Calling All Green Moms!

Hi L.,

I PROMISE, if your family hangs in there with you, their taste buds will change. My 14 year old told me that the ice cream she had a church last Sunday was so rich she didn't finish it. THAT is a miracle. A year ago she could finish a half gallon by herself left to her own devices. My husband would eat a huge steak when we went out to dinner, now he is perfectly content with 4 oz of organic sirloin. Once you start eating organically, not only will your taste buds shift but you will start seeing your family eat smaller portions. That's because they are being nutritionally satisfied early in the meal.

As far as milk goes, my youngest was the same way about the taste but she has become accustom to the organic milk because that's all I buy. She complained a few months and then gave up. As far as your husband's tea, try a "gateway" tea like Arizona organic brewed tea....wean him from the Crystal Light slowly, lol....then he may begin to enjoy yours. Try different ones and make it an adventure. Teas from different cultures! Unbeknownst to my husband, I'm currently weaning him off coffee (no it's not that bad for you, it's just acidic and we are also trying to go alkaline) so I'm giving him his and I'm not drinking any coffee with him. He's come to find out that he likes coffee but it's more social than anything else so he's losing interest. :)

I try to stay with the recipes that my family has come to know I just substitute a few things. I made my "meatloaf" with organic ground turkey last week and they didn't notice until they were halfway through the meal. They liked it. Like I said, if they stick to it they will come to love the new food.

I applaud your diligence!

M.

We have switched to eating whole, home prepared foods about three years ago. I was never really big on processed food, but after we got married and both worked full time we jumped on frozen dinners a lot. Then I read the ingredients, and we haven't went back since. It is hard eating healthy and organic on a budget, but we find a way. For cheese, I highly recommend finding a local farm. We don't eat dairy anymore for the most part because we've found we feel much better physically without it (even organic). I can't digest it, my baby is allergic to milk protein, and my husband's skin breaks out bad when he has dairy. But if you are fine with it, then local farm is the way to go, you'll love fresh cheese! We also buy a lot at Trader Joe's, we find that their organic items are a lot more affordable than other stores. Here is what we eat in general (not everything is the healthiest, but at least wholesome):

Breakfast: Eggs (boiled, sunny side up, etc) and hash browns; French toast with leftover bread (I just soak it in eggs with cinnamon and tiny bit of brown sugar); cream of wheat with frozen berries and/or honey (prepares in a few minutes); oatmeal (not instant); tea with challah bread and organic preserves.

Lunch: I make a large pot of vegetable and chicken (no antibiotics/hormones) soup and we eat it for lunch for about 3-4 days until we run out, it keeps well in the fridge. I alternate the soup with other meats as well, but mostly chicken because it is the cheapest. Sandwiches/wraps with cabbage, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, etc...use your imagination. I spread a little bit of real mustard (you can see the mustard seeds in it) on for flavor.

Dinner: Again, since my husband is a meat eater (I am too but not as much), I have to give him chicken at least. Our favorite recipe is drumsticks in mayo (natural), mustard, and bread crumbs. It only takes me ten minutes to prepare and I throw them in the oven. I use the oven a lot for preparing meals so I don't have to spend much time at the stove top with a baby. On our small budget we alternate the sides between organic potatoes, rice, buckwheat, and pasta. We usually just have cut up veggies with that, if I have time I make a salad. Not a salad with any lettuce, but a mix of diced vegetables - for example avocados with beets and olives, or chick peas with cooked carrots, beets, sweet peppers, and avocado.

Snacks: My husband loves sweets and it is impossible to get him to stop eating that every day. So I make my own choc chip cookies for him so he doesn't buy store bought with 30 ingredients! We eat whole grain crackers with hummus. I also buy wholesome fruit bars that are not too sweet. Homemade cornbread and banana nut bread are a hit.

I occasionally post food articles on my Eco-Babyz blog as well!

As the others said: Good for you, and Go slow! There are so many issues to consider, and you will develop your thinking over time. Maybe your hubby could start with drinking less Crystal Light (and probably replacing it with water, especially at meals.) For cheaper organic fruits and veggies, you could see if there's a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) near you. You join by paying a set fee for the season, then you get a share of whatever is being harvested that week. Plus the CSA might be a good way to meet people who could give you some ideas. Organic and hormone-free foods are generally much more expensive, no way around it. For me, it's a choice of how I spend my money. I'm flabbergasted by what many people will pay for electronics, cable, STUFF in general be it clothes, toys, etc. That's not to say that we shouldn't have nice things that we enjoy, but it's usually not that hard to cut from elsewhere in your budget to find the money for good food. If your family goes out to eat a lot, just cut down a bit on that and you'll be able to spend more on groceries. Have fun with the new adventure!

Switch slowly! Don't go all at once. We've been making the switch for about 2yrs now, and are mostly organic and HFCS free finally! My husband was the biggest booger in the process. My boys didn't care as long as the food was there. LOL!

Go slowly, move things one at a time. Its good to do it in summer too when you can purchase whole foods locally. Learn how to can and freeze foods yourself. We've not bought veggies all winter because of the ones we froze from the farm fresh veggies we bought last summer and fall.

It will work, just go slowly and move foods one at a time so everyone can take the transition easily. Any change is good, so even if you do it slowly, you are making a big difference.

Good for you!
I agree with Becky, go slow so you don't get frustrated.
Do you have a local natural grocery store that offers classes?
Our local store has sprouted grain tortillas that can be used many ways for lunch. They don't taste too much different from regular ones.
I drink Shaklee's Cinch Tea. It comes in either regular black or pomgranite flavors. I sweeten it with just a little bit of the Performance rehydration drink. I could send you a sample if you like. I also like the flavored herbal teas from the store.
A friend of mine started this kind of change a few months back as well as adding exercise. It is always so inspiring to see someone do this!
I have blackslid for awhile so it encourages me to get back in the game.
Victoria

We have been using Stevia or Truvia to sweeten things. I think it's a natural sweetener unlike the artificial ones but you would need to do a bit of research to be sure. Also 1 banana (frozen - just peal and put in zip lock and freeze- or fresh), 1 c. yogurt, 1 c. blueberries (frozen), 2 tablespoons of wheat germ, handful of ice cubes and 3 or 4 packets of Stevia in the blender and it's an instant smoothy. Some or all of it can be organic. Good for breakfast but won't last you past lunch. Experiment with what tastes best of that combo. We love it. Good luck.

I agree with previous posters - check out local farms. Even if they aren't organic, you can ask all the questions about how food is grown, livestock & poultry raised, etc. Even it iit isn't certified organic, it is likely better for you. In the end, if you buy everything organic, and it has to be imported from far away lands, it may be less harmful to you, but it is impacting the climate anyway because of all the shipping that has to be done. I was able to find a winter time farmers market in RI, and I'm sure it isn't the only one around. It definitely takes more effort, but worth it for everyone involved!

We don't do much organic because of $$ but I make a point of using REAL, whole foods the vast majority of the time, and I actually cook for every meal. Breakfast is always very simple: my husband has eggs or oatmeal, I have whole wheat toast or oatmeal, and my son (2 years old) has oatmeal and fruit. For lunch, I have something like a cheese & black bean quesadilla (made with whole wheat tortilla, which I like better than white flour tortilla, much more taste!) and a salad. My son loves quesadillas too... now that I think of it, we eat a lot of quesadillas in my household because they are quick and easy. Oh and BTW, for the beans, I cook a GIANT pot of black beans (like, 3 packages of dry beans) once a month, freeze 1/2 cup portions in muffin tins, pop them outta the tins and put them in a big freezer bag so I can take out as much or as little as I need for a quick meal.
As far as what kind of cheese your child would like, we love sharp cheddar cheese in our house, and I usually buy Cabot brand, which is a cooperative (so not so evil!) located in VT. My son has never really eaten American cheese so he doesn't know the difference. If you are looking for a good melting cheese for things like grilled cheese sandwiches, try monterey jack or swiss.
I hope this disjointed and rambling advice has been helpful!

Do you have costco warehouse stores? We buy organic milk, cheese, whole bean coffee and cliff bars from costco.. save alot of money..

I once wrote an article for the local newspaper on organic eating and, amazingly, only certain foods really benefit from being organic (milk, meat, fruits or veggies which the skin is eaten). I have known people who actually buy a "whole cow" from an organic farm as well. I found home grown veggies to be awesome!

My company also sells cloth diapers and something called Soapberries - real, little dried berries that you use in the wash - they clean your clothes (and yes, I use them). No chemicals AT ALL! You can check out the soapberries here: http://www.mymammasmilk.com/SoapBerries.html

Definately change over gradually to prevent the family from going into shock and possibly rebellion! LOL! Don't fret if you have to allow a couple of nonorganic/natural items in the house. Sometimes, it's hard to let go of favorites, even if they're bad for you. I still indulge in "forbidden" food now and then, but I suppose that if I eat 99% natural and organic, then the 1% won't hurt me. P.S., Whole Foods sells organic American Cheese, and you CAN find good deals at Whole Foods. You just have to know what conventional food costs are and compare. Also, try Farmer's Markets for good deals. If you buy the store brand organic items, then the price is much lower, and they taste great. I've enjoyed organic store brand items, such as milk, frozen vegetables, and cereal, from Whole Foods, Publix, and Kroger. For fast breakfasts, we eat organic cereal and fruit, or organic cage-free eggs, English muffins with nitrate- and hormone-free ham and organic cheese, or organic grits with cheese and scrambled eggs. Have you tried org. Pumpkin Pancakes, YUM! I bet the kids would love org. blueberry pancakes. Believe me, it took us years to make it to this point, and YES, damn those food documentaries! LOL! We're even a high-fructose corn syrup free house. Now, that was difficult!

Have you tried provolone as a substitute for American?
We don't eat everything organic, but I do make my biggest effort to buy organic if I know it is something that has been genetically engineered, or if it is a root crop. When it comes to meats, we buy from a local farm. They are not certified organic, but we know how the animals are raised. I feel completely comfortable with making soup stocks from the bones. A book that may interest you is Nourishing Traditions. After reading it, you may find yourself switching to whole milk and making your own stocks as well. Fat is not always the enemy - you need it to process fat soluble vitamins. Myself, I drink goat milk fresh from a local farm.
A wonderful and quick breakfast we often do: granola and full fat yogurt with some nuts and fruit added.
Not sure on switching from the crystal light, but perhaps try a brew with green tea instead of black as the end result would be less acidic?
An article I found recently that you may find of great interest as well... http://www.naturalnews.com/026244_food_MSG_neurotoxins.html

Good for you for becoming more food conscious! May you and your family enjoy more vibrant health for your efforts :)