5 easy ways to be better at feeding your family
You may doubt your skills at feeding your family, but I think most parents deserve a pat on the back for doing this difficult job. After all, you’re in it for the long haul (18 years!) and it isn’t always easy or gratifying. When kids don’t eat fruit or veggies, or are not eating enough food at mealtimes, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at feeding them. It may simply mean they are going through a phase like picky eating.
We can all do better with feeding our families—here are 5 easy ways to excel at this daily job:
- Think about it. You will automatically put yourself ahead of the feeding game when you put your mind behind this daily requirement. Maybe you’re a planner and you think about it at the start of the day, or maybe you take a last-minute approach, scrambling for ideas as the meal draws near. The alternative (not thinking about what to serve, how to do it, and the general food preferences of the family) generally turns out badly for everyone.
- Take the time. Whether you’re a “from scratch” gourmet cook, a microwave queen, or a little of both, pulling together a meal takes time. There’s no right or wrong approach, but make the investment of time.
- Look for ways to improve. Scan recipes, read about feeding strategies, and learn about what to expect at the different stages of childhood. These will all help you be better at feeding your child.
- Have a goal in mind. Whether it’s to raise a child who will eat a vast array of vegetables and fruit or launching a child who can eat at the neighbor’s house without incident, there is a long-term goal for which you are striving. And if you have a goal in mind, you’re more likely to achieve it.
- Invest in success. When we want to succeed, we constantly evaluate, adjust, and reset our compass, all in an effort to succeed at what we set out to accomplish. This investment will get you closer to the end result, and in the process, increase the likelihood of meeting, or even exceeding your goals.
This may seem like an obvious, simple list, but sometimes it’s important to state the obvious, especially for feeding a family, which doesn’t get celebrity status or accolades.
If you believe you can do better at feeding your kids, or if you look for the small positives in the daily drudgery (“I had all the food groups on the table tonight,” “Everyone seemed to get through breakfast without complaint,” or “Dinner was served at a decent time tonight.”), you will find something to keep you going and improve along the way.
You achieve what you believe.
How do you keep yourself motivated to feed your kids? What signs do you see that you’re on the road to success?
I agree, meal planning is a life saver! And, even if you can’t get a veggie on the table, cover it with a fruit–either are healthy and both contain similar nutrients.
Sometimes I do feel like the meal I cooked was not healthy enough for my family but I am not perfect and I always try to get a vegetable in there. I started making a two week meal plan a couple of years ago and I don’t know how I ever lived without one. I go to the grocery store for a major shopping trip every two weeks and have my meals planned out for those weeks. This makes life much easier. It also saves me money because I know exactly what I need to buy. My girls are growing at a healthy rate so I know that I am doing something right even though I may not always think so!