Healthy snacks for moms and kids: Diaper bag snack hacks
We aren’t going many places these days due to the extent of the pandemic in SoCal (except for the park and grocery pick-up), but now that the 8-month-old is eating solids, keeping snacks on hand for all of us is key ;)
Here’s what I prioritize for each of us:
Me: high protein + fats to keep me full. I love premier protein drinks, perfect bars, and the dark chocolate + nuts individual packets from Trader Joes. If I’m eating breakfast on the go, I like a protein drink + a banana. If I’m getting starbucks, I love their egg white egg bites.
Four year old: She loves applesauce pouches, pirates booty, banana, and yogurt. We also do clementine oranges, apple slices, or carrot sticks. For pouches be sure to look for no sugar added options, they can have a surprising amount of added sugar.
8-month-old: I typically bring a container with dry baby oatmeal, then add in applesauce and spoon feed. He also loves bananas and pears. If he’s feeding himself, I break up pieces of cheese or soft fruit.
Other healthy snack ideas:
carrot sticks
string cheese
wheat crackers with cheese
celery sticks
almonds
popcorn (not for babies/toddlers)
dry cheerios
berries
yogurt (pay attention to the sugar content)
trail mix
apple slices
pirates booty
sugar snap peas
sliced bell peppers
pretzels
sliced melon
beef jerky
sliced deli meat with cheese
rice cakes with peanut butter and fruit
olives
apple chips
dried fruit
cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
grapes (cut up for kids under 5)
raisins
hummus with veggies and crackers
pirates booty
ants on a log
boom chicka pop
boiled egg
energy balls (oats, nut butter, honey, etc.)
For more info on what I’m feeding my family, follow me on instagram @cassandrapadgett.co
Mindful Eating Made Easy (for moms!)
What is mindful eating? It’s the practice of slowing down, enjoying your food, and listening to your hunger and fullness cues (aka not eating because you’re bored).
It sounds pretty simple, but after a lifetime of emotional eating or rushed meals it can be a challenge to put into practice!
Here are 4 simple steps to help you begin to practice mindful eating.
Don’t skip meals (or get too hungry between meals). Yes fasting is a big trend, and if that works for you…awesome! Most people tend to get over hungry when going too long between meals, and getting too hungry can lead to big cravings or over-indulging. (Ever showed up to a restaurant starving and devour the bread basked in 1.5 minutes?? Or is that just me ;))
Eating foods that are satisfying (like protein and fiber) can keep you feeling full for longer so you don’t feel like you need to be constantly eating.SLOW DOWN! This can be tricky in our go-go-go world… especially if you are eating with kids ;) Slowing down can allow you to notice your hunger and fullness cues, which is crucial for developing a habit of mindful eating. You may have heard it takes 20 minutes for your body to digest your food… slowing down allows you to notice if you are actually starting to feel satisfied vs just eating because the food is there, etc.
Put down the distractions. Turn off the screens, put down the book, and enjoy your meal! Distracted eating can lead to overeating or not feeling satisfied when the meal is done. Enjoy conversation or simply notice the taste of your food if enjoying a meal alone. This is a great habit to have when eating with your kids too! It allows the family to be connected and can help your kids develop their own habit of mindful eating.
You don’t have to clear your plate! I know, I know… this was the golden rule for previous generations. But forcing yourself (or telling your kids) to clear the plate = not listening to hunger and fullness cues. Slowing down and noticing when you’re satisfied should be what tells you that you are “done”… not when the food is gone. This is especially key in restaurants where serving sizes are large and the food is yummy ;). If you are concerned about food waste, start with a smaller portion. If you’re at a restaurant with large portions, as the server to pre-bag half the meal or split your meal.
Developing a habit of mindful eating can be tricky if you have a habit of emotional eating. I help my clients learn to overcome emotional eating + practice healthy nutrition habits so they can raise kids who have a healthy relationship with food. Want to learn more about modeling healthy habits for your kiddos? Follow along on instagram :)
p.s. get my free ebook on how to stop stress eating by clicking below.
The #1 Mistake moms when trying to lose weight that ALWAYS backfires
I’ve seen it time and time again.
The most common mistake moms make when it comes to trying to lose the baby weight is rapid RESTRICTION. She decides to cut out full food groups. No more dairy, grains, carbs, sugar, etc.
Now this strategy might lead to weight loss AT FIRST. And that’s why you come back for more.
Some people say “I lost 10 lbs when I cut out sugar.”
But they forget that the weight came right back… and then some, when they re-introduced it into their diet.
The people who get STUCK in the yo-yo cycle are the ones who are constantly trying new ways to restrict. … As if ONE food group is the entire reason for any weight gain.
Unfortunately, this strategy can lead to BINGEING or an unhealthy relationship with food… or simply, the weight comes back after the food is reintroduced.
Because let’s be honest. Unless you are TRULY allergic to a food (or you have a STRONG ethical reason, like going veganism, vegetarian, etc.) it’s highly unlikely you will NEVER eat something again.
You may have great success cutting the food out at first. You get it out of the house. You stop buying it altogether. You get used to ordering special things on restauraunt menus.
But then it’s your best friend's birthday party with a cake from your favorite bakery. Or you go on vacation. Or your mom makes her famous pie for Christmas. Or your neighbor drops off a meal after you have a baby. Or it’s your anniversary, and your husband makes reservations at your favorite Italian restaurant.
And then it’s “oh just this time”. “Not too much”. And sometimes its….
I haven’t had cake in FOREVER and now I want the WHOLE thing!!!***
It’s the same thing that happens when you restrict your kids from sugar or chips. WHen they get it… they binge.
So what’s a better solution?
First of all… food is meant to be ENJOYED. It’s a great part of life. We have traditions and lots of emotions and memories tied to food. Cutting out a whole food group is a great way to make yourself MISERABLE.
Further, the way our brain doesn’t work in “negatives”. If I tell you NO more cake… you want cake. If I say whatever you do, don’t think about soda- you want soda.
By focusing on RESTRICTION… we end up becoming obsessed with food.
If cutting food groups out isn’t the answer, then what is?
Enter: MINDFUL eating
The practice of mindful eating means eating what you enjoy, and stopping when you’re satisfied. Not when your plate is empty. Not when allll the food is gone. When you are satisfied… like 80% full.
The people who are able to maintain a healthy weight for years (decades) have one thing in common… they have a healthy relationship with food.
They aren’t obsessing over what they are eating. They eat what they enjoy, but NOT because they are emotional. They don’t make a habit of stress eating, or using food to manage their emotions or cope with stress.
What’s so great about mindful eating??
When you stop when you’re full… you don’t over eat, which means you aren’t taking in too many calories (aka no more weight gain)
No foods are off limits!! Enjoy your favorite foods with NO guilt
You can go on vacation, go to parties, ENJOY life… without stressing about food or worrying about weight gain.
You see… our bodies are actually GREAT at telling us how much food we need. We have hunger and fullness hormones for that reason. But when we get used to stress eating, binge eating, bored eating etc… our hunger and fullness cues get blury.
So HOW in the world can you practice mindful eating?? Here are 3 tips:
SLOW down. As moms, we tend to eat FAST to take care of our little ones. Put your fork down between bites, and try to TASTE your food.
On that note… SAVOR your food. Notice the textures, the colors, the taste, the flavors, etc. It makes the eating experience more enjoyable, and you end up feeling more satisfied
Put your phone down. Close your laptop. Turn off the tv. Distracted eating = not satisfied after eating, and also usually means OVER eating.
For more tips for how to quit the diet cycle (+learn why willpower is NOT the answer, and what to do instead) download my free ebook below!
Source: weightloss
A nutrition Coach's Guide to mindful eating
One of the first habits I discuss with my coaching clients is intuitive or mindful eating. What is mindful eating? It’s the process of taking time and paying attention to what you are eating and why you are eating it.
Have you ever sat down for lunch or a snack in front of the tv and the next thing you know your food is all gone? That is not eating mindfully- that is mindless eating.
Eating mindfully involves sitting down, chewing your food, breathing, enjoying, and stopping before you are 100% full.
You might be wondering, do you really need to use your intuition to eat?
Isn't eating something that should come naturally? Yes, however due to being told various food "rules", yo-yo dieting, eating while distracted, using food as a tool for dealing with emotional issues, and having access to gigantic portion sizes, most people forget how to eat intuitively.
Because of our go-go-go lifestyle, most people inhale food. Combine that with emotional eating and the insane body standards our culture has placed on us, and it’s no wonder we don’t trust ourselves to just eat and are always looking for the next meal plan or diet.
Eating mindfully helps you to feel connected to your hunger cues and stop emotional eating. Here’s how to do it.
(p.s. Don’t try all 5 steps at once. Try one or two at each meal and think about how they work for you, then combine them!)
5 steps to eating mindfully:
Next time you open the pantry or fridge, or head to the vending machine or snack bar, or buy a muffin in line at Starbucks...ask yourself “am I hungry?” This might seem like an obvious question...duh I’m hungry...but often times we confuse thirst or boredom for hunger. Truly ask yourself and think about how you are feeling. Is your stomach growling? How long since your last meal? Are you just feeling tired? How long til your next meal? If you are truly hungry, grab a drink of water and your snack and enjoy! (also important to note: sometimes we simply eat because it’s “time” aka it’s noon, so time for lunch. Pay attention to how you feel more than the time!)
What am I feeling? If you aren’t necessarily hungry but are feeling sad, stressed, or anxious...consider this. Do you tend to eat when you are feeling this way? What could you do instead? Are you eating for comfort? Our emotions are SO tied to our food habits. Sometimes this comes from how we are raised (you did a good job, so you got an ice cream so now you reward yourself with food or maybe if you were sad your mom would make your favorite dinner or dessert)... consider how you usually react to these emotions, and consider an action you could replace it with. Even saying to yourself, I’ll wait 10 minutes and see how I feel can be very effective.
Breathe. When it is time for your next meal stop and BREATHE. I am SO guilty of sitting down and inhaling my food. Sometimes it’s because my daughter needs me, sometimes it’s just out of habit. In between each bite put down your fork and take a breath and slow down.
The 80% rule. This step takes a little more focus. You have to be in tune with your body AND eating slowly to really understand your fullness cues. As you are eating, focus on how you are feeling versus how much food is left on your plate. Stope when you are 80% full NOT when the plate is empty. Why? It takes your brain a while to catch up with your gut. By stopping when you are 80% full, you give your mind and stomach a chance to connect and chances are good about 15 minutes later you will feel 100% satisfied. If you usually go till 100% full or even 110% full, just slow down and scale back little by little.
Enjoy! When it comes time to eat, take the time to enjoy! Feel the food as you chew. Taste it. Pay attention to the texture and the smell. Regardless of if you are eating a healthy snack or a decadent dessert- enjoy without guilt or judgement.
If you need help eating mindfully or could use some guidance or accountability, check out my coaching packages here. I'm also currently offering 20 minute free sessions to work through a specific problem! To schedule a free call, click here.