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What’s in a Mason? Christmas Giving Continued…

Posted on December 10, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

We are still going along with the theme of Christmas gifting!

My mother always told me, “It is better to give than to receive,” and I truly believe that giving someone a gift from the heart is a tremendous blessing! It really is better to give!

My problem…What to give when you don’t give sugar or bake?

Since I was a small child, I baked with my mother, and then more recently on my own and with my own children. It is a Christmas tradition. I have given homemade cookies as gifts for as long as I can remember. This will be the first year that I do not hand out over 35 dozen iced sugar cookies for Christmas, and I am already hearing about it! I am known as the “Cookie Lady”, “the friend that gives us the green trees” and am often told, “My (fill in the blank) looks forward to your cookies all year long.” So, for those of you expecting cookies from me, I apologize in advance. I just felt it was hypocritical to deliver something that I know is harmful to your body. I am on track for a healthier gift this year.

Erin talked about things to give that are not necessarily edible. I want to talk about things that can be delivered in a mason jar. Why mason jars? First, they are practical, stay fresh, and reusable. Second, they can be dressed up with cute ribbons, bows, stickers, you name it – go for it on the creativity! That is, at least, half the fun. Lastly, the options are endless! We have posted many recipes that you can use in a mason jar that I will link you to below. Have fun trying out some new fun recipes that you can give to others to enjoy.

So go get your mason jars, and get ready to get creative!

I have loaded up on tomatoes, Serrano peppers, cilantro, garlic and onion for some red hot Texas salsa. This will be my main gift for teachers, helpers and neighborhood friends this year. You can find the salsa recipe here.

Another great one is the Refreshing Cukes!

They look gorgeous in a mason jar!

Another favorite is some Sugar Free Bar-B-Que Sauce! Yum!!!

Or how about a homemade salad dressing or Ranch Dip?

One of Erin’s family favorites is the Marinated Black Olives. They were amazing and gorgeous in a mason jar!

Of course you always have mixed nuts or some kind of nut medley. You can always season a roast your nuts as well. There are some fabulous recipes out there for roasted nuts.

You can also season up some cream cheese or pimento cheese and place it in the mason jar.

Last, but not least, is a touch of sweet! We can’t leave out the fat bombs!

These are so delicious, it is hard to just eat one. Best of all, you can tailor these to your needs based on what you or your friends like.

There really is no going wrong. Who ever receives your gift will certainly love it, and you will know it is healthy as well. Enjoy the holiday season filled with miracles, joy, love, and best of all, giving from the heart. Rejoice in this season of wonderment!

Posted in Dessert, Dip, Groceries, Holiday Dish, Kids, recipe, Snacks, special Occasion, tips tagged with Christmas, Gifts, Mason Jars, Olives, Sauces

Baby, It’s Cold Out There!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

It’s starting to FEEL (and look) a lot like Christmas! My favorite season of the year!

We had such a hot fall in San Antonio, I was beginning to think it would never get cooler around here, but ‘lo and behold, we finally had a great cold front! Finally!

The first cold morning around here, the kids were begging for HOT CHOCOLATE!!!

Can hot chocolate be Keto?

Absolutely!

Look at these smiling faces!

There is nothing better on a cold morning than curling up in your cozy chair with a steaming hot cup of cocoa! The kids were cozy, happy, and warm!

So how to?

Keto Hot Chocolate

Do you see that half-gallon of cream???? Oh, yes it is! Sam’s Club!

You can use more cream and less milk for more keto cocoa and thin with some more water, however, for the kiddos, I don’t mind them having whole milk.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup 100% cocoa

1/4 tsp himalayan salt

3/4 cup Swerve granular

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream

peppermint flavored Stevia to taste – I used 2 droppers full

The kids especially liked the peppermint flavor added, but you could use any flavor Stevia drops.

In a heavy large saucepan, combine all your ingredients and whisk well. Keep watch as you heat over medium heat. At the end, when everything is combined, it can boil up quickly and make a huge mess, so keep and eye on your sweet treat. When everything is combined and comes to a light boil, pour in mugs and top with sugar-free whipping cream! Yum yum delicious!

Posted in Beverage, Breakfast, Dessert, Holiday Dish, Kids, recipe, Snacks tagged with Beverage, breakfast, chocolate, cocoa, dessert, Drink, Holiday, hot chocolate, milk, treat

Feeling Good and Grateful

Posted on November 24, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

This week is Thanksgiving! Yay! Another year has (almost) flown by and I have to say this is one of my favorite holidays.

Image result for give thanks

I realize that may come off a little crazy given how strict the Ketogenic Diet can sound especially when you list off the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. But the Ketogenic way of living has given me so much more than any slice of pie ever has.

Really, I try not focus on enjoying what don’t eat and instead really enjoy every bite I put in my mouth. I no longer feel that I have to have a little of every single dish that entered the house. Thanks but no thanks on the Jellomold.

I mean, it’s pretty but…. 🙂

This year we are celebrating at my parent’s house. So, what am I going to eat?

I will likely bring a few tasty low carb options-artichoke dip, cheese crisps, full fat ranch dip, guacamole, and accompanying veggies for dipping.

I know my mom makes the best deviled eggs and marinated olives both of which are 1,000% keto friendly.

Turkey-dark meat please 🙂 I’ll pack some Kerrygold to replace the gravy if its not low carb

Image result for turkey drumstick thanksgiving

my daughter calls these meat popsicles

All the veggies and salads (less anything candied or marshmallow topped.)

Maybe I will bring a sugar free cheesecake or whipped cream…

Image result for whipped cream

I’m considering using the pizza recipe to make low carb Rosemary bread sticks-Totally fooled my dad with this on my mom’s birthday. He had no idea I was the one who made the “bread.” I love those “Gotcha! It’s low carb!” moments.

I’m actually getting fairly full thinking about all this food.

Honesty, the real plan is to enjoy the holiday, spend time with the people I love, eat, give thanks, and appreciate what life has to offer. My family actually does a super cheesy tradition where we go around the table and each person has to say what they are thankful for. It’s always interesting what people say, in the past it’s gotten a little silly,a little rowdy, and of course teary.

I can almost guarantee my four year old will be thankful for Elsa, unicorns, her kitties, and her dogs. But I can’t wait to actually hear what she has to say, fingers crossed I make the cut.

The reality is I am actually quite thankful for the Ketogenic Diet, what it has done for me, for my health, and that of my families. I am also supremely thankful for everyone that has supported me through it.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone. We all have a lot to be thankful for.

Image result for be thankful

Posted in Appetizer, Dip, Holiday Dish, Kids, Snacks, special Occasion, tips, Vegetable tagged with family, Holiday

What to Do About Those Little Ghosts and Goblins?

Posted on October 29, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Happy almost Halloween! I have to admit, this is not my favorite occasion. For obvious reasons, the sugar aspect causes issues in our family, but the doorbell that makes the dog go crazy, kids out in the dark, and then the after effect for the next two days isn’t so much fun either. I LOVE fall, but I am always happy when the 31st of October has come and gone, and there is an official start to the holiday season that awaits around the corner.

The holidays are a whole other ball game, but let’s get through Halloween first. Erin posted earlier in the week about how she handles Halloween for her daughter. We do things slightly differently, mainly because we have older children. The age/s of the child/ren in your household can make a big difference. My children are 10, 8 and 5 if that helps at all. They range from being all about Halloween and the candy, to really just wanting to be with their friends.

We are extremely fortunate to be invited to the same party with the same people every year. This helps me because I don’t have to have my internal struggle about handing out candy at my house. I have a voice in me that screams, “How can you hand out candy when you preach about sugar?” Luckily, I get to turn that recording OFF! The kids (and adults) are fortunate because we are all with friends and the focus turns to playing and visiting instead of tracking down the best candy in the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong, I let the kids trick-or-treat, but that is not our sole focus of the evening. This helps a TON!

I do have a few ideas for your weekend:

Watch the forbidden food syndrome. Unless sugar is going to have severe health consequences on your child (sort term), let them partake in trick-or-treating. These years fly by, and if they enjoy it, it is one night out of 365.
Give them a time period that candy will be allowed in the house. I tell my kids (you are not going to believe this one), “Eat what you want on Halloween, pick out a few for tomorrow, and on the third day it will magically disappear.”
Find a place to donate the candy. Yes, I know it is bad for everyone, but there ARE people that deserve a treat every once in while like our troops overseas. There are places around that will take donations (Schools, banks, etc.). They collect unwanted Halloween candy and ship it to the troops.
My friend, Mona, recently told me about the Switch Witch. You can give your kids a choice (or not) to leave their pumpkin full of candy on the front porch on Halloween night, and the Switch Witch will take the candy and exchange it for (you fill in the blank – some toy they want, baseball or football cards, dark chocolate, an iTunes gift card just to give examples). Start planning now if you want to use this idea.
Divy out a certain number of pieces for each day – and specify the number of days. Then stick to it!
Use the candy for teaching any number of things. For younger children, it is great for sorting, patterns, and counting. It is always fascinating to people how much sugar is in those little pieces of candy. This is a great time for the older children to understand conversions. Read the labels. Remember, for every 4 grams of sugar or carbs, that equals 1 teaspoon of sugar. This is a great multiplication and division activity for the older ones. You can even make up word problems about the candy. Tina, that one was for you!

No matter what you decide to do with your candy, you, just like I, will get through this day. It is one of my most dreaded, but we always power through. Your kids will be on a sugar high, but then we will be there to catch them on the way down to lift them back up with healthy foods. The best thing you can do is to have a plan in place. Figure out how and when you are going to dispose of that white powdery substance disguised as candy and follow through. Then life returns to normal.

Have a very safe and memory filled Halloween!

God Bless!

Posted in articles, Holiday Dish, Kids, Snacks, special Occasion, Sugar, tips, Treat tagged with Candy, Halloween, Holiday, sugar, tips

Two Questions Answered…

Posted on September 10, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

When we meet with clients, we most often hear, “Where do I buy that?” and “What can I pack in the kids’ lunch boxes?”

These are both very good questions, and ones that we struggled with for quite some time. Like everyone, we get stuck in our ruts with our favorites, both grocery shopping and lunch planning.

I have posted before about Costco, but after the children started back at school, I decided to go on a little adventure at Trader Joe’s. They have some fantastic deals there and some fun and different items. This is my most recent haul from TJ’s:

From left to right:

Organic Broccoli Slaw (you can find the recipe on our blog – the dressing is Keto fabulous!), Tomatoes, Seaweed “crackers” (these are great for soft cheeses – just spread and wrap), Coconut Milk, Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce, Organic Heavy Whipping Cream, Mushrooms, Sliced Brussel Sprouts, Crunchy Salted Peanut Butter with Flax and Chia Seeds (for the kids), Artichoke Antipasto, Marinated Olives, Whole Milk Yogurt, REAL Stevia, Basil (their spices are a bargain), Whole Brussel Sprouts.

The whole reason I went to Trader Joe’s was to get our favorite snack though:

YUM!!!! The Rosemary are our favorite!!!

Other great finds at TJ’s are produce, meats, cheeses – lots of cheeses – we especially like the marinated fresh mozzarella, other nuts and seeds – love the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, other items I have yet to find! Please share your favorites with us!

All of my kids are back in school! It is a jolt after a long summer, but we all love to be back in a routine.

Here are our first day shots:

Carolyn is doing her first round of Kinder this year, and loving every minute! She just turned 5 years old.

Colton is on the left – he is our middle child (and loves to tell us about it). He just started third grade, and is 8 years old. Chaz is now in 5th grade (where does the time go?). He is 10 years old and our most Keto-adapted of the three.

I only share them so that you know, I am, where many of you are, in this adventure and blessing of parenthood. It is a challenge, but oh so rewarding! They have adapted very well to our Keto lifestyle, although I do not force it on them when they are not under our roof. Generally, as their mother, I can control most of what they eat, but it is important to us (my husband and I) that they do not feel singled out, denied or forbidden. We do not want to create that “forbidden fruit” syndrome where as soon as they are away from us they run to the nearest donut or candy shop. They know how they feel when they eat healthy, and the they know how they feel when they eat sugar, so we advise – not demand. Our hope is, that through our constant example, they will learn to make healthy eating decisions on their own. I have not heard one complaint about the lunch box yet!!!

I thought it would be helpful to share how we have been packing lunch over the past week since we started back to school.

Staples in the lunch box always include:

A Protein – Steak, Fajita Meat, Pepperoni, Salami, Nut Butter, Lettuce Tacos, etc.

Cheese – Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Baby Bels, Sliced Cheese, Cheese Cubes

Nuts – Mixed Nuts, Cashews, Almonds, Macadamias

A Drink – Milk, Water, Sparkling Water

Other Add-Ins: Olives, Whole Milk Yogurt, Chia Squeeze (a little high in sugar for everyday, but good fiber and a treat for the kiddos), Dark Chocolate (85% or higher), Berries.

Leftovers are great, and often their favorite.

I suggest a quality thermos and decent ice packs. I always warm the thermos for hot food items by filling the cavity with simmering water for about 5 minutes. Discard the water and fill with hot food. It will stay hot until lunch this way.

This is what lunch looked like for my children today:

The blue ice pack is on the bottom. The white foil is a cup of sliced salami, mixed nuts, water, leftover steak, and blackberries. There is some cheese in there too!

This is the Thermos I use above, and the two types of cheeses I packed. They will usually eat one for lunch and save the other for snack on the way home.

The last of the lunch boxes – this is the whole milk kefir on top (yes – it has added sugar, but is a treat filled with great healthy fat just for the KIDS), blackberries, and yummy hot leftover chicken curry in the thermos!

Each child is a little different, and we are always coming up with new things we like and they like. Stay connected, and we will try to send out our newest, greatest ideas. We would love to hear from you too! What low-sugar healthy foods do your kids love?

Posted in articles, Groceries, Health, Kids, Lunch, Sauces and Dressing, Snacks, tips, Uncategorized tagged with Almonds, Broccoli Slaw, kids, lunch, Lunch Box, School, shopping, Shopping List, Snacks, Trader Joe's

Miss Cereal? Try This…

Posted on September 3, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

The school year is off to a start, and Labor Day is here, which means the official end of summer. There are both cheers and boos, pros and cons.

One of the biggest cons is that, all to familiar, morning rush once again. The days of cereal boxes and skim milk are long gone for many of us. If you have heard us speak in a group, you are familiar with our “Trifecta of Sugar” lecture.

A typical morning breakfast cereal topped with fruit has the glucose from the cereal, lactose from the milk and fructose from your fruit. Bad, bad and more bad leading to a day of cravings and carb loading, no doubt. If you start your day with carbs and sugar, you will crave more carbs and sugar as you go through your day, leading to that downward spiral as the day moves on.

What else can you have for breakfast on those busy mornings when you don’t have time to scramble, fry or poach? Try faux “cereal”! We have tried it, the kids have tried it, and it is family approved. The best part – you can make it ahead and seal it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It is ready to go for a breakfast in a hurry! Top with some heavy cream, and you are set for half the day if you eat it along side your bulletproof coffee to tea.

It is super simple to make, and you can really make it your own just by adding your favorite low-carb ingredients. Try a little, and let us know what you think!

Faux Cereal

Your ingredients and portions can vary. Mix it to your liking.

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

2 Tbsp Kerrygold

1 Tbsp Swerve

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp Celtic salt

Directions:

Toast your coconut flakes, watching carefully so not to brown to deeply.

Chop all your nuts finely and lightly toast.

Melt the Kerrygold in a cast iron skillet.

Toss your nuts in the melted butter, and sauté until fragrant. Add your toasted coconut, Swerve and seasonings. Toss all your ingredients in the butter until everything is mixed and coated.

Allow it to cool and then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

This can be served as a dessert over whipping cream or for a breakfast cereal with cream.

Enjoy!

Posted in articles, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Health, Kids, recipe, Side Dish, Snacks, tips tagged with breakfast, brunch, Cereal, coconut, dessert, Faux Cereal, nuts, snack

Back to School – Snack Time!

Posted on August 24, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

It is hard to believe that school has arrived once again!

I have one that started today and two that start in a couple of weeks. It is funny how that same old routine starts immediately. The one thing that stumps people the most in this rut of a routine is SNACK time! What do you serve for snacks when you don’t eat carbs? This one was tough at first, but it is much of the same foods that I pack in a low-carb lunchbox, so you can use this article as a means for both.

First off, toss the juice boxes – PLEASE! Those are loaded with sugar!

What about just water? If your child refuses plain water, try infusing it with fruit or cucumbers, or see if they like a sparkling water like La Croix. Mine think it is a treat! There are a ton of flavors from which to choose, so your family will never get bored.

Next, go through your pantry (or call us to do it) and toss the chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, and goldfish – yep, I said it – even the goldfish. They are all carbs and carbs = sugar!

Your body doesn’t even know the difference between the two!

So, what do you feed the kiddos when you don’t have goldfish?

There are a ton of options, many of which we have posted before, but we will remind you!

This is the number one favorite in the Lutz household:

Veggies with Ranch Dip

Obviously, mine love the mini-peppers!

Other great dips to serve with vegetables are spinach dip, artichoke dip and pimento cheese. The later is a great lunch option as well!

Cheese crackers with salsa or guacamole is another favorite in our house.

Don’t forget about the yummy olives we posted last week too!

Sometimes if I want to dress things up a bit, I will do a nice cheese sampler tray. This is great for the little tastebuds too and fancy enough for company!

Another fun snack is the savory fat bombs. I was able to find some great snacks at Costco that were cheese and meat wrapped up together similar to a fat bomb. They are cute and would work great in a lunchbox as well.

A few other great options:

Cheese sticks or Baby Bells

Lunch meat (or the two together!) Choose your meat carefully. Stay away from the pre-sliced – get the quality meat (Such as Boar’s Head) in the deli and have it sliced thinly for wrapping. Watch for Nitrates and other additives.

Pickles

Refreshing Cukes

Celery and Queso

Whole milk yogurt (for the kids)

Jerky or beef sticks

A variety of nuts (w/out peanuts)

Stuffed mushrooms

Celery and nut butter

Deviled or Boiled Eggs

Sausage on a Stick

These are just a few of many options! Hopefully this will get you started in this back-to -school rush time! Don’t be afraid to try new things and push your kiddos to expand their palates a little. We hope everyone has a great beginning to the school year. Remember to be strong and eat right! You (and your children) need to eat healthy to be healthy! Happy Back-to-School week!

Feel free to drop us a note in the comments section if you have a question about lunch or snacks. Chances are, someone else is wondering the same thing! Also, feel free to share some of your favorites!

Posted in Appetizer, articles, Beverage, Dip, Health, Kids, Lunch, Sauces and Dressing, Snacks, tips, Vegetable tagged with Appetizers, Back to School, Carbs, Fat bombs, mushrooms, nuts, Snacks, water

A Dip to Rival Hidden Valley Ranch

Posted on August 20, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Well, by now, if you have been following us, you know how we feel about artificial sweeteners and those other sneaky names used so you won’t know that sugar is in the ingredient list.

Believe it or not, those sneaky names are in the fine print of many pantry items you never would have imagined. For instance, my family used to love it when I mixed in the little seasoning packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip and Dressing mix with sour cream for a yummy dip to serve with vegetables. One of the main ingredients I discovered, as soon as I went Keto and started looking at the back of packages, is Maltodextrin.

A little about Maltodextrin: It is a food additive derived from corn, rice, potatoes, or wheat and therefore a carbohydrate. It ranks higher than table sugar on the glycemic index – 106 to 136 depending on the derived source and is in a TON of packaged foods! This means that it will spike your blood sugar levels so beware and read those labels.

It became a mission of mine and that of a few of our followers to find a better way to make ranch dressing and dip. One of the best parts of Keto is freeing yourself from all of those tasteless, chemical ridden low-fat salad dressings! You actually get to eat the real thing as long as it is real food. The Maltodextrin kind of ruined that for us though. Thanks to one of my friends and fellow ketoers, Kelley, we have found the solution! This may be even better than Hidden Valley Ranch, and it is a seasoning blend that can be used in other sauces or dressings as well. I did some minor tweaking, and we all think it is delicious. We hope you enjoy!

Ranch Dressing Seasoning

1 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 TBSP Onion Powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 TBSP dried parsley

1/4 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp dried dill weed (with a little extra for garnish)

1/2 tsp dried mustard seed

To mix into a dressing or dip, the possibilities are endless.

For a dip, I use the traditional 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup sour cream.

If you want to make it into a dressing, you can put all of the above ingredients into a blender and add some half and half or cream to liquify it slightly.

Modifications you can make are to add some fresh parsley instead of the dry, add some cilantro to the dressing, or even spice it up with some jalapeños or your favorite peppers. This is super easy if you use the blender! The possibilities for making this your own are endless, nutritious, and beautifully Ketogenic! Have fun with it, and enjoy!

These are Cindy’s boys! This dip with mini peppers is one of their favorite after school snacks!

Posted in Appetizer, Dip, Holiday Dish, Kids, Lunch, recipe, Sauces and Dressing, Side Dish, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with appetizer, Artificial, Dip, Dressing, Hidden Valley, kid friendly, kids, Maltodextrin, Ranch, snack, vegetables

A Tasty Snack for All Occasions

Posted on August 17, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Family gatherings are so fun, and a great way to pick up new recipes. At every family event over at Erin’s house her mother would bring these amazing olives. I finally asked for the recipe and have made them several times now. Her mom gave us permission to use this recipe in our catalog of many. They are a great Keto/Paleo appetizer or snack. Everyone is always looking for snack ideas, and this is a great one you can leave out on the counter after school if you have olive eaters in the house!

Marinated Olives

2 cans medium to large (not jumbo) black, green, or a mixture of olives (Drained)

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

4 bay leaves

Directions:

Mix together your oil and vinegar.

Mince or chop your garlic and thyme. I really prefer the fresh thyme on these.

Add all your spices to your oil mixture and combine well.

Drain and add your cans of olives.

These are beautiful and yummy to serve. The garlic gives them a nice kick. Bring them to room temperature before serving. You can also invert the jar occasionally to let the spices cover all the olives.

We store these in a mason jar for a couple of weeks in the fridge if they last that long.

Posted in Appetizer, Holiday Dish, Kids, recipe, Side Dish, Snacks, Uncategorized tagged with appetizer, Entertaining, garlic, keto, kids, Marinated, Olives, paleo, Party Food, recipe, snack

Camp Time!

Posted on July 17, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Last Sunday I sent my two oldest children off to camp in another state. They were super excited about their time at camp except for one thing…the food!

It is kind of funny that this was somewhat upsetting to them considering other children look forward to the pancakes at breakfast, chicken fried steak, and the candy store. Other children that go to this camp rave about the food, but mine, of course, were anxious. I have to admit, it makes me a little anxious too, but so proud of them at the same time for knowing that they understand the foods that fuel their bodies best. If you read my post recently about my children refusing the almond flour muffins it makes sense.

My oldest is definitely Keto-adapted. The other two have a way to go, but my middle child would be closer if not given outside choices. As parents, it is virtually impossible to keep our children healthy at all times. Erin and I have a 90/10 rule. If you are sugar-free and Keto-adapted 90% of the time, forgive yourself for the other 10%. Many times it can’t be helped if you are away from home also. If my children are 75%/25%, I am happy. I can’t control everything that happens at birthday parties, grandparent’s homes, and eating out with friends, nor do I try. Don’t get me wrong, I am a bit of a control freak, but I know a bad ending when I see it coming! The last thing we want to create is the forbidden fruit syndrome. They need to experience the difference in how food makes them feel to make them WANT to eat healthy. This takes time, just as it does for us. My goodness, it took me over 35 years to figure it out! Hopefully with our guidance it won’t take our children as long.

Once they figure out that carbs and sugar make them feel badly, it becomes much easier. That is, until camp time; or really anytime they are away from home for a prolonged period of time! I tried to counsel them about food choices before they left. I thought about requesting no sugar from the camp, but my husband talked me out of it saying this is their time to be kids. Again, the 75/25 for them, and he was right. My prayer is that they always make good choices, and just like most other bad choices, they will feel the consequences of them quickly if they decide to buy three candy bars and a gatorade at the camp store for snack. I have to admit, I am really curious to see how it goes. This is a lot of freedom for them.

The best advice I could give them was to remember the foods we eat at home and try to mimic them. If everything is fried or brown, go for the salad bar option and pile on the proteins and full-fat salad dressings to make sure you are energized. Instead of the cinnamon rolls and waffles at breakfast, remember how much better and energized you feel when you choose eggs and bacon for breakfast. They can skip the extra bread, have two patties instead of a bun, and go for extra veggies instead of the mashed potatoes. Pick the bag of nuts or sunflower seeds in the camp store instead of a candy bar or crackers. They know how food makes them feel now, so now is the time to put that into play. I think we all realize there will be days when there may not be a better choice, but that is okay too.

As many of us send our kids off for a few weeks, we pray for their safety, lasting friendships, spiritual growth, and growth as individuals. Encourage them to make good choices in all aspects of life including nutrition. Know, however, that if they can’t always make good healthy eating decisions, it is okay. The most important thing that you can do as a parent in teaching them, as in so many other aspects of life, is modeling. If you are making good eating choices in front of them, and cooking good healthy, low-sugar meals for them when they are sitting at YOUR table, you are making a world of difference in their futures. They will have those memories of dinnertime rituals at your table forever and carry those on to future generations. So set those examples at home, and with a little hope and a lot of prayer, let’s look forward to a future generation of very healthy eaters that can make great decisions on their own.

Happy summer!

Posted in articles, Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner, Eating Out, Health, Kids, Snacks, Sugar, tips tagged with Camp, Carbs, Choices, Healthy Eating, Keto-Adapted, kids, Summer, Teaching, tips

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