjoyed for more than one day. My family’s favorites are  prepared Indian sauces like butter chicken and curry flavor. Served hot over rice with broccoli or string beans on the side creates a savory meal. Finally, don’t forget sandwich nights. While understated and a one night only feature, sandwiches create quick, easy meals. They can also be prepared by family members of all ages. But don’t forget to consider serving with sliced fruit and salad instead of chips.

Sometimes, fast food is the right choice

I will never forget chatting with a patient and his mom about mealtimes. This family was trying to achieve a healthier weight, and they were really doing all the right things. The child was active in sports and mom tried to offer him home cooked meals every night. During this visit, mom was concerned that her son had chest pain. She described their evening routine as follows. “He has team practice, so we don’t have time to eat at home. I make chili and place it in his thermos. He chugs it down on the way to practice.” While I was impressed by her commitment to the goals of ensuring his physical fitness and avoiding fast food, I was getting heartburn just listening to this routine. The combination of an acidic food (chili) consumed with a guzzle instead of a spoon and followed by rigorous physical activity was a perfect recipe for heartburn. 

Sometimes, eating out is the right answer, but we should do it mindfully. Consider NOT getting the combo meal that includes fries or chips. Or, if there is a fruit or salad side option, choose that instead of fries. A fountain beverage can also be replaced with water. It is also important to choose your restaurant carefully. Select places that have grilled options and salads or fruits. Fast food meals don’t have to be unhealthy; this journey is operator dependent. You are driving this car.

So, don’t fret over meal planning. Just get prepared. Stock your grocery cart and your fridge with ample fruits and veggies. Make the right choices at the grocery store so you won’t have to fight your family about making good choices at home. Slice fruits and place them next to your kids as they play video games or view their tablets. Offer veggies and/or fruits with every meal. Eat together. Savor water in all its fruit and cucumber infused glory. And even give yourself a break from time to time and eat meals out. But make good choices for you and your family. The healthy habits you instill in your kids today will be generational wealth for your kids and their kids yet to come. 

Bon appetit!