I wouldn't give myself an A by far. DH and I are trying to lose a few pounds so we have cut out the potatoes and rice and bread. Mostly eating protein and veggies and just a little bit of carbs. So far it seems to be working.

Many if not most of the KTers know that I could be described as eating medicinally these days--it's all about health. Fortunately, most healthy foods taste good to me.

I didn't give much thought to healthy eating when I was young, though--until I had a baby, joined La Leche League, and went to one of their regular nutrition meetings. That got me started reading about families and food.

When my children were growing up we all ate healthy all the time. We grew a huge garden and preserved as much of it as possible. My DH had a soyfoods business, primarily manufacturing tofu. We belonged to a natural foods co-op. I used to say we ate mostly "ethnic peasant food."

I did a lot of baking with whole grains, and sweetened with honey or our own homemade maple syrup. I cooked three times a day, every day, everything from scratch, and loved it. I raised three children with adventurous tastebuds. We ate Asian food, Middle Eastern food, you name it. The kids were never afraid to try something new.

Those were my good old days!

I'm not an 'A' either. I'm constantly working on it. My mom is from Iowa and growing up we were meat and potatoes people. I married a Southerner who likes chicken and rice. Cooking is a constant battle trying to find foods we like and are healthy.

I've tried going the route where we mainly eat fresh fruits, veggies and basic meats. My kid will eat that kind of stuff, but it gets old and labor intensive. I had cut out a lot of breads, pastas, potaoes, frying, and 'cream of' soups. Now that I'm trying to keep more longer shelf life food in my pantry, I find myself going back to them.

I try to keep a lot of the fresh fruits and veggies and yogurt and string cheese in the fridge for snacks. I don't buy many ready made snacks even for school lunches. I don't buy white bread. My kids eat whole wheat or whole grain bread that I buy from the thrift bread store. One thing I need to do is cook up chicken or turkey for lunches. The deli meats aren't all that healthy.

We eat a lot of the healthier vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans and salad. We eat potatoes and corn too, but try to limit them as they aren't as healthy.

As other posters mentioned above, we eat ethnic foods. My kids will try new things as long as they aren't spicy. They love edamame and salsa. I sometimes try at home recipes where I control what goes into it.

I go in cycles, but have stuck with some things, like skim milk, canola oil and whole grain breads. Most of the time I buy whole grain pastas but sometimes out of conveinence I grab the regular wheat type. I normally buy white breast ground turkey instead of beef but fluctuate at times. We eat alot of green foods, brocali, greens, spinach, brussel sprouts, soy beans in the pod etc...but not enough fruit. It's hard to find good, non-rotten fruit in the grocery stores in KY. So, sometimes I just buy the canned stuff that's packed in water.

I do buy quick fixing stuff for the kids to make on the days I work, in case I don't make some big-pot-of-something that lasts 2 or 3 days. I know it's not healthy so I'm trying to find alternatives.

Even though I live in Iowa now, I still eat a California diet. I happen to be a vegetarian who eats fish. I only get around to cooking fish once every couple of weeks. There is really nothing wrong with pastas, it's usually the sauces that aren't so healthy. Sweet potatoes, instead of white potatoes are excellent baked.
I am shocked at what so many Iowans eat, fried foods, 2 or 3 starches with a meal, etc. Lots of Iowans are overweight.
A good family meal in warmer weather is a salad with cooked chicken added. Low fat and non-fat salad dressings taste really good.
I buy low fat everything except for milk which I buy non-fat.
There are lots of paperback cook books with healthy recipes that are tasty.

I'd probably give myself a A- or a B lately. I've been following a higher carb, low fat diet for the past month. So no junk food and no sweets.. but lots of multi grain breads, low fat yogurt and cheeses, chicken, loads of vegetables, olive oil.. beef or pork once in a while and a few beers on the weekend. The diet is working so far... 15 lbs. gone in about 6 weeks.

I've always been a pretty healthy eater, but with weight to lose, I'm really focused on eliminating anything questionable.
For lunch I had hummus with half a whole wheat pita, carrots and beet greens.
Tonight I'll have a salad with some baked tofu squares and a little feta, and a whole wheat roll. These days I'm just using a little balsamic for dressing.
I'd take a little steps, rather than trying to do everything at once.
For example, you could reduce the meat serving portion, while adding another vegetable. Or start replacing sour cream with lowfat or nonfat yogurt. On spaghetti night, gradually substitute WW spaghetti for white. If your family eats burgers, try WW buns, or try some veggie burgers one night. Start adding simple steamed veggies to every meal - this takes almost no time and is so much healthier than adding breadcrumbs or canned soup or bacon fat.
It is so easy for an infdividual to change their own habits, but changing a whole family's habits is mcuh more of a challenge and a longer term transition - but instilling helathy eating habits is a life long gift to your kids.
Good luck!

I'm not a A either. But I'm trying to get my diabetes under better control and Gary and I are both trying to bring down our weight. Luckily, we (and Emi) all love salads and we all love veggies - almost all of them.

I try to stay away from prepackaged meals (Hamburger helper, dried boxed potato mixes, etc). We cook a variety of meat, beef, pork, chicken, and occasionally fish. I'd like to include more fish but don't because Emi doesn't like it at all.

We serve a lettuce/veggie mix salad or spinich salad at least 3-4 times a week. We try to always include one or even two other veggies with a meal. I cook the veggies in the microwave and don't generally add butter or salt.

Emi and I drink skim milk. Gary's not a milk drinker.

We also keep plenty of fresh fruit on hand. Gary and I eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruit a day. Emi, not so much.

We generally have desert only on weekends, unless it's diet jello or pudding.

We also do a lot of homemade soups in winter.

I also try to control portion size by dishing up the plates and serving them, rather than eating 'family style'. Doesn't always work as we soometimes go get a little more as a second serving.

I TRY!

I'd say we were a B-, but now with my organic/veggie loving niece living with us we are an A-. We had vegetarian lentil soup for dinner. We eat red meat no more than once a week. I prefer low carb. Ironically, I've gained 3 pounds since my niece arrived because we are eating more carbs. Carbs are evil for me. Maybe they work for others, but not me. (by carbs I mean bread, pasta, rice, potatos).

I think I eat healthy. I have eaten no red meat in 25 years, eat mostly fruits and veggies and whole grains, no processed foods, rarely desserts, no soda ever, and a lot of fish and chicken.

I eat a normal balanced diet. I try to watch my caloric intake and not over-indulge in empty calories. I don't like fats so they are not a problem for me. In fact I have to be sure to get enough healthy fats into me every day.

I don't see giving up red meat as healthy for anyone. There are lean cuts available and women especially need the iron. All my no red meat eating friends are on medication. I'm not. My blood pressure is low and my cholesterol is fine. If I go for more than a couple of days without red meat I feel ill.

I am over-weight and working on it. I love veggies,meat,most fish and potatoes. I want variety of taste,color and texture. One dish meals make me ill. So I have been eating similar to a diabetic these days except without having to worry about blood sugars.

For the cooking part I can give myself an A, but for the eating part, I would slip down to a F, cause of the ice cream thing.

My girlfriend and I go and buy a half gallon of ice cream at the local ice cream shop, sit down and eat the WHOLE thing in one sitting.

Granted not often, maybe once or twice a year.. but....

Cooking, we no longer have crisco, bacon, butter, whole milk or cream in the house. I also don't fry. The oil we use is grapeseed oil. It's touted to be one of the "good" oils.

Just about everything is bought fat free, or low fat. And no chips in the house either, and I don't drink pop.

The only thing I don't seem to be able to cut out myself is chocolate.

Any other questions?

:)

Moni

Depends on what your idea of healthy is.

I like Alisande eat for my what makes my body feel right. I'm finding that is very different things from the "norm".

I don't have a grade, because I'm still working on eating a new way.

Solid C. I try to shop, cook and eat healthy. Lots of fruits and vegetables-and only lean meat, poultry or lean beef, good fresh fish when I can get it. My two daughters are vegetarians, so it's "interesting" to say the least. They rarely eat home. But they raid my refrigerator and pantry when they are here.

i would definitely get an A, but take into consideration I am a dietitian and am currently in treatment for colon cancer.... it would make sense...
I agree red meat needs to be eaten in moderation. Memorial Sloan kettering has done the studies and says 18 ounces a week should be the limit otherwise you are putting yourself at high risk for a myriad of cancers particularly colon, not to mention heart disease etc.. It is actually the heme iron in the red meat that is the culprit. Although everyone does need iron, iron can also be bad for us especially if we are fighting cancer.
In my case i believe stress caused my disease, and not my diet, but even though i have always eaten pretty healthy, now my whole family is on the bandwagon and we eat super healthy. When i grill we make sure to marinade everything, and eat a vit c source to negate any carcinogens. We don't eat any deli meats or products with nitrites/nitrates in them (carcinogens) We eat red meat no more than twice a week-otherwise it is chicken, turkey, or a meatless meal like whole wheat spaghetti or egg white omelettes. We have 2 veg at very meal and a large fruit bowl out at each meal as well. WE eat ALOT of berries. I have never liked whole wheat bread in the past but i have found sara lee's classic whole wheat to be wonderfully soft and even my kids love it.. We limit dairy to 2 cups of milk a day, and carbs to no more than 3-4 a meal (for insulin control)..
We do splurge sometimes... when we go out to eat which is only like every other week we eat whatever we want, and i allow my kids one "good" snack a day like ice cream or a brownie or potato chips or whatever.. You have to have some fat...and some sugar because i feel you have to enjoy life too...

we don't, but dd2 has kids that ask for more "cauli-flower" and have tried brussel sprouts, lol...they're 3 1/2 and 1 1/2...

dh eats much better than i do..

Today wasn't healthy! Bruesters Ice Cream for a cup of chocolate raspberry truffle.

Well, I didn't get in a cone!

Thanks. My next grocery run I will swap whole grain versions for the "white" grains I have been serving. I have done that before, just gave in and went back when DH whined. I'll just tell him to suck it up. LOL. I will also go back to another thing I tried for awhile then got lazy. I used to put out a tray of fresh fruits and vegies while I finished cooking the meal. My kids and I and sometimes even DH would munch on that without even thinking. I'd have a serving of fruit/vegie in the kids before the meal even started. It worked so well, it is just time consuming to maintain that. But it's worth it. Everyone is hungry enough at that time to munch on whatever I put out.

I dont drink soda much. Once or twice a month and then its 8 oz or less. I drink unsweet iced tea b/c that is what I like, not a sacrifce for health. Lucky that is just what I prefer. But I do drink too much sweet, creamy coffee. So I bought fat free milk and sugar sub to make my lattes ftom now on.

Gardenspice, thank you for your comment tbat it is harder to change tbe habits of a family! That is so true. Especially when in the case of DH it is against his will. Lol. The kids mighr not like some of tbe choices I make for them, but they are sort of at my mercy.

I just need to make the changes I know we need to make, gradually, and hold my ground when I get resistance. I do all the shopping and cooking, so I have the steering wheel on this. I do not enjoy the cooking, though. I try, but I like it simple. I dont like to put more time into it than it takes to eat it, know what I mean?

Stephanie -
When he whines, give him a big ol' kiss and say, "Honey, it is because I want you here with me for a long time to come!"

On the WW pasta - you can start by mixing 1/3 in , then move up to 1/2... etc. I bet at 1/3 they won't even notice.

Polar princess is right about finding the right bread - some of it is wonderful and some is like cardboard - so try a few.

let us all know how Project Healthy Eating goes in your household!