Eat. Right?

I’m just back from the grocery store and am on that full-fridge high. I feel good. I bought lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain cereal, whole wheat pasta and bread, low fat milk, yogurt and cheese, nuts, raisins and applesauce. There's no soda, white bread or potato chips in my house. No electric blue candy, no regular ice cream, no Kool-Aid or Doritos. Granted, there are some Goldfish, some granola bars (which, let's be honest are closer to candy bars than health food) and some pancake mix. Ok, so we're not perfect eaters but I like to think I'm doing pretty good for me and my kids.

But wait. My kids love ice cream. My kids would trade their very souls for a bowl of peppermint stick (for Evelyn) or coffee (for Roman). There is, seemingly, no easier way to get a huge cheer out of them then to offer a trip to the local ice cream stand. I get it. I've been going there since I was a kid- the dozens of flavor choices, cup or cone, chocolate sprinkles or rainbow. It's a kid's (and an ice cream-loving mommy's) dream.

So what do you do when one of your kids' favorite things conflicts pretty strongly with their general well-being? One of the primary things a parent is required to provide for their kids is food. A roof over their head, clothes on their back and good food in their tummies. But what about smiles on their faces? And what do you do when those things conflict? How do you balance giving your kids a healthy diet with their love of mac and cheese? I think every parent has faced the frustration of placing a healthy home-cooked meal in front of their children to only to have it flat-out rejected. Then it's a question of whipping up a grilled cheese or fighting the hard battle of trying to convince them to eat something they don't want to eat. It's a battle not only of wills but of long-term health. We have all given in, going back to the idea that your job as a parent is to give your children enough to eat. We imagine if we don't get them to eat a full dinner (or breakfast, or lunch, of course) that their precious bellies will grumble all night and their will hate or resent us and/or end up malnourished and sickly by morning. It’s a really tough part of parenting to navigate.

As adult we face this same dilemma in our own diets every day. Oatmeal and fruit for breakfast? Or latte and a donut? I know which is easier, which tastes better and which most of us would likely choose if there were no such thing as consequences. We fight (to whatever degree of success) that inner child every day who is voting for glazed over steel-cut. Despite my best efforts our diets, again, aren't perfect. We have pizza. We go to the ice cream stand. I try to make the best choices while still allowing them to have treats, but I wonder, almost every day, if I'm doing enough to keep my kids healthy.

Here's one big thing that makes us different though. My two kids and I are vegetarians- me for the last 18 years, them since birth. (Pause for gasps of horror). No really. The fact that my 5 and 3 year old have never tasted a chicken nugget, bacon or (eww eww eww!) a hot dog is shocking to some people, as if I am taking away something that is their right to experience. However, our pediatrician is on board. My family is on board despite some good-natured teasing and pepperoni jokes. I know how to combat the “But how do they get enough protein??” question. (How to cows get enough protein when they only eat grass? Think about it!) And, I have to say, my kids are amazingly healthy. They get normal kids' colds and bugs, the occasional sore throat, etc. But in terms of development and overall healthy, they are pretty awesome. They are tall, energetic, and (of course!) completely brilliant. I feel very strongly that their diet has a lot to do with that, and for that I am proud.

So what does it all add up to? I wish I knew. What I do know is that this country is heavier and unhealthier than it has ever been. The explosion of processed food, high-fructose corn syrup, added sugars, fast food, and a tri-fold increase in the consumption of animal-based proteins over the last several decades has gone hand-in-hand with the ridiculous increase in heart-disease, obesity, diabetes, and other weight-related health issues. (Lipitor is the best-selling drug in the U.S. according to WebMD.com!)

I’m not saying I know all about it or have the answers. I believe in moderation. I believe that you can’t do everything exactly right all the time. But I believe that your body is a pretty straight-forward system- give it good fuel and it will do good by you. And what better gift can we give our kids than the gift of a long healthy life.