Cooking in Bulk, Part 1: Developing Healthy Eating Habits

One of my goals as a mom is to avoid “kid” food.  By that I mean anything I would cook up especially for my son that would navigate his tastes away from the foods my husband and I typically eat.  An example might be breaded chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs, or macaroni and cheese with hot dogs.  Or anything dipped in a vat of Ranch dressing.

I know that my first set of posts (Finger Foods: Parts One and Two) would appear to run in opposition to this goal.  However, I would urge you to observe  the  subtle difference between having easy, healthful  finger foods on hand for emergencies or to pack as a daycare lunch, and serving up nutritionally void food on a daily basis.  

Don’t get me wrong –  people I love dearly serve their kids that type of food. Perhaps your own kids eat boxed mac n’ cheese while you dine on grilled salmon and roasted asparagus.  I think no less of you if so.   Being a parent is a CHALLENGE and you have to pick your proverbial battles.  I know that these products are sold because some kids are already picky  and because many moms are pressed for time.   However, by cooking in bulk ahead of time, your family can have slight variations on the same meal ready to heat and eat in a dash, no “kid” food necessary.  Allow me to present the first installment in my four-part case for bulk-cooking and trashing the “kid foods” for good!

Reason #1: Set good eating behaviors for life.

Consider this comment, from a pediatric advisor to the American Heart Association:  “30 to 50 years ago, foods that were nutritional were considered “kids’ foods.” Now,  kids’ foods are viewed as sweets, snacks or so-called comfort foods. Check out the full article on msnbc.com, which provides healthy eating guidelines for kids and reminds us that adults should be eating this way as well… The food pyramid for kids is not much different from the one for adults- the only thing that changes is the portion sizes. 

Consider this nutritional comparison between chicken nuggets and lean, white chicken meat:

Chicken Nuggets (with no dipping sauce):                              

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 6 pieces:   Amount Per Serving Calories 320   % Daily Value* Total Fat  20g 30%   Saturated Fat  4g 20% Cholesterol  60mg 20% Sodium  510mg 20% Total Carbohydrates  15g 6%   Dietary Fiber  0g 0% Protein  18g 35% Vitamin A  0% Vitamin C  0% Calcium  0% Iron  6% Zinc  8% Thiamin  8% Riboflavin  10% Niacin  35% Vitamin B-6  15% Folate  8% Vitamin B-12  6% Phosphorus  30% Magnesium  6%   * Percent Daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs 1/2 Roasted Chicken Breast: Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1/2 breast, bone and skin removed (86 g) Amount Per Serving Calories 140   % Daily Value* Total Fat  5g 6%   Saturated Fat  1g 6% Cholesterol  75mg 25% Sodium  65mg 4% Total Carbohydrates  0g 0%   Dietary Fiber  0g 0% Protein  27g 50% Vitamin A  0% Vitamin C  0% Calcium  0% Iron  6% Zinc  6% Thiamin  4% Riboflavin  6% Niacin  60% Vitamin B-6  25% Folate  0% Vitamin B-12  6% Phosphorus  20% Magnesium  6%   * Percent Daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs From: http://www.nutrientfacts.com “Real” chicken: fewer calories, less fat, more protein.  You can cook and freeze  several chicken breasts in about 20 minutes. Need I say more?

How do I get started, you ask?  Check out my Easy Marinated Chicken recipe, which will be posted on my recipe page!  This common, no-nonsense fare feeds my family of three for up to a week when properly divvied up and dressed with fresh produce.   I will also include serving suggestions for using the chicken throughout the week!

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Coming soon…the next step in my four-part case for cooking in bulk:   Make less work for yourself.  You may think you don’t have an hour or two on Saturday to devote to roasting, baking sealing and freezing, but let me ask you this: How much time do you spend each night making dinner and getting lunches ready for the next day?