Have you ever tried jarred baby food? You know those pureed peas or sweet potatoes. Better yet, those pureed meat and veggie combos? I have, and they are not too tasty. However, this post isn't about the fact that jarred baby food is not exactly delicious, or that I prefer homemade baby food for my kids. Instead it's about my snacking problem.
I'm not someone who snacks all day long nor am I someone who eats junk food every day. Even though I love me some Cheetos and Doritos, I'm better known for having a bowl of fruit on my desk, back when I actually had one. No, my sin is eating while I cook or prepare food for me and the kids. Thus the baby food. Sure, sometimes I was checking the temperature of the food by taking a bite, but sometimes I was eating out of habit. Then I'd stop myself and ask, "What the heck am I doing eating baby food?" If I were feeding kids traditional French chocolate sandwiches, I would understand the nibbling, but really, I'm an equal-opportunity snacker: I'll eat whatever is in front of me. Tomatoes, bread, cheese (my weakness!), and meatloaf have all fallen victim to my snacking. Of course, since I've selected and cooked 99% of the things the kids are eating, I'm at a disadvantage because that means I like it and will want to eat it even more. (Maybe I should start feeding them things I don't like?)
At least I know who to blame for this habit--my Dad. My beloved late father loved food. He loved to eat and he loved to cook. Whenever he was in the kitchen, he would snack and usually do a little dance while he snacked. Now I do a little dance when I sneak a taste too. Of course, I have two kids and dancing and singing along with goofy songs makes them laugh an awful lot, so there is a lot of dancing going on while I cook anyway.
I have realized that the snacking gets out of hand and I have noticed that if I'm full, I can get by without snacking at all. Perhaps I need to eat more just to eat less? I've also learned that if I'm going to eat the kids' food, I might as well put it on a plate, sit down and eat it with them. It's also wise to not follow that meal with a proper adult meal later that evening. Lucky for me, I tend to feed my kids adult food so at least I'm not over-eating bad boxed mac'n'cheese. That said, I do tend to over-eat my killer homemade mac'n'cheese, but that's another story.
For now, I've just tried to cut back on the snacking by being conscious of it and, really, by chewing mint gum, which spoils the taste of anything eaten with it. I've also been combating my habit of finishing the kids' leftovers by reminding myself I don't really want their soggy crumbs, no matter how wasteful it feels to throw them out. I'm confident that these things, combined with my new mantra, will help me cut back. What's my new mantra? Less eating, more dancing.
I'm not someone who snacks all day long nor am I someone who eats junk food every day. Even though I love me some Cheetos and Doritos, I'm better known for having a bowl of fruit on my desk, back when I actually had one. No, my sin is eating while I cook or prepare food for me and the kids. Thus the baby food. Sure, sometimes I was checking the temperature of the food by taking a bite, but sometimes I was eating out of habit. Then I'd stop myself and ask, "What the heck am I doing eating baby food?" If I were feeding kids traditional French chocolate sandwiches, I would understand the nibbling, but really, I'm an equal-opportunity snacker: I'll eat whatever is in front of me. Tomatoes, bread, cheese (my weakness!), and meatloaf have all fallen victim to my snacking. Of course, since I've selected and cooked 99% of the things the kids are eating, I'm at a disadvantage because that means I like it and will want to eat it even more. (Maybe I should start feeding them things I don't like?)
At least I know who to blame for this habit--my Dad. My beloved late father loved food. He loved to eat and he loved to cook. Whenever he was in the kitchen, he would snack and usually do a little dance while he snacked. Now I do a little dance when I sneak a taste too. Of course, I have two kids and dancing and singing along with goofy songs makes them laugh an awful lot, so there is a lot of dancing going on while I cook anyway.
I have realized that the snacking gets out of hand and I have noticed that if I'm full, I can get by without snacking at all. Perhaps I need to eat more just to eat less? I've also learned that if I'm going to eat the kids' food, I might as well put it on a plate, sit down and eat it with them. It's also wise to not follow that meal with a proper adult meal later that evening. Lucky for me, I tend to feed my kids adult food so at least I'm not over-eating bad boxed mac'n'cheese. That said, I do tend to over-eat my killer homemade mac'n'cheese, but that's another story.
For now, I've just tried to cut back on the snacking by being conscious of it and, really, by chewing mint gum, which spoils the taste of anything eaten with it. I've also been combating my habit of finishing the kids' leftovers by reminding myself I don't really want their soggy crumbs, no matter how wasteful it feels to throw them out. I'm confident that these things, combined with my new mantra, will help me cut back. What's my new mantra? Less eating, more dancing.
Do you snack on your kid''s food? What do you do to refrain from over-indulging? Do you have a personal mantra that helps keep your mouth shut and your feet moving? Share in the comments below.
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