Six months ago - the food portion of my shop might have looked like this. A lot of processed foods. Even ready made foods - lasagne. Which is ridiculous, as I make a great lasagne. But over the past few years I've fallen out of the habit of really cooking. I was unwell, exhausted and it is hard for me to stand and stir sometimes, or to chop, without being able to feel my hands properly.
But somewhere along the way - I just gave up. I stopped putting any effort in to it. Sam as you know has autism (so does Alexander) and food aversions are an enormous issue in our home. There are so few foods that he will eat. And he is in fact, regressing. Even less foods now to choose from. And somehow, tired of the fighting and the stress of it all, combined with being unwell myself - I gave up. I stopped trying. My grocery shops were expensive, highly processed and bland.
The most expensive aisles for us are always the same 3 - Dairy {Milk, Yoghurt and Cheese}, Breakfast {A different cereal for each person in the house, and 2-3 for the boys as they like variety - it adds up!} and the snack aisle {muesli bars, LCMs, Crackers, Biscuits, Chips}. I don't know when it happened but I turned into a "Before" picture on one of Jamie Oliver's food revolutions {Or do you remember that TV show - 'You are what you eat'? I used to shake my head in disgust at what some of these people were feeding their families. I also used to guiltily look at my fridge and know there wasn't nearly enough colour in there. And I used to think - and still do- that if any of my 'friends' ever stuck me on a show like that, I'd never, ever forgive them. But enough about that.}.
Found an ep. This woman is basically the weight I started at {She's 114kgs}, but a couple of inches taller. And I don't drink. But still....
My grocery day used to be very exciting for the boys. There was always lots of vanilla yoghurt (that's a textural thing though - they can't handle lumps etc), crackers, biscuits, Sugar cereals, Ice blocks and/or Ice cream. Cakes {ready made or Cupcakes}. A token amount of fruit - apples and bananas. Chips and Sports drinks for Joel. Heaps of pasta and potato and rice. Heavily processed things like Chicken Nuggets and processed cheeses and noodles.
Now not all of this is wrong. But it's so wildly out of proportion. And as upsetting and embarrassing as telling you what was in the carts, is telling you what wasn't. A token amount of Fruit and Veg. No spices or herbs. Next to no salad (really just enough salad to put onto sandwiches).
I also have recipes for home made LCMs from Frills in the Hills and Diminishing Lucy. I'm holding off on these, just in case we really can get Sam to live without them - but either way, at least they'll be cheaper (we typically spend $15 a week on the damned things). And I've been scouring Pinterest and Blogs for other baking recipes. I'm finding I'm enjoying it.
This weekend, before the boys start school for the year I'm making These Banana and Coconut cupcakes. I would actually prefer to make the loaf, but for the life of me I can't find my loaf tin. Where the hell is it? I haven't seen it since the move so I'm going to head out to the garage and see if there's a box I've missed.
I'm also going to make (and freeze) this recipe from Kat over at The Organised Housewife. In this case it's not so much about baking healthy treats, although those are coming. But it's about controlling what goes into my family's bodies where I can. It's about cutting out some of the preservatives and additives and more than that - getting me back into my kitchen. Feeling connected again. Taking responsibility for my family's nourishment.
And I'm back to cooking more dinner's from scratch. Keeping my salads up - but getting more hot meals coming up to winter and getting more flavour happening, so that food stays interesting. I am reminding myself that I don't have to be afraid of food. I don't have to demonise it. I just have to be in control rather than letting it control me. I have to have a healthy attitude towards food - it doesn't own me, I get to decide what I want to eat, but as long as I keep my diet 95% healthy with whole foods - then that other 5% can be eaten readily - enjoyed as a treat, rather than something to punish myself over.
And look at this shopping list. It's filled with dozens of fruits and vegetables. But there is also spice and herbs - garlic and ginger and chilli, cardamon and cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla. 4 different kinds of nuts, there are pulses and beans. Lean fish and beef and chicken. Look at the colours! That's what gets me when my groceries are delivered these days. The colour!
And it's not all gone. I am buying the ingredients to bake my sweet treats for my family. And they're stuff they like - honey and chocolate and coconut and even some sugar, although I'm cutting that back and substituting some dried fruit and pureed fruit. I'm buying a food processor and a blender over the next two weeks so that I can hide these things from Samuel. For now, that's just a necessity.
It might be a silly post. And I imagine that plenty are tired of hearing all about my new 'diet' or exercise (especially my Facebook friends, who have been so patient). But I want to write about it for now. To keep me motivated. To clarify things as my mind really does get manic and I start to get carried away. Here I can write it and find it later. It keeps me accountable though that matters less now - I really, really am doing this for me. I'm motivated not just by how I look but how healthy I will become. And what an example I can set for my children.
As soon as I get my Food Processor - I'm making treats for me. These are first on the list.
So - inspire me some more. What is your family's favourite healthy treat?
Joining up with FYBF
1. Follow With Some Grace.
2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.
3. Add your post URL to the linky. Please only link up one post.
4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.
5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love.
6. Share some more comment love. It’s proven to make your wrinkles disappear…overnight. #truth
(Does anyone know why I can never get this button to work properly?)
Welcome to Flash Blog Friday!
In the spirit of flash mobs, this is a flash blog.
You're invited to flash your favourite post for the week.
Your Guide to Flashing
1. Follow via Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, Facebook, Twitter or Google +
2. Grab the Flash Blog Friday button and display it on your post or sidebar so others can flash too.
3. Choose your favourite post for the week and flash by clicking on the link below. Make sure you use the URL for the post, not your primary blog address.
4. Check out your fellow flashers and maybe spread some comment love.
5. Come back next Friday and do it all again!
