I think there is a lot of great advice here. I do notice, though, that most of the posters seem to have pre-elementary school aged children. My kids are elem school ages and it has gotten much more challenging to keep processed foods at a minimum in their diets, bc a lot of eating now gets done outside of our home and without we parents present. From snacks like chips handed out after every sport game on the weekends, to "birthday treats" in school which seem to be once of twice a month, to eating over a friend's house, to frequent birthday parties (pizza and cake at every one!), to more requests by the kids to buy food at the pool or restaurants. In our house we still stick to minimally processed foods, and our kids are happy eating that way at home and we have delicious and healthy meals - but they still developed a strong taste for pizza and doritos!

Anonymous wrote:What are substitues for white flour and white sugar (those are processed foods right?) or maybe they are not. (not a honey fan btw)

I was diligent in the past but have fallen to convienence.

For muffins and pancakes and things that call for flour, we just whole wheat pastry flour. And for sugar, we substitute coconut sugar, which is absolutely delicious. We also use maple, which is one of my favorite foods.

"kid's food" = processed food that is leading to the obesity epidemic. Feed your child real foods just like you eat, and the child will like them just like you do. If you want them to look more fun, make them look more fun naturally (put fruit on sticks, shape eggs into bunnies, place carrot sticks into teepees with peas hiding inside....). There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding your children real food, and it is a shame that our society makes new parents think that there is.

Anonymous wrote:We eat a combination of processed and made-from-scratch meals.

Our pre-prepared ingredients include things like:
1. Bread & crackers
2. Yogurt
3. Applesauce
4. Dried fruits
5. Frozen veg.
6. Dried pasta
7. Pasta sauce
8. Canned beans
9. Luncheon meats (salami, turkey, ham slices)
10. Muffins (morning glory kinds of things)
11. Cheese and butter
12. Hummus
13. Ice cream treat
14. Cookies, gummy bears, or other treat.
15. Nutella
16. Peanut butter and jelly
17. Instant brown rice
18. Hot dogs

I call them processed, because I don't make those things at home. But I do, as much as possible, strive to get these as organic and in BPA free containers.

Our "fresh" stuff includes
1. Salad and fixin's
2. Salad dressing
3. Dinner main-course meats
4. Vegetables
5. Fresh fruits for snacking

Gosh, look how short that list is. Well, I'm just not going to be making my own bread, cheese, and sandwich spreads...

This does not seem responsive to the question at all. You eat mainly processed foods.

We eat a combination of processed and made-from-scratch meals.

Our pre-prepared ingredients include things like:
1. Bread & crackers
2. Yogurt
3. Applesauce
4. Dried fruits
5. Frozen veg.
6. Dried pasta
7. Pasta sauce
8. Canned beans
9. Luncheon meats (salami, turkey, ham slices)
10. Muffins (morning glory kinds of things)
11. Cheese and butter
12. Hummus
13. Ice cream treat
14. Cookies, gummy bears, or other treat.
15. Nutella
16. Peanut butter and jelly
17. Instant brown rice
18. Hot dogs

I call them processed, because I don't make those things at home. But I do, as much as possible, strive to get these as organic and in BPA free containers.

Our "fresh" stuff includes
1. Salad and fixin's
2. Salad dressing
3. Dinner main-course meats
4. Vegetables
5. Fresh fruits for snacking

Gosh, look how short that list is. Well, I'm just not going to be making my own bread, cheese, and sandwich spreads...

The kids (2 and 4) share the same food as us. This means a few modifications: less spicy, no shellfish (allergy), and adding another veggie if we have beets
+ we make pizza every ten days or so, as the kids love it,
but I really don't like nuggets, mac and cheese etc and refuse to make different meals for the kids.

It works and they are fairly good eaters, and if they really don't like the dinner on a given night they can always have some avocado.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PPs, feed your child what you eat in smaller portions, less spicy (if you like that). People comment all the time that my 5 yr old has adult taste and generally he doesn't choose hot dogs, chicken nuggets, french fries and other foods people consider kid food. I eat hot dogs and french fries occasionally so I am not militant, but my child developed a taste for whole, minimally processed foods from our choices. Start out with fruits, veggies (steamed and/or raw), beans, greek yogurt and grains. As a toddler we introduced more complex foods and never prepare separate meals for him. He eats green salad like a champ!

Exactly. The problem w/ trying to make healthy versions of traditional kid foods (besides being kind of a pain, unless you like them too) is that you are really helping shape your kid's idea of what food is, what it looks like, and what it tastes like at that age. Obviously, some kids are pickier than others (I have one of them), but once you get to toddlerhood and beyond, many kids prefer the familiar. A child who is used to eating chicken nuggets and fish sticks and mac and cheese, even if they're organic and homemade w/ chicken breast/whole wheat flour or pasta or whatever, is probably going to recognize those foods as familiar and prefer them, even when faced with less healthy versions. I always think of chicken nuggets as being the Ultimate Delicious Kid Food, so on DD's second birthday we took her out and let her get them from the kid's menu-- she made a face and ended up eating all my salmon, which she was used to eating from Day 1.

FWIW, though, she still hates a lot of our adult foods-- she doesn't eat green salad like a champ, that's for sure!-- but it is nice to hear stories like this about older children and know that with time, kids adjust to the diets they're fed. All kids do, really. It's why my nieces and nephews who are growing up in South India enjoy dishes so spicy they make my daughter cry.

My husband loves spicy food and around 3.5-4 yrs old my son started eating spicy food (especially Indian and Thai food just like dad!) and a greater variety of seafood beyond salmon (steamed clams/mussels, etc.). And yes, my son does love salad (but not iceberg lettuce, which I hate!) but there are foods he won't touch, like peas and potatoes. I don't make him eat everything as long as he continues eat a variety of foods.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PPs, feed your child what you eat in smaller portions, less spicy (if you like that). People comment all the time that my 5 yr old has adult taste and generally he doesn't choose hot dogs, chicken nuggets, french fries and other foods people consider kid food. I eat hot dogs and french fries occasionally so I am not militant, but my child developed a taste for whole, minimally processed foods from our choices. Start out with fruits, veggies (steamed and/or raw), beans, greek yogurt and grains. As a toddler we introduced more complex foods and never prepare separate meals for him. He eats green salad like a champ!

Exactly. The problem w/ trying to make healthy versions of traditional kid foods (besides being kind of a pain, unless you like them too) is that you are really helping shape your kid's idea of what food is, what it looks like, and what it tastes like at that age. Obviously, some kids are pickier than others (I have one of them), but once you get to toddlerhood and beyond, many kids prefer the familiar. A child who is used to eating chicken nuggets and fish sticks and mac and cheese, even if they're organic and homemade w/ chicken breast/whole wheat flour or pasta or whatever, is probably going to recognize those foods as familiar and prefer them, even when faced with less healthy versions. I always think of chicken nuggets as being the Ultimate Delicious Kid Food, so on DD's second birthday we took her out and let her get them from the kid's menu-- she made a face and ended up eating all my salmon, which she was used to eating from Day 1.

FWIW, though, she still hates a lot of our adult foods-- she doesn't eat green salad like a champ, that's for sure!-- but it is nice to hear stories like this about older children and know that with time, kids adjust to the diets they're fed. All kids do, really. It's why my nieces and nephews who are growing up in South India enjoy dishes so spicy they make my daughter cry.

I think it can be reasonable and convenient to eat healthy, foods that are minimally processed. Shop at TJs or WF and you can find all kinds of good foods. The less ingredients the better -- it's all about reading the ingredients.

My child HATES avocado. Do almond butter instead of peanut butter and don't get the kind that "mixed" with palm oil. The natural oil should be on the top.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine is 19m and her major foods are fruits and veg (broccoli, blueberries, bananas and avocado are favorites), any kind of cooked beans, cubes of tofu, cubes of cheese, eggs (usually fried and cut into pieces), oatmeal, yogurt, bread, rice. We offer meat, but so far she isn't into it.

That sounds like a diet! LOL

Yes, we all eat a diet, and this doesn't seem like a terrible one.

I only say this b/c I have an underweight DD and these foods are not really weight gainers.

I don't think this is true. The above post is actually pretty much my child's diet with some hummus thrown in and she is at the 99% for weight and hieght. Perhaps, you might try giving her more of the above?

I agree with PPs, feed your child what you eat in smaller portions, less spicy (if you like that). People comment all the time that my 5 yr old has adult taste and generally he doesn't choose hot dogs, chicken nuggets, french fries and other foods people consider kid food. I eat hot dogs and french fries occasionally so I am not militant, but my child developed a taste for whole, minimally processed foods from our choices. Start out with fruits, veggies (steamed and/or raw), beans, greek yogurt and grains. As a toddler we introduced more complex foods and never prepare separate meals for him. He eats green salad like a champ!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine is 19m and her major foods are fruits and veg (broccoli, blueberries, bananas and avocado are favorites), any kind of cooked beans, cubes of tofu, cubes of cheese, eggs (usually fried and cut into pieces), oatmeal, yogurt, bread, rice. We offer meat, but so far she isn't into it.

That sounds like a diet! LOL

Yes, we all eat a diet, and this doesn't seem like a terrible one.

I only say this b/c I have an underweight DD and these foods are not really weight gainers.

Not the other PP, but I also have a pretty skinny DD, but we try to eat this way. There are definitely other ways to add in some good fats - avacados, butter, whole milk, cheeses, full-fat yogurt. Our DD does eat meat though, so that gives us the option of chicken and beef.

I posted that list, and you'll note that it includes avocado and cheese, her yogurt is whole milk by default because she's a toddler, eggs and bread always come with butter. And of course she drinks whole milk. I offer some of what we are eating, but she has a strong preference for simple and non messy foods. As long as it's good food that is fine with me.

I'm 11:52 that posted, and I did notice that you mentioned avocado and cheese. I probably worded my post wrong - shouldn't have said 'other ways', since you had mentioned them already.

Like you mentioned, my DD is pretty skinny, but I'm okay with that also if it means she's eating 'whole, simple' foods! The pedi has been okay with it also, FTR (before I get flamed for not feeding my kid enough!).

I think it depends on what you consider processed and your comfort level. As a PP mentioned, boxed cereals and crackers are an easy, portable and convenient snack so in public you might see my kid with a snack cup of goldfish or cheerios with a squeeze pouch of yogurt.

She usually has oatmeal or cereal for breakfast. I make pancakes and waffles and freeze them. She's not a huge fan of eggs.

Lunch is often a sandwich or crackers with a topping. Peanut butter, hummus, or some turkey. All processed, but typically as natural or organic as I can find them (365 natural peanut butter as opposed to Jif peanut butter, for example). Whole grain breads or crackers. At daycare it's often homemade soup or beans or baked salmon.

Dinner varies. We eat salad a lot, so often her meal differs from our's. I try to make things in bulk and freeze in single toddler-size servings. Tacos, Chicken, Pasta, Soup are all types of things she might eat. I use whole grain boxed pasta, but soup is homemade and we don't do things like Chef Boyardee, canned soups or stuff like that.

All of this is also built around lots of fresh fruits and veggies, cheese and dairy. I WOH and do try to balance a healthy wholesome diet with the realities of time constraints.

Things she doesn't get? Juice. Chewy fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups. Granola bar-type things. Fast food.

For us it is about moderation and balance in both nutrition and sanity.

I am the one with the skinny DD and we try to eat unprocessed foods. I give her organic whole wheat bread with butter or cream cheese on it (full fat, the real thing), she eats a lot of full fat yogurt, I cook with coconut oil or canola oils when I make her scrambled eggs. I try to get her to eat cheeses too and pasta slathered in cheese, cream and butter. hahaha... Obviously I can't eat the same thing my child eats or i would be HUGE