How Do You Feed Your Family?
I’ve had many moms tell me that they can’t eat a plant-based diet because they have a family to feed. Here are my thoughts:
Everyone is happier when Mama is happy.
The best way to help others is to take excellent care of our own health. When the caregiver’s health fails, no one gets good care.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our loved ones is to live a long and vibrantly healthy life with them.
Modeling good self-care is a huge gift to our children.
It is okay to make your own wellness a priority. When you are living your best life into your 80s and 90s, and they still have the pleasure of your healthy company, they will thank you.
If you want to lean into a whole food, plant-predominant style of eating, I say go for it!
Having said that, let’s be real, it’s challenging to feed a family that isn’t on board with mostly plants. My daughter is vegetarian, my husband is an omnivore with a heavy dairy habit, and my son is a card-carrying carnivore. My kids are nearly grown, which I know changes the demands, but here’s how I handle it at our house. I still buy meat, fish, and dairy for them. I don’t cook it, though, and no one is allowed to cook meat in my kitchen. If you want a steak, go put it on the BBQ and cook it yourself. I then make yummy plant-based meals, and if they want to add animal products to these, they can.
Examples:
Poke bowls - I make them plant-based, but I will buy ahi, if requested. I don’t prepare it in any way for them, though. Often, this means that because they know the tofu is delicious and it is the easier option, they will opt for it instead of requesting the fish.
Gyros - I make falafels. If you want flank steak instead, I’ll buy it for you. Feel free to marinate it, BBQ it, and wash the cutting board yourself. Falafel is looking so much easier, right?!
You get the idea. I don’t actively prevent anyone from eating meat. I’ll even procure it, but I’m not making it the easy choice, either.
Most importantly, I keep my cupboards free of ultra-processed, hyper palatable foods. When real food is the only food in the house, you can bet your family will eat it when they get hungry!
I encourage you to do what’s best FOR YOU and your health.
Your family will adjust, and you deserve to live a vibrantly healthy life.
🌱💕