Laptop Television Mom

Food Revolution

About a year ago, I sat down to watch the premiere of celebrity chef Jaime Oliver’s new television show called Food Revolution, where he attempted to dramatically change the eating habits of one American town. Episode after episode, I learned about American eating habits, and more importantly, how we feed our children. I was prepared to end the season with a “holier than thou” opinion about how nutritiously I feed my family compared to the rest of the world.

Well, I did discover how well I feed my family… and how poorly I feed myself. I finally recognized that I was preparing my daughter’s organic sandwiches and fresh fruit for lunch, while grabbing an over-processed breakfast bar for myself on the way out the door. My daughter drank organic, low-fat milk; I was guzzling diet sodas. Was it possible to be absolutely conscientious and a complete wreck at the same time? Well, yes it was.

I detailed my experience in a post for Silicon Valley Moms Blog, which can be found HERE. And with the new season of Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution underway, I am taking another look at the food in my home, with a focus on how I educate and talk to my six-year-old daughter about food.

Practice what I Preach

I am proud of how I have learned to better incorporate healthy food into our family. I follow Jaime’s advice and ensure are eating whole foods, and remembering foods like “real” potatoes are okay. I have embraced my crock pot for cooking lean meats that are juicy and flavorful. I even made my first Indian dish in a crock pot! (Might be sacrilegious to my Indian friends, but the meal was delicious!) I always serve a fresh vegetable or salad with the meat.

I’m also more aware of snacks and sweets with my daughter. When she says she is hungry and wants a cookie, I ask her if she is really hungry or if she is craving something sweet to eat. I am fine with sweet cravings (we all have them), but want her to know there are bananas for hunger and a small ice cream sandwich when she just wants to satisfy a sweet-tooth.

My next challenge: stopping late-night snacking when the kid is in bed and I am up working. Hand’s down, this is one of my worst habits. I am working on solving this problem as I type…

Finding Inspiration

I love, love, love Jaime Oliver. I think he is witty and smart and driven. I admire his willingness to engage with his supporters on all levels, including a brief conversation with me over Twitter. I also discovered a teen star who has taken on a similar cause, and at the same time, found an external inspiration for my child (one to accompany the ongoing lessons from her mom of course.)

I recently spoke to Reed Alexander, also known as the nasty Neville from Nickelodeon’s iCarly, who recently transformed his diet and exercise program in an effort to increase overall health and energy. After losing 15 pounds and discovering boundless energy, Reed decided to translate his experience for other kids and created his own health and fitness program. Reid explained his experience with big-brands like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, and found they were too “adult focused” for his liking, so he created KewlBites for kids. Information and resources can be found HERE.

Reed Alexander

I like what Reed is doing. He message is about empowering kids, getting them into the kitchen to cook and learn about food, and finding time to exercise. His message is similar to Jaime Oliver’s message, so my hope is that Reid can reach millions of teens like Jaime has reached millions of adults.

And for the record, I have to say that Reed was absolutely delightful! He is a polite, gracious and humble 16-year-old star. He even spared a few minutes to talk to my daughter – and uber-iCarly fan – over the phone.

Here’s to healthy cooking and good eating!

- LTV Mom

Photo Credits: Food Revolution, found on ABC 8/7c and ContactMusic.com