December 2, 2025 • 29 mins
Busy nights don’t have to end with a drive-thru bag on the passenger seat. We unpack how real families build healthier routines without turning dinner into a daily fight. From the science of why protein steadies energy and behavior to the sneaky pull of engineered snack foods, we break down what actually helps when life is packed with practices, homework, and late meetings.
We talk practical planning simple menus, grocery lists tied to that plan, and time savers like crockpots, air fryers, and weekend batch prep that make weeknights feel lighter. You’ll hear budget-smart ideas like shopping sales, buying in bulk, freezing portions, and choosing seasonal produce. We also dig into the mindset side: modeling positive language around food, avoiding moral labels, and creating a home where fruits and veggies are the default because they’re visible and ready to eat. Kids watch what we do; when they see us try new foods and season them well, they’re more likely to follow.
If you’re navigating picky eaters, you’ll find calm strategies that avoid power struggles: small exposures, no-pressure “try a bite,” and letting kids help with shopping and cooking to boost buy-in. We share go-to meal ideas protein pasta with pesto, air-fried chicken tenders, roasted veggies, taco bowls—and a simple approach to treats that keeps them special without shame. Wrap it up with one small step to start today: clean the pantry, define your why, and stock what you want them to choose.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to Brain-Based Parenting, the Boys
Ranch podcast for families.
We all know how hard being aparent is, and sometimes it
feels like there are no goodanswers to the difficult
questions families have whentheir kids are struggling.
Our goal each week will be totry and answer some of those
tough questions, utilizing theknowledge, experience, and
(00:21):
professional training CalFarley's Boys Ranch has to
offer.
Now here is your host, CalFarley's Staff Development
Coordinator, Joshua Sprong.
SPEAKER_01 (00:30):
Hello and welcome.
Today we're going to talk aboutthe importance of providing a
healthy diet for your kids.
SPEAKER_05 (00:34):
To do that today, I'm joined by Suzanne Wright,
Vice President of Training andIntervention.
Chloe Hewitt, Youth ProgramsAdministrator.
SPEAKER_02 (00:41):
Sam Cerna, Assistant Administrator of Residential
Programs.
SPEAKER_01 (00:45):
All right, let's kick off with the question of
the day.
Since we're talking about diettoday, what's the best meal that
you cook?
SPEAKER_05 (00:51):
I I think that's a hard choice, but one of my
favorite meals that I don't cookfrequently is chicken crepes.
The crepes are kind of aspecialty thing, and uh my kids
all really enjoy it.
If I can get the meal donebefore they've eaten all the
crepes to put the chicken in.
SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
I would say roast, even so that my stepdad has
offended my mom at saying thatI'm better at it.
And so he requests it from meeven over my mom.
SPEAKER_02 (01:16):
I think mine would be rib-eye steaks with asparagus
on the grill, all of it.
That's my that's my go-to.
I don't even eat steaks anywhereelse anymore.
SPEAKER_05 (01:26):
I'm glad we're recording this after lunch
instead of before lunch.
How about you, Josh?
SPEAKER_01 (01:30):
Well, I'm actually a terrible cook, but the one thing
that I can do is I can makechili.
I've actually won two chilicook-offs.
But that's it.
That's the only thing I cancook.
Everything else I would adviseto stay away if I'm making it.
Oh, always beans.
I agree.
SPEAKER_04 (01:46):
I should say Suzanne also makes a killer cheesecake.
I like dream about thatcheesecake.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
All right.
So why is nutrition such acornerstone of both physical and
emotional health for kids andparents alike?
SPEAKER_02 (01:58):
Well, nutrition's every everything, right?
You know, what what you put inyour body is kind of the energy
level you have, your yourfunctioning, vitamins, all those
things.
So helps you be healthy andalert.
SPEAKER_04 (02:09):
Well, and have energy and like function
throughout the day.
And typically, if you don't haveenough water or food or healthy
food, then you're going to feelit in a different capacity,
whether or not it's running outof energy or even just not
feeling well, or stomach issues.
I think that's all related.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
I think it's interesting the old saying, you
are what you eat.
And I I think about that a lot.
Like if you look at your body,every single inch of your body
is something that you ate at onepoint.
And so I mean your fingernails,your hair, everything is
something that you ate at somepoint.
And so really you are what youeat, and it really makes you
think about what you're puttingin your body, creates who you
are.
SPEAKER_02 (02:43):
Wow, that's what I'm hearing moo all the time.
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
So why do families tend to fall into unhealthy
eating habits during certainseasons of life?
And what strategies can helpthem reset and get back on
track?
SPEAKER_05 (02:54):
I think it's so easy to fall into bad habits because
we're busy.
We have a million events eachweek.
Events with your kids and theirschool and your church and your
job.
And sometimes it's just reallyeasy to grab fast food, you
know, to drive through and grabsomething on the way home.
It's just a very easy trap tofall into.
SPEAKER_02 (03:16):
Oh, mine was probably cultural.
I, you know, I'm from Hispanicculture, and I mean our food is
tortillas and a lot of lot ofhigh high-fat foods and also uh
lack of funds, money, thingslike that.
Yeah.
We I think we existed onhamburger helper and canned
vegetables and things like thatwhen we were my wife and I were
(03:38):
younger raising our kids.
That's one reason also.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:41):
Yeah, I think I think that's smart that you said
like it could also be cheaper.
I do think it's the busyness,like if you've got, for example,
Thursdays are wild for me.
My son has piano, and then assoon as he's done with piano, he
has basketball.
And so right at five, we'reheaded to piano, then we're
going back to back.
And so it's from five to seven,and then by the time it's seven,
I'm like, do I want to cook now?
So it is really a difficultseason when when they're young
(04:03):
and you're trying to keep up.
And I think if we're honest too,sometimes you're just exhausted
from giving a hundred percent atwork and getting home and like,
I just don't have it in me toalso cook, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (04:14):
You know, another thing I was thinking was, you
know, we're we're heavilymarketed these things, and
right, and you know, our kidsdon't really want to eat
vegetables and all this stuff.
Their taste buds just aren't asevolved, or if we didn't start
that young, then the sweetstuff, the fried stuff, that
just becomes all they want toeat, and it's it's just a fight.
Maybe as a parent, I remember Iwould think, well, darn it, I
gotta I have to I have to makesure they eat.
(04:35):
So if they won't eat this stuff,I gotta cook stuff they're gonna
eat, right?
And so that was a big fight withone of our kiddos.
SPEAKER_05 (04:41):
I think a strategy that's really helpful when
you're trying to get back ontrack is to plan ahead.
You know, if you wait untilThursday at five when you have
those errands to run, you know,you are not gonna make a good
choice, but maybe you've planneda menu over the weekend.
I feel like the the better I'veplanned and purchased in
advance, the more likely I am tofollow through instead of drive
(05:02):
through a fast food restaurant.
So just having having a plan.
SPEAKER_02 (05:06):
That's a good uh that's a good point.
And one of the things that we dois we start it slow, right?
Making a complete diet shift isit's hard.
I mean, unless you're reallycommitted.
But if you like, hey, like yousaid, plan a meal.
One one thing we're gonnachange.
Maybe I don't stop at thedrive-through door, or maybe I
prep a meal in advance, or putsomething in the crock pot.
So it's meat and potatoes,whatever, it and it's ready for
you when you get home.
(05:26):
There's tons of ways to getready.
We used to pre-cook on Sunday,and then you can freeze that
stuff, heat it up the uh the dayyou're gonna do it, things like
that.
There's tons of things you cando to save yourself time if time
isn't the problem.
SPEAKER_05 (05:36):
I I'm always the happiest when I walk through the
door and went, Oh, I startedsomething in the crock pot this
morning.
Like, that's the best day ever.
Just, you know, and ro that goesalong with roast.
You know, that if I walk in thedoor and I can smell it, I may
have forgotten throughout theday what I had planned.
But when I walk in and I think,oh, that's done, that's just
yeah, yeah, great day.
SPEAKER_04 (05:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Like, so I think for me, it'slike as I am building my grocery
list each week, I'm alsoplanning the meal with it too.
And so, and a lot of that isprep.
My kids love pasta, and so Iwill use like the protein pasta
as well as putting a proteinwith it.
And so a lot of times I can goahead and do that pasta ahead of
time and then just warm it upwith the sauce, and that cuts
(06:18):
some time.
But I do think it's justplanning ahead, but it's it it
is difficult.
But I think just knowing certainmeals and having a meal list is
also helpful.
SPEAKER_01 (06:26):
So, what does a truly balanced diet look like
for the average family today?
And why does it matter for bothkids and parents?
SPEAKER_04 (06:32):
I might differ on this a little bit.
I for me, I want my kids, andwhen I've done research on it,
the most important thing you canget intake-wise is protein.
So when I talk about a balanceddiet for my kids, I talk about
protein and the importance ofit.
And so, and just I want them tohave fruits and vegetables, but
I want them to understand yourbody will feel fuller if you're
actually getting in more proteinin throughout the day.
(06:54):
And so that is the conversationthat I have with my kids, or if
they are hungry and they'vealready had one snack, then it
is a protein next, right?
Like my parents didn't reallyallow me to have snacks, and I
do think that it's important toallow snacks, but I try to also
say, okay, now you can have thisas your option next.
SPEAKER_02 (07:08):
I agree with protein, protein followed by
vegetables, kind of somestarches as needed, some healthy
fats.
Those are balanced.
I think every every person isbuilt different, every person
has different nutritional needs.
But we the building blocks Ilike said with what Chloe said
about protein, things I've readis yeah, it just takes longer to
break down in your body, soyou're fuller longer.
And meat is good.
I love meat.
SPEAKER_04 (07:28):
The other thing I was gonna say is, you know, I
try not to stress too much.
My daughter eats every vegetableand my son eats every fruit.
And so I just try to be embracedthat like he will eat broccoli
and she will eat bananas andapples.
And so I'm kind of like, I trynot to stress, like I lean in,
like, oh, you love fruit, sothen this is your option, and
and she loves bell peppers.
And so really allowing them tostill have some say but in the
healthy choice of a balance.
SPEAKER_01 (07:49):
So, how do parents' own eating habits and attitudes
towards food shape thechildren's relationship with
eating?
SPEAKER_02 (07:54):
I mean, I mean I said that earlier.
I mean, I I ate the way myfamily ate.
And I assume my kids are doingthe same thing right now, right?
And so I I knew what I knew, Iknew what to cook based on what
my family cooked, and that'swhat we ate.
Just tortillas with tortillaswith every meal or bread with
every meal.
And I remember my grandmotherused to say, eat bread, fill you
up, right?
Because like I said, we we wewere uh we weren't financially
(08:15):
good, and so we're eating verysmall meals, so bread fills you
up, and that's just kind of athing that I stuck with um
growing up.
SPEAKER_04 (08:20):
I I think they watch our every move, and so it's
ironic, and I think that it'sinteresting to watch how even
like I think my daughter watchesmy moves even more than my son,
some a little bit, but she eatsalmost all the same snacks I do.
One of her favorite things is abeef stick that are actually
really expensive, so I had tolike get over the fact that she
was taking all my beef sticks.
But I do think they watch ourmoves, so they learn, hey, what
(08:41):
does mom eat?
What does dad eat?
And and then how that goes, andeven what we value.
And I think, you know, myhusband very much didn't grow up
that he could have snacks.
So us having to say, like, hey,but if they don't get to eat for
five hours, then we're gettinghangry and then we're getting a
behavior.
And so it's also been someeducation on that if you don't
eat and it's not good habits,then you're also gonna get a
behavior.
SPEAKER_05 (09:00):
Occasionally here at Boys Ranch, they may have people
who are out at the dining halland they they will ask some of
us to jump in and help serve themeals at the dining hall.
And so I've done that from timeto time and I always end up
serving a vegetable and I'msurprised at the adults that
come through the line, right?
Our staff members, our schoolstaff members, and I'll say, you
know, would you like one ofthese vegetables?
(09:22):
And they will make a face.
And I'm surprised.
Now the the kids that live onour campus overwhelmingly will
say no, thank you, or they'lltake a vegetable.
But I'm just surprised at theadults' response just to being
offered a vegetable.
And so I always think that's aninteresting contrast.
Recently, our food servicedirector introduced a lot of
(09:44):
different vegetables and roastedvegetables, and was surprised
how many of the kids tookservings of roasted Brussels
sprouts and roasted cauliflowerand they enjoyed it and they
loved it.
And so even if maybe that foodisn't your favorite, you might
offer it to your kids.
And also again, what watchyourself?
(10:06):
What's your facial expression?
What's your tone?
What's your response to certainfoods?
Because if if your childperceives, oh, my dad hates
that, so I probably won't likeit.
Yeah, you are setting theexample.
SPEAKER_04 (10:18):
Yeah, and it also surprises me how many of our
kids, if you get them cookingwith you, how that also helps
buy them in.
So I recently we had a houseparent who I was staying late
anyways, and I ended up cookingthe home cooked meal, and the
girls went crazy over it.
And I was dying laughing becausethey all came in and started
helping me.
And then I thought I made a ton,and they were like, Oh, next
time you could just make double.
(10:38):
Because they were everything wascleaned out.
I didn't even eat because theyloved it so much.
And so I think that also cansometimes help if they have
buy-in to the meal that canhelp.
SPEAKER_01 (10:47):
What are some simple practical ways parents can teach
kids to make healthy foodchoices without creating guilt
or pressure?
SPEAKER_05 (10:52):
Well, I think like Chloe said, when you involve
kids and you can involve kidspretty young into meal prep and
also into meal planning.
You know, we're gonna sit downand look at our menu for the
week.
You can guide that through notonly your behavior, but you
know, your conversation with thekids.
I had one daughter who the onlyvegetable she ate till she was
(11:15):
about 16 was a king green bean.
That was it.
And she was not gonna have anyother vegetable, period.
And now as an adult, sheprobably has the best diet of
any of my children.
I mean, there's not a vegetableshe won't eat.
She's, you know, she's eats avariety of really healthy food,
but she was the kid I worriedabout the most as a youngster.
(11:35):
And so keep that in mind too,that you know, our taste change
and what we're interested inchanges.
But I think just involving kids,then it's just a conversation.
It's not a pressure.
As I was growing up, my familywas big on you have to eat
everything.
And we had some things I didn'tlike, like liver and onions, not
my favorite, right?
(11:55):
I I I was not a big fan ofvegetables, and that was really
rough.
And I did learn to lovevegetables as I got older.
I still don't like liver andonions, but it's probably
childhood trauma.
SPEAKER_04 (12:08):
I think that's just so great, though, that you say
that my dad was also raisedwhere he had to eat everything
and he says his it's his biggestregret because now he struggles
to know when he's full becausehis parents just made.
And so it's been a conversationwith my kids that, like, hey, if
you're done, that's fine.
I'm gonna leave it out a littlelonger because you might get
hungry, and then I want you togo back and have that instead of
something else.
That but for us, it's alsotalking about like a simple one
(12:30):
for us is like neutragrain bars.
Like my my son loves them, butthey're not healthy and they
have it.
So we started being like, youcan have this option and not
that.
And he would be like, Well, why?
And we were like, it's notnecessarily that you can't ever
have that, it's just this iswhat we're gonna have in the
house because it's a healthieroption.
And so then he took that well,because the other option he
still liked, which was the figbars, and uh that they're just a
natural one.
And so he didn't really my hejust was inquisitive about it.
(12:52):
And so it was like kind of justfeeding into, you know, one
thing my mom said, because shewas real into diet too as when I
was a kid, is that what you havein your house is what you're
gonna eat.
So just knowing that if you havehealthier choices at the house,
that's most likely what they'reactually gonna go to because
that's what's available.
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
Yeah, that's actually what I was gonna say
too, is and I think that uh haveconversations with your
children.
Hey, we're trying to make uhsome better habits, like Suzanne
said, and we get some buy-inthere.
Chloe said, Hey, we we only gotwhat we have in the house.
So hey, we're gonna have someOreos, but there's only gonna be
this many.
We can ration them out throughthe week, or you know, we can
finish them all in a day, andthen we don't have any more, and
(13:30):
that that's it.
And so, yeah, I think those doessome practical cheap ways to
change uh what you're doing inyour house slowly.
SPEAKER_01 (13:35):
So it's easy for families to fall into these
unhealth unhealthy eatingroutines.
What are the common triggers andhow can they get back on track?
SPEAKER_02 (13:42):
Something I've read about is and uh I've actually
done it mindless eating, youknow, eating in front of the TV,
eating while you're playingvideo games or whatever.
I mean, it's nice that we'd bedoing a family thing, but we'd
all be sitting around watchingwrestling and and we're just
eating, and then you're like,Oh, I'm still hungry, and you
get up and they call it mindlesseating.
You know, you go, I need a bagof chips now, I need a bag, I
need this now, I need a cookienow.
(14:03):
And it's something about sittingstill just generates this
hunger, this this need, and thenbecause you're you're not
noticing that I just ate thiswhole thing of popcorn by
myself, and no, you know what Imean?
Yeah.
Does that make sense?
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (14:15):
I also interesting, like, even I joke about this,
but you know, my husband workedout at ranch for a little bit,
and so his favorite thing totell my kids is the kitchen's
closed, it's been closed sincethen.
And he got it from ranch, and soit just makes me laugh.
But we do tell our kids, like,hey, no, kitchen's closed.
Like it's because I also think,which I'm curious what Suzanne
thinks about this with theintermittent bath, that there is
(14:37):
some kind of if you eat toolate, then your belly is kind of
like sitting a little bit.
And so we do kind of cut themoff pretty close.
I mean, they might have like anhour after dinner, and then we
really don't do anything else.
We say it's done.
And so that's one of but I aswhat Sam's saying, like as
you're sitting down, you'relike, oh, something does sound
good, right?
And so I think that there's somenatural there.
I also think the busyness orjust not meal planning because
(14:58):
you've been exhausted or had abusy weekend can all add up.
SPEAKER_02 (15:01):
Yeah, I mean, planning, routine, discipline,
all those things help.
Maybe there's some snack youcan't keep out.
That's that's a thing thatanybody can grab when they want,
like something healthy, like alike a fruit or a little carrots
or something that, you know,we're hungry, we we got we want
to eat.
But I also can respect, hey,this is it.
Like we've had our chance to eatand we've got to soak it up to
tomorrow.
SPEAKER_05 (15:18):
You know, as we're talking about all the snack food
that we're drawn to, it'shelpful to remember that those
are chemically created to causeus to desire more.
So, you know, big food companiesspend billions of dollars in
research to find out what makesthis potato chip irresistible or
this candy that you will craveit.
(15:38):
And so when those things areavailable in your house, your
your brain is having a chemicalresponse to that food which has
been purposefully created tomake you want more.
And so apples don't come withthat same chemical response,
right?
And you know, apples arenatural, they weren't created.
And so, again, as you've bothsaid, what is available in your
(16:01):
house and just being mindful ofwhat that is.
SPEAKER_01 (16:03):
How can families balance nutritious eating with
still enjoying fun foods andtreats in moderation?
SPEAKER_04 (16:09):
I I like this one.
We have family movie night onFridays or Saturdays.
It kind of depends.
My husband's a firefighter, soit depends on what night he's
home.
We try to do it on a night he'shome.
And so during fan like movienight, we actually have our own
popcorn bowls and we put candyin it.
And so that is like our treat,like on a Friday or Saturday.
And so, but beyond that, theyknow the candy's in our house,
but we don't get it.
It's like literally stays uphigh and it's for movie night.
(16:30):
I want them to still embracethat.
We don't keep soda in our house.
My kids get it like once a weekif we go out to eat, but we try
to limit it because we talk tothem about and I limited it as
much as I could.
It's they just discovered a yearago that they like coke from
other foods.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
So well, I mean, everything's moderation.
So right.
I mean, it's it's it's cool tohave, you know, microwave pizzas
occasionally or candies andsnack foods, but right, we we
just gotta have a limit.
Um, so only buy what you youthink is reasonable and that's
it.
SPEAKER_05 (16:57):
I think it's important not to demonize any
particular food that all sweetsaren't bad, that pizza's
horrible.
I think I think they all havetheir place, and I think that
culturally we use food forcelebration.
We use food to show each otherthat that we care, that we love
each other, right?
When migrown kids come home,it's what's your favorite thing,
you know, what is it that youwant?
(17:18):
So it's important, you know,food is neutral, it's not good
or bad, but that we that we aremindful of our language and the
way that we treat food in orderto create a healthy relationship
with food for our kids.
And so saying, hey, cake isgreat, but it's not something we
would have every day or evenevery week.
Cake is for a special occasion,right?
And every Saturday is not aspecial occasion, right?
(17:40):
Like you, you know, you're justtrying to, yeah, it's an option,
but you want to put healthy foodin your body to make sure that
your brain is working well andyour muscles work well.
And you know, you're just you'rechoosing positive language
around food and what food doesfor you rather than negative
language.
So good.
SPEAKER_01 (17:57):
So for families on a tight budget, what are some
realistic ways to eat healthywithout having to overspend?
SPEAKER_04 (18:03):
I was just gonna say, I really watch, obviously,
like Walmart doesn't really haveit, but I watch like United or
grocery stores that do have likeon-sale items.
They might have a certain meaton sale, so okay, maybe I'm
gonna play my menu around thatmeat.
Or if there is a chicken is onsale, maybe I bulk by a little
bit more this week and I'mbuying less of next week.
You know, you hear it all thetime, but trying to keep on the
outside of the perimeter at thegrocery store because that's
(18:26):
where actually the healthieroptions are than in the main
aisles.
Maybe you cut out.
If you are a Coke drinker, youcut them out or certain chips
because those are typically moreexpensive.
So maybe you try to decrease, asSam said, or but really that's
what I've seen is helped me isif I'm buying what's on sale
that week and trying to plan mymenu around that.
SPEAKER_05 (18:43):
I've heard a lot of people say too that the online
ordering really helps restricttheir impulse purchases so that
you know you make your menu forthe week, you order it, and then
you go pick it up or even haveit delivered, and you haven't
seen that display of whatevernew cereal there is, right?
You it's it's not there to temptyou.
But again, I think I thinkplanning having that list of
(19:06):
meals to me has been the mosthelpful thing.
When one of my daughters wasprobably in seventh or eighth
grade, she said, Hey, I want tocook dinner every night.
What?
Yes, ma'am.
Right.
And so we would sit together onSaturday and plan the meals for
the week, shop on Sunday, andthen you know she was home from
school every day by four, and weweren't getting home till about
(19:26):
5 30.
So she would have that mealalmost ready.
I might need to jump in and helpit.
But that was like the best yearof my life, and then and then
we're high school sports, andthat never happened again.
But but I've I really felt likethat was the most efficient
planning I ever did was becauseshe wanted to cook every meal,
and so she needed thatguideline.
So it was really handy.
(19:48):
She also, you know, became areally great cook through that
experience.
Yeah, very good for her.
That's so cool.
SPEAKER_02 (19:53):
Yeah, some other things people can do is you
know, buy in bulk.
Like Chloe, you made a goodexample about buying stuff
that's on sale.
And also, you don't want towaste a lot, so buy what you
need or make sure you got afreezer or something and freeze
freeze things.
Uh, one thing we were doing isalso save time and cooking and
cooking in bulk.
So we cook three or four meals.
Cool thing is you you can freezeit first, and then when you're
ready to cook it, you can thawit to it.
SPEAKER_03 (20:15):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Once you've cooked it, it's in a whole different
state.
Yeah, now you could ziplock itand wrap it however you do to
keep it food safe, put it in thefreezer.
And yeah, and and now I gotmeals for five if well, right?
And currently it's just my wifeand I, but we if I have a
five-pound piece of meat, Idon't need to cook, I can cook
it all and then freeze it intothree meals, right?
So those are things we used todo even with our family to to
(20:36):
save money because you you justcan't afford it to eat.
Also, looking for uh seasonalvegetables, seasonal fruits,
they're up, they're a little bitcheaper.
Oh, all that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_04 (20:44):
I was gonna say to Sam, like buying at Sam's or
Costco is usually helpful too.
And usually like the healthieroptions are actually cheaper
because you're buying them inbulk, like cheaper than they
would be if you bought them atum, like my favorite tomato
sauce that has no added sugarsis at Sam's and is significantly
cheaper if you buy it there intwo.
I also think to what you said,Sam.
So, like even if I'm making asoup or I've got like celery and
(21:07):
carrots, I go ahead and chop upall of it and then I freeze what
I don't use.
And so then the next meal I hadto make it with, I've already
got all that vegetables andstuff in the freezer.
SPEAKER_02 (21:16):
Yeah, that's a good point because one of the biggest
wasters is when you buyvegetables, they're not gonna
last very long.
You have to do something withthem.
So only buy what you're gonnaneed.
SPEAKER_05 (21:25):
And you know, all of no matter what you're trying to
do, like budget meals or mealprep ahead, there are so many
resources on the internet thatcan really help you with just a
small search.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
So, what are a few quick go-to meal ideas that are
both healthy and familyfriendly?
SPEAKER_04 (21:39):
I mean, Sam said this, but my if you ask my
four-year-old what she wantedfor her birthday last year or
this year when she turned four,it was steak and broccoli.
The problem was my husband wasworking, so I actually got um, I
think out back because I waslike, I don't know how to grill.
And so, but that she wants that.
So, what I'm saying to that isSam talked about steak earlier.
That's actually my one of mykids' steak and grilled chicken.
(22:00):
And so a lot of times I'll havemy husband go ahead and bulk
grill on Sundays.
So that away we have all that,and that way if he's at work or
if I'm running around, it'salready cooked and I can just
put it in and mix it with aveggie and that's yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (22:14):
I think if you've got, you know, your mate, say
chicken, and Chloe, youmentioned a pasta and a
vegetable, you're good.
Yeah, right.
And kids all seem to love pasta.
And I again, I think theirappreciation for vegetables has
to do with what you expose themto early on.
If not, if you've you know, ifyour kids are a little older and
you've waited, I woulddefinitely get them involved in
(22:35):
the purchasing and thepreparation because I think kids
are more likely to to havebuy-in to eat something that
they've they've helped with.
SPEAKER_04 (22:42):
One one of the things too that I think if you
do go to the grocery store andyour kids are with you, I I
worked at a grocery store inhigh school.
That's what, and I actually willteach my kids how to smell if a
produce is good.
And so, like, we have thoseconversations too when we're in
the produce aisle.
And so they now think it's funto like interact in the grocery
store.
So it's also just teaching themhealthy, but also incorporating
them in and they do get to picklike one snack when we go to,
(23:04):
like for the week.
But I one of the go-to, so pastais great.
My son loves pesto.
I'll make homemade pesto, that'shis favorite.
His birthday meal is pesto, andso that's an easy one.
Or if you just get jarred pestoand then red sauce.
So that's one of the things Iyeah, a lot of go-to meals is me
doing a protein and then tryingto incorporate something else
with it, is what I would say.
SPEAKER_02 (23:23):
I like crock pot meals a lot.
You know, my wife put in uh Idon't actually know some kind of
roast yesterday, and she justthrew in some vegetables that we
had, and whatever, it all goesgood.
You put it in there, and likeSuzanne said earlier, you smell
it in the house every time youwalk in the house, like, oh yes.
And that's a quick go-to.
I mean, crock pot crock potmeals, if you look for uh
healthy options, are some of thesimplest things to do.
(23:43):
Also, a quick tip buy the bagsthat you put in them.
SPEAKER_05 (23:46):
That's crock potential.
SPEAKER_02 (23:48):
Cleaning those darn crock pots is such a nightmare.
I don't want to do it.
But when I once I startedgetting those bags, it made it
so much more helpful.
And it also helps with thestorage of it all.
Like you can actually just putit on as a fluck and all that
things and save what you got.
You know, there's there'senough.
SPEAKER_04 (24:02):
I didn't say that earlier, but like I kind of
Jackson, my boss, actually gotme in love with an air fryer and
I fought it for a long time.
I was and not because I didn'twant an air fryer, I just didn't
want one more bulky appliance inmy house.
But I am, I do love my air fryernow, and I will do chicken
tenders, like just bare ones,and season it with basic things
pepperica, garlic powder, garlicuh onion powder, salt, pepper.
(24:24):
Really that's it.
And I just cook those on aSunday, and my kids will eat
those with just like a dippingsauce as their protein.
SPEAKER_05 (24:30):
So that's an easy thing to I don't have an
Instapot, but I know severalpeople that swear by an Instapot
because it is so much quickerthan cooking something in the
oven or stovetop.
And so again, online, endlesspossibilities.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:45):
So how should parents handle picky eaters in a
way that encourages varietywithout turning mealtime into a
battle?
SPEAKER_05 (24:51):
Again, here's my daughter who only ate green
beans.
My kids were always encouragedto try it.
I didn't require them to eat alleverything, right?
But I would but I would say,despite their pickiness as kids,
that as adults, they're allhealthy with, you know, varied
diets, you know, they they alleat vegetables now.
So when your kids are little,it's really easy to get
(25:11):
obsessive over your kids noteating a variety of foods, but
generally that's a stage andthey they grow out of it.
I just think you don't want toget too consumed or focused on
that.
SPEAKER_04 (25:23):
I think you still put it on their plate.
That's my like, so I have alwayswhen I was researching it,
because I have a picky eater,and so I was like, how do I need
to handle it?
Like I don't want to shame them,but I also don't want to tell
them that they don't ever likethey need to still be open to
it, right?
And so my son hates salad and Istill put it on his plate every
time I make a salad.
He's like, you know, I don'tlike it.
That's fine, it's there.
I'm not saying you have to eatit if you choose to try it.
(25:44):
That's great.
The funny joke about it is candysalad has had all this rave,
right?
So the other day I was like, Iit was like probably six months
ago, we had like a party and Ihad made a candy salad, and he's
like, Ew, I'm not eating that.
And my husband immediately said,That's fine, you don't have to.
And then we get to the party andhe was trying to get in it.
And my husband's like, You saidyou didn't want it because it
had salad.
Oh, I didn't mean this.
And so it was just funny.
(26:05):
Like, we just put it on thereand we're like, if you choose to
try it, great.
If you don't, that's fine too.
Um, but I think you're right,Suzanne.
I stressed about it for so long,and then really they kind of
grow out of some of it, anyways.
SPEAKER_02 (26:16):
My trick.
Well, I my was not successfulwith my own two children, but my
grandsons had lived with me fora little while and they were
both picky, they like the friedstuff and all.
So, you know, I had got intogrilling.
Also, that that lets me beoutside where the noise is not,
and the kids couldn't come outthere and play and ask me
questions, and so they'd see megrilling gross, and then we'd go
in the house, and of course Iwould have vegetables and stuff.
But here's the secret I foundyou spices, like how do you
(26:39):
season this food and make ittaste good?
Yeah, it you know, salt andpepper is great, and that brings
out natural, but if you can finda cool spice, put it on there.
I I got those kids eating allkinds of stuff because it it
doesn't, it's not the same inthe same state, right?
Yeah, and that's just you know,I grill the I'd grill corn or
I'd grill vegetab vegetables.
Uh, bell peppers are ourfavorite.
They didn't ever like theonions, I couldn't get them to
(27:00):
do that.
But the little red bell peppers,they're a little bit sweeter
than the green bell pepper,well, not sweeter than the green
bell peppers.
So I found that seasoning stuff,also when they help me, I think
somebody said that earlier, whenthey help you do it, the buy-in
is immense.
Can I help you do this?
Yes, here's how we're gonna doit.
And they cook it, but we gottaeat it if we cook it, right?
You see me eat everything, yes,and we start, you know.
But they were there were littleboys, they're under five.
SPEAKER_04 (27:20):
Well, I'm saying I'm laughing because my mom, here's
another trick get like theirfavorite grandparent, and I
guarantee you they try it forthem because the other day my
daughter was upset we didn'thave ranch at the house, and my
mom was like, Oh, you've gotChick-fil-A sauce.
And he was like, Yeah, myhusband's obsessed with
Chick-fil-A.
And then and then my son's like,Oh, I'll try it, and he doesn't
like any sauces.
And so I was like, You're gonnatry something, but only because
(27:40):
Gigi did it.
Like so, I do thinkgrandparents, y'all have a
special touch.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_02 (27:45):
And I'm a I was a grandfather, see.
SPEAKER_04 (27:47):
Perfect.
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
All right, finally, if a family wanted to take just
one small step towards eatinghealthier this week, what would
you suggest that they startwith?
SPEAKER_04 (27:55):
You know, maybe just going through your pantry and
figuring out like what you feellike you're good with having, or
if there's something that youdon't want in there and like
just assessing what you have andwhat you kind of want to work
towards is what I would say.
SPEAKER_02 (28:07):
Well, my my thing would probably go even before
that.
That is a great idea.
You know, find your why.
Why is this important to me?
What's what's going on in mylife that I've had this
epiphany?
Things aren't okay that I gottachange my eating habit.
Um, because and I think that's agood start for the week.
SPEAKER_01 (28:20):
All right, thank you so much for joining us today.
If this episode inspired you toshare a yummy, healthy recipe
with a friend or a familymember, perhaps it will also
inspire you to share thispodcast with them as well.
As always, remember you mighthave to loan out your cortex
today.
Just make sure you remember andget it back.
SPEAKER_00 (28:36):
Thank you for listening to Brain Based
Parenting.
We hope you enjoyed this show.
If you would like moreinformation about CalFarley's
Boys Ranch, are interested inemployment, would like
information about placing yourchild, or would like to help us
help children by donating to ourmission, please visit
calfarly.org.
You can find us on all socialmedia platforms by searching for
(28:59):
CalFarley's.
Thank you for spending your timewith us and have a blessed day.
Welcome to Brain-Based Parenting, the Boys
Ranch podcast for families.
We all know how hard being aparent is, and sometimes it
feels like there are no goodanswers to the difficult
questions families have whentheir kids are struggling.
Our goal each week will be totry and answer some of those
tough questions, utilizing theknowledge, experience, and
(00:21):
professional training CalFarley's Boys Ranch has to
offer.
Now here is your host, CalFarley's Staff Development
Coordinator, Joshua Sprong.
SPEAKER_01 (00:30):
Hello and welcome.
Today we're going to talk aboutthe importance of providing a
healthy diet for your kids.
SPEAKER_05 (00:34):
To do that today, I'm joined by Suzanne Wright,
Vice President of Training andIntervention.
Chloe Hewitt, Youth ProgramsAdministrator.
SPEAKER_02 (00:41):
Sam Cerna, Assistant Administrator of Residential
Programs.
SPEAKER_01 (00:45):
All right, let's kick off with the question of
the day.
Since we're talking about diettoday, what's the best meal that
you cook?
SPEAKER_05 (00:51):
I I think that's a hard choice, but one of my
favorite meals that I don't cookfrequently is chicken crepes.
The crepes are kind of aspecialty thing, and uh my kids
all really enjoy it.
If I can get the meal donebefore they've eaten all the
crepes to put the chicken in.
SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
I would say roast, even so that my stepdad has
offended my mom at saying thatI'm better at it.
And so he requests it from meeven over my mom.
SPEAKER_02 (01:16):
I think mine would be rib-eye steaks with asparagus
on the grill, all of it.
That's my that's my go-to.
I don't even eat steaks anywhereelse anymore.
SPEAKER_05 (01:26):
I'm glad we're recording this after lunch
instead of before lunch.
How about you, Josh?
SPEAKER_01 (01:30):
Well, I'm actually a terrible cook, but the one thing
that I can do is I can makechili.
I've actually won two chilicook-offs.
But that's it.
That's the only thing I cancook.
Everything else I would adviseto stay away if I'm making it.
Oh, always beans.
I agree.
SPEAKER_04 (01:46):
I should say Suzanne also makes a killer cheesecake.
I like dream about thatcheesecake.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
All right.
So why is nutrition such acornerstone of both physical and
emotional health for kids andparents alike?
SPEAKER_02 (01:58):
Well, nutrition's every everything, right?
You know, what what you put inyour body is kind of the energy
level you have, your yourfunctioning, vitamins, all those
things.
So helps you be healthy andalert.
SPEAKER_04 (02:09):
Well, and have energy and like function
throughout the day.
And typically, if you don't haveenough water or food or healthy
food, then you're going to feelit in a different capacity,
whether or not it's running outof energy or even just not
feeling well, or stomach issues.
I think that's all related.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
I think it's interesting the old saying, you
are what you eat.
And I I think about that a lot.
Like if you look at your body,every single inch of your body
is something that you ate at onepoint.
And so I mean your fingernails,your hair, everything is
something that you ate at somepoint.
And so really you are what youeat, and it really makes you
think about what you're puttingin your body, creates who you
are.
SPEAKER_02 (02:43):
Wow, that's what I'm hearing moo all the time.
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
So why do families tend to fall into unhealthy
eating habits during certainseasons of life?
And what strategies can helpthem reset and get back on
track?
SPEAKER_05 (02:54):
I think it's so easy to fall into bad habits because
we're busy.
We have a million events eachweek.
Events with your kids and theirschool and your church and your
job.
And sometimes it's just reallyeasy to grab fast food, you
know, to drive through and grabsomething on the way home.
It's just a very easy trap tofall into.
SPEAKER_02 (03:16):
Oh, mine was probably cultural.
I, you know, I'm from Hispanicculture, and I mean our food is
tortillas and a lot of lot ofhigh high-fat foods and also uh
lack of funds, money, thingslike that.
Yeah.
We I think we existed onhamburger helper and canned
vegetables and things like thatwhen we were my wife and I were
(03:38):
younger raising our kids.
That's one reason also.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:41):
Yeah, I think I think that's smart that you said
like it could also be cheaper.
I do think it's the busyness,like if you've got, for example,
Thursdays are wild for me.
My son has piano, and then assoon as he's done with piano, he
has basketball.
And so right at five, we'reheaded to piano, then we're
going back to back.
And so it's from five to seven,and then by the time it's seven,
I'm like, do I want to cook now?
So it is really a difficultseason when when they're young
(04:03):
and you're trying to keep up.
And I think if we're honest too,sometimes you're just exhausted
from giving a hundred percent atwork and getting home and like,
I just don't have it in me toalso cook, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (04:14):
You know, another thing I was thinking was, you
know, we're we're heavilymarketed these things, and
right, and you know, our kidsdon't really want to eat
vegetables and all this stuff.
Their taste buds just aren't asevolved, or if we didn't start
that young, then the sweetstuff, the fried stuff, that
just becomes all they want toeat, and it's it's just a fight.
Maybe as a parent, I remember Iwould think, well, darn it, I
gotta I have to I have to makesure they eat.
(04:35):
So if they won't eat this stuff,I gotta cook stuff they're gonna
eat, right?
And so that was a big fight withone of our kiddos.
SPEAKER_05 (04:41):
I think a strategy that's really helpful when
you're trying to get back ontrack is to plan ahead.
You know, if you wait untilThursday at five when you have
those errands to run, you know,you are not gonna make a good
choice, but maybe you've planneda menu over the weekend.
I feel like the the better I'veplanned and purchased in
advance, the more likely I am tofollow through instead of drive
(05:02):
through a fast food restaurant.
So just having having a plan.
SPEAKER_02 (05:06):
That's a good uh that's a good point.
And one of the things that we dois we start it slow, right?
Making a complete diet shift isit's hard.
I mean, unless you're reallycommitted.
But if you like, hey, like yousaid, plan a meal.
One one thing we're gonnachange.
Maybe I don't stop at thedrive-through door, or maybe I
prep a meal in advance, or putsomething in the crock pot.
So it's meat and potatoes,whatever, it and it's ready for
you when you get home.
(05:26):
There's tons of ways to getready.
We used to pre-cook on Sunday,and then you can freeze that
stuff, heat it up the uh the dayyou're gonna do it, things like
that.
There's tons of things you cando to save yourself time if time
isn't the problem.
SPEAKER_05 (05:36):
I I'm always the happiest when I walk through the
door and went, Oh, I startedsomething in the crock pot this
morning.
Like, that's the best day ever.
Just, you know, and ro that goesalong with roast.
You know, that if I walk in thedoor and I can smell it, I may
have forgotten throughout theday what I had planned.
But when I walk in and I think,oh, that's done, that's just
yeah, yeah, great day.
SPEAKER_04 (05:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Like, so I think for me, it'slike as I am building my grocery
list each week, I'm alsoplanning the meal with it too.
And so, and a lot of that isprep.
My kids love pasta, and so Iwill use like the protein pasta
as well as putting a proteinwith it.
And so a lot of times I can goahead and do that pasta ahead of
time and then just warm it upwith the sauce, and that cuts
(06:18):
some time.
But I do think it's justplanning ahead, but it's it it
is difficult.
But I think just knowing certainmeals and having a meal list is
also helpful.
SPEAKER_01 (06:26):
So, what does a truly balanced diet look like
for the average family today?
And why does it matter for bothkids and parents?
SPEAKER_04 (06:32):
I might differ on this a little bit.
I for me, I want my kids, andwhen I've done research on it,
the most important thing you canget intake-wise is protein.
So when I talk about a balanceddiet for my kids, I talk about
protein and the importance ofit.
And so, and just I want them tohave fruits and vegetables, but
I want them to understand yourbody will feel fuller if you're
actually getting in more proteinin throughout the day.
(06:54):
And so that is the conversationthat I have with my kids, or if
they are hungry and they'vealready had one snack, then it
is a protein next, right?
Like my parents didn't reallyallow me to have snacks, and I
do think that it's important toallow snacks, but I try to also
say, okay, now you can have thisas your option next.
SPEAKER_02 (07:08):
I agree with protein, protein followed by
vegetables, kind of somestarches as needed, some healthy
fats.
Those are balanced.
I think every every person isbuilt different, every person
has different nutritional needs.
But we the building blocks Ilike said with what Chloe said
about protein, things I've readis yeah, it just takes longer to
break down in your body, soyou're fuller longer.
And meat is good.
I love meat.
SPEAKER_04 (07:28):
The other thing I was gonna say is, you know, I
try not to stress too much.
My daughter eats every vegetableand my son eats every fruit.
And so I just try to be embracedthat like he will eat broccoli
and she will eat bananas andapples.
And so I'm kind of like, I trynot to stress, like I lean in,
like, oh, you love fruit, sothen this is your option, and
and she loves bell peppers.
And so really allowing them tostill have some say but in the
healthy choice of a balance.
SPEAKER_01 (07:49):
So, how do parents' own eating habits and attitudes
towards food shape thechildren's relationship with
eating?
SPEAKER_02 (07:54):
I mean, I mean I said that earlier.
I mean, I I ate the way myfamily ate.
And I assume my kids are doingthe same thing right now, right?
And so I I knew what I knew, Iknew what to cook based on what
my family cooked, and that'swhat we ate.
Just tortillas with tortillaswith every meal or bread with
every meal.
And I remember my grandmotherused to say, eat bread, fill you
up, right?
Because like I said, we we wewere uh we weren't financially
(08:15):
good, and so we're eating verysmall meals, so bread fills you
up, and that's just kind of athing that I stuck with um
growing up.
SPEAKER_04 (08:20):
I I think they watch our every move, and so it's
ironic, and I think that it'sinteresting to watch how even
like I think my daughter watchesmy moves even more than my son,
some a little bit, but she eatsalmost all the same snacks I do.
One of her favorite things is abeef stick that are actually
really expensive, so I had tolike get over the fact that she
was taking all my beef sticks.
But I do think they watch ourmoves, so they learn, hey, what
(08:41):
does mom eat?
What does dad eat?
And and then how that goes, andeven what we value.
And I think, you know, myhusband very much didn't grow up
that he could have snacks.
So us having to say, like, hey,but if they don't get to eat for
five hours, then we're gettinghangry and then we're getting a
behavior.
And so it's also been someeducation on that if you don't
eat and it's not good habits,then you're also gonna get a
behavior.
SPEAKER_05 (09:00):
Occasionally here at Boys Ranch, they may have people
who are out at the dining halland they they will ask some of
us to jump in and help serve themeals at the dining hall.
And so I've done that from timeto time and I always end up
serving a vegetable and I'msurprised at the adults that
come through the line, right?
Our staff members, our schoolstaff members, and I'll say, you
know, would you like one ofthese vegetables?
(09:22):
And they will make a face.
And I'm surprised.
Now the the kids that live onour campus overwhelmingly will
say no, thank you, or they'lltake a vegetable.
But I'm just surprised at theadults' response just to being
offered a vegetable.
And so I always think that's aninteresting contrast.
Recently, our food servicedirector introduced a lot of
(09:44):
different vegetables and roastedvegetables, and was surprised
how many of the kids tookservings of roasted Brussels
sprouts and roasted cauliflowerand they enjoyed it and they
loved it.
And so even if maybe that foodisn't your favorite, you might
offer it to your kids.
And also again, what watchyourself?
(10:06):
What's your facial expression?
What's your tone?
What's your response to certainfoods?
Because if if your childperceives, oh, my dad hates
that, so I probably won't likeit.
Yeah, you are setting theexample.
SPEAKER_04 (10:18):
Yeah, and it also surprises me how many of our
kids, if you get them cookingwith you, how that also helps
buy them in.
So I recently we had a houseparent who I was staying late
anyways, and I ended up cookingthe home cooked meal, and the
girls went crazy over it.
And I was dying laughing becausethey all came in and started
helping me.
And then I thought I made a ton,and they were like, Oh, next
time you could just make double.
(10:38):
Because they were everything wascleaned out.
I didn't even eat because theyloved it so much.
And so I think that also cansometimes help if they have
buy-in to the meal that canhelp.
SPEAKER_01 (10:47):
What are some simple practical ways parents can teach
kids to make healthy foodchoices without creating guilt
or pressure?
SPEAKER_05 (10:52):
Well, I think like Chloe said, when you involve
kids and you can involve kidspretty young into meal prep and
also into meal planning.
You know, we're gonna sit downand look at our menu for the
week.
You can guide that through notonly your behavior, but you
know, your conversation with thekids.
I had one daughter who the onlyvegetable she ate till she was
(11:15):
about 16 was a king green bean.
That was it.
And she was not gonna have anyother vegetable, period.
And now as an adult, sheprobably has the best diet of
any of my children.
I mean, there's not a vegetableshe won't eat.
She's, you know, she's eats avariety of really healthy food,
but she was the kid I worriedabout the most as a youngster.
(11:35):
And so keep that in mind too,that you know, our taste change
and what we're interested inchanges.
But I think just involving kids,then it's just a conversation.
It's not a pressure.
As I was growing up, my familywas big on you have to eat
everything.
And we had some things I didn'tlike, like liver and onions, not
my favorite, right?
(11:55):
I I I was not a big fan ofvegetables, and that was really
rough.
And I did learn to lovevegetables as I got older.
I still don't like liver andonions, but it's probably
childhood trauma.
SPEAKER_04 (12:08):
I think that's just so great, though, that you say
that my dad was also raisedwhere he had to eat everything
and he says his it's his biggestregret because now he struggles
to know when he's full becausehis parents just made.
And so it's been a conversationwith my kids that, like, hey, if
you're done, that's fine.
I'm gonna leave it out a littlelonger because you might get
hungry, and then I want you togo back and have that instead of
something else.
That but for us, it's alsotalking about like a simple one
(12:30):
for us is like neutragrain bars.
Like my my son loves them, butthey're not healthy and they
have it.
So we started being like, youcan have this option and not
that.
And he would be like, Well, why?
And we were like, it's notnecessarily that you can't ever
have that, it's just this iswhat we're gonna have in the
house because it's a healthieroption.
And so then he took that well,because the other option he
still liked, which was the figbars, and uh that they're just a
natural one.
And so he didn't really my hejust was inquisitive about it.
(12:52):
And so it was like kind of justfeeding into, you know, one
thing my mom said, because shewas real into diet too as when I
was a kid, is that what you havein your house is what you're
gonna eat.
So just knowing that if you havehealthier choices at the house,
that's most likely what they'reactually gonna go to because
that's what's available.
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
Yeah, that's actually what I was gonna say
too, is and I think that uh haveconversations with your
children.
Hey, we're trying to make uhsome better habits, like Suzanne
said, and we get some buy-inthere.
Chloe said, Hey, we we only gotwhat we have in the house.
So hey, we're gonna have someOreos, but there's only gonna be
this many.
We can ration them out throughthe week, or you know, we can
finish them all in a day, andthen we don't have any more, and
(13:30):
that that's it.
And so, yeah, I think those doessome practical cheap ways to
change uh what you're doing inyour house slowly.
SPEAKER_01 (13:35):
So it's easy for families to fall into these
unhealth unhealthy eatingroutines.
What are the common triggers andhow can they get back on track?
SPEAKER_02 (13:42):
Something I've read about is and uh I've actually
done it mindless eating, youknow, eating in front of the TV,
eating while you're playingvideo games or whatever.
I mean, it's nice that we'd bedoing a family thing, but we'd
all be sitting around watchingwrestling and and we're just
eating, and then you're like,Oh, I'm still hungry, and you
get up and they call it mindlesseating.
You know, you go, I need a bagof chips now, I need a bag, I
need this now, I need a cookienow.
(14:03):
And it's something about sittingstill just generates this
hunger, this this need, and thenbecause you're you're not
noticing that I just ate thiswhole thing of popcorn by
myself, and no, you know what Imean?
Yeah.
Does that make sense?
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (14:15):
I also interesting, like, even I joke about this,
but you know, my husband workedout at ranch for a little bit,
and so his favorite thing totell my kids is the kitchen's
closed, it's been closed sincethen.
And he got it from ranch, and soit just makes me laugh.
But we do tell our kids, like,hey, no, kitchen's closed.
Like it's because I also think,which I'm curious what Suzanne
thinks about this with theintermittent bath, that there is
(14:37):
some kind of if you eat toolate, then your belly is kind of
like sitting a little bit.
And so we do kind of cut themoff pretty close.
I mean, they might have like anhour after dinner, and then we
really don't do anything else.
We say it's done.
And so that's one of but I aswhat Sam's saying, like as
you're sitting down, you'relike, oh, something does sound
good, right?
And so I think that there's somenatural there.
I also think the busyness orjust not meal planning because
(14:58):
you've been exhausted or had abusy weekend can all add up.
SPEAKER_02 (15:01):
Yeah, I mean, planning, routine, discipline,
all those things help.
Maybe there's some snack youcan't keep out.
That's that's a thing thatanybody can grab when they want,
like something healthy, like alike a fruit or a little carrots
or something that, you know,we're hungry, we we got we want
to eat.
But I also can respect, hey,this is it.
Like we've had our chance to eatand we've got to soak it up to
tomorrow.
SPEAKER_05 (15:18):
You know, as we're talking about all the snack food
that we're drawn to, it'shelpful to remember that those
are chemically created to causeus to desire more.
So, you know, big food companiesspend billions of dollars in
research to find out what makesthis potato chip irresistible or
this candy that you will craveit.
(15:38):
And so when those things areavailable in your house, your
your brain is having a chemicalresponse to that food which has
been purposefully created tomake you want more.
And so apples don't come withthat same chemical response,
right?
And you know, apples arenatural, they weren't created.
And so, again, as you've bothsaid, what is available in your
(16:01):
house and just being mindful ofwhat that is.
SPEAKER_01 (16:03):
How can families balance nutritious eating with
still enjoying fun foods andtreats in moderation?
SPEAKER_04 (16:09):
I I like this one.
We have family movie night onFridays or Saturdays.
It kind of depends.
My husband's a firefighter, soit depends on what night he's
home.
We try to do it on a night he'shome.
And so during fan like movienight, we actually have our own
popcorn bowls and we put candyin it.
And so that is like our treat,like on a Friday or Saturday.
And so, but beyond that, theyknow the candy's in our house,
but we don't get it.
It's like literally stays uphigh and it's for movie night.
(16:30):
I want them to still embracethat.
We don't keep soda in our house.
My kids get it like once a weekif we go out to eat, but we try
to limit it because we talk tothem about and I limited it as
much as I could.
It's they just discovered a yearago that they like coke from
other foods.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
So well, I mean, everything's moderation.
So right.
I mean, it's it's it's cool tohave, you know, microwave pizzas
occasionally or candies andsnack foods, but right, we we
just gotta have a limit.
Um, so only buy what you youthink is reasonable and that's
it.
SPEAKER_05 (16:57):
I think it's important not to demonize any
particular food that all sweetsaren't bad, that pizza's
horrible.
I think I think they all havetheir place, and I think that
culturally we use food forcelebration.
We use food to show each otherthat that we care, that we love
each other, right?
When migrown kids come home,it's what's your favorite thing,
you know, what is it that youwant?
(17:18):
So it's important, you know,food is neutral, it's not good
or bad, but that we that we aremindful of our language and the
way that we treat food in orderto create a healthy relationship
with food for our kids.
And so saying, hey, cake isgreat, but it's not something we
would have every day or evenevery week.
Cake is for a special occasion,right?
And every Saturday is not aspecial occasion, right?
(17:40):
Like you, you know, you're justtrying to, yeah, it's an option,
but you want to put healthy foodin your body to make sure that
your brain is working well andyour muscles work well.
And you know, you're just you'rechoosing positive language
around food and what food doesfor you rather than negative
language.
So good.
SPEAKER_01 (17:57):
So for families on a tight budget, what are some
realistic ways to eat healthywithout having to overspend?
SPEAKER_04 (18:03):
I was just gonna say, I really watch, obviously,
like Walmart doesn't really haveit, but I watch like United or
grocery stores that do have likeon-sale items.
They might have a certain meaton sale, so okay, maybe I'm
gonna play my menu around thatmeat.
Or if there is a chicken is onsale, maybe I bulk by a little
bit more this week and I'mbuying less of next week.
You know, you hear it all thetime, but trying to keep on the
outside of the perimeter at thegrocery store because that's
(18:26):
where actually the healthieroptions are than in the main
aisles.
Maybe you cut out.
If you are a Coke drinker, youcut them out or certain chips
because those are typically moreexpensive.
So maybe you try to decrease, asSam said, or but really that's
what I've seen is helped me isif I'm buying what's on sale
that week and trying to plan mymenu around that.
SPEAKER_05 (18:43):
I've heard a lot of people say too that the online
ordering really helps restricttheir impulse purchases so that
you know you make your menu forthe week, you order it, and then
you go pick it up or even haveit delivered, and you haven't
seen that display of whatevernew cereal there is, right?
You it's it's not there to temptyou.
But again, I think I thinkplanning having that list of
(19:06):
meals to me has been the mosthelpful thing.
When one of my daughters wasprobably in seventh or eighth
grade, she said, Hey, I want tocook dinner every night.
What?
Yes, ma'am.
Right.
And so we would sit together onSaturday and plan the meals for
the week, shop on Sunday, andthen you know she was home from
school every day by four, and weweren't getting home till about
(19:26):
5 30.
So she would have that mealalmost ready.
I might need to jump in and helpit.
But that was like the best yearof my life, and then and then
we're high school sports, andthat never happened again.
But but I've I really felt likethat was the most efficient
planning I ever did was becauseshe wanted to cook every meal,
and so she needed thatguideline.
So it was really handy.
(19:48):
She also, you know, became areally great cook through that
experience.
Yeah, very good for her.
That's so cool.
SPEAKER_02 (19:53):
Yeah, some other things people can do is you
know, buy in bulk.
Like Chloe, you made a goodexample about buying stuff
that's on sale.
And also, you don't want towaste a lot, so buy what you
need or make sure you got afreezer or something and freeze
freeze things.
Uh, one thing we were doing isalso save time and cooking and
cooking in bulk.
So we cook three or four meals.
Cool thing is you you can freezeit first, and then when you're
ready to cook it, you can thawit to it.
SPEAKER_03 (20:15):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Once you've cooked it, it's in a whole different
state.
Yeah, now you could ziplock itand wrap it however you do to
keep it food safe, put it in thefreezer.
And yeah, and and now I gotmeals for five if well, right?
And currently it's just my wifeand I, but we if I have a
five-pound piece of meat, Idon't need to cook, I can cook
it all and then freeze it intothree meals, right?
So those are things we used todo even with our family to to
(20:36):
save money because you you justcan't afford it to eat.
Also, looking for uh seasonalvegetables, seasonal fruits,
they're up, they're a little bitcheaper.
Oh, all that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_04 (20:44):
I was gonna say to Sam, like buying at Sam's or
Costco is usually helpful too.
And usually like the healthieroptions are actually cheaper
because you're buying them inbulk, like cheaper than they
would be if you bought them atum, like my favorite tomato
sauce that has no added sugarsis at Sam's and is significantly
cheaper if you buy it there intwo.
I also think to what you said,Sam.
So, like even if I'm making asoup or I've got like celery and
(21:07):
carrots, I go ahead and chop upall of it and then I freeze what
I don't use.
And so then the next meal I hadto make it with, I've already
got all that vegetables andstuff in the freezer.
SPEAKER_02 (21:16):
Yeah, that's a good point because one of the biggest
wasters is when you buyvegetables, they're not gonna
last very long.
You have to do something withthem.
So only buy what you're gonnaneed.
SPEAKER_05 (21:25):
And you know, all of no matter what you're trying to
do, like budget meals or mealprep ahead, there are so many
resources on the internet thatcan really help you with just a
small search.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
So, what are a few quick go-to meal ideas that are
both healthy and familyfriendly?
SPEAKER_04 (21:39):
I mean, Sam said this, but my if you ask my
four-year-old what she wantedfor her birthday last year or
this year when she turned four,it was steak and broccoli.
The problem was my husband wasworking, so I actually got um, I
think out back because I waslike, I don't know how to grill.
And so, but that she wants that.
So, what I'm saying to that isSam talked about steak earlier.
That's actually my one of mykids' steak and grilled chicken.
(22:00):
And so a lot of times I'll havemy husband go ahead and bulk
grill on Sundays.
So that away we have all that,and that way if he's at work or
if I'm running around, it'salready cooked and I can just
put it in and mix it with aveggie and that's yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (22:14):
I think if you've got, you know, your mate, say
chicken, and Chloe, youmentioned a pasta and a
vegetable, you're good.
Yeah, right.
And kids all seem to love pasta.
And I again, I think theirappreciation for vegetables has
to do with what you expose themto early on.
If not, if you've you know, ifyour kids are a little older and
you've waited, I woulddefinitely get them involved in
(22:35):
the purchasing and thepreparation because I think kids
are more likely to to havebuy-in to eat something that
they've they've helped with.
SPEAKER_04 (22:42):
One one of the things too that I think if you
do go to the grocery store andyour kids are with you, I I
worked at a grocery store inhigh school.
That's what, and I actually willteach my kids how to smell if a
produce is good.
And so, like, we have thoseconversations too when we're in
the produce aisle.
And so they now think it's funto like interact in the grocery
store.
So it's also just teaching themhealthy, but also incorporating
them in and they do get to picklike one snack when we go to,
(23:04):
like for the week.
But I one of the go-to, so pastais great.
My son loves pesto.
I'll make homemade pesto, that'shis favorite.
His birthday meal is pesto, andso that's an easy one.
Or if you just get jarred pestoand then red sauce.
So that's one of the things Iyeah, a lot of go-to meals is me
doing a protein and then tryingto incorporate something else
with it, is what I would say.
SPEAKER_02 (23:23):
I like crock pot meals a lot.
You know, my wife put in uh Idon't actually know some kind of
roast yesterday, and she justthrew in some vegetables that we
had, and whatever, it all goesgood.
You put it in there, and likeSuzanne said earlier, you smell
it in the house every time youwalk in the house, like, oh yes.
And that's a quick go-to.
I mean, crock pot crock potmeals, if you look for uh
healthy options, are some of thesimplest things to do.
(23:43):
Also, a quick tip buy the bagsthat you put in them.
SPEAKER_05 (23:46):
That's crock potential.
SPEAKER_02 (23:48):
Cleaning those darn crock pots is such a nightmare.
I don't want to do it.
But when I once I startedgetting those bags, it made it
so much more helpful.
And it also helps with thestorage of it all.
Like you can actually just putit on as a fluck and all that
things and save what you got.
You know, there's there'senough.
SPEAKER_04 (24:02):
I didn't say that earlier, but like I kind of
Jackson, my boss, actually gotme in love with an air fryer and
I fought it for a long time.
I was and not because I didn'twant an air fryer, I just didn't
want one more bulky appliance inmy house.
But I am, I do love my air fryernow, and I will do chicken
tenders, like just bare ones,and season it with basic things
pepperica, garlic powder, garlicuh onion powder, salt, pepper.
(24:24):
Really that's it.
And I just cook those on aSunday, and my kids will eat
those with just like a dippingsauce as their protein.
SPEAKER_05 (24:30):
So that's an easy thing to I don't have an
Instapot, but I know severalpeople that swear by an Instapot
because it is so much quickerthan cooking something in the
oven or stovetop.
And so again, online, endlesspossibilities.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:45):
So how should parents handle picky eaters in a
way that encourages varietywithout turning mealtime into a
battle?
SPEAKER_05 (24:51):
Again, here's my daughter who only ate green
beans.
My kids were always encouragedto try it.
I didn't require them to eat alleverything, right?
But I would but I would say,despite their pickiness as kids,
that as adults, they're allhealthy with, you know, varied
diets, you know, they they alleat vegetables now.
So when your kids are little,it's really easy to get
(25:11):
obsessive over your kids noteating a variety of foods, but
generally that's a stage andthey they grow out of it.
I just think you don't want toget too consumed or focused on
that.
SPEAKER_04 (25:23):
I think you still put it on their plate.
That's my like, so I have alwayswhen I was researching it,
because I have a picky eater,and so I was like, how do I need
to handle it?
Like I don't want to shame them,but I also don't want to tell
them that they don't ever likethey need to still be open to
it, right?
And so my son hates salad and Istill put it on his plate every
time I make a salad.
He's like, you know, I don'tlike it.
That's fine, it's there.
I'm not saying you have to eatit if you choose to try it.
(25:44):
That's great.
The funny joke about it is candysalad has had all this rave,
right?
So the other day I was like, Iit was like probably six months
ago, we had like a party and Ihad made a candy salad, and he's
like, Ew, I'm not eating that.
And my husband immediately said,That's fine, you don't have to.
And then we get to the party andhe was trying to get in it.
And my husband's like, You saidyou didn't want it because it
had salad.
Oh, I didn't mean this.
And so it was just funny.
(26:05):
Like, we just put it on thereand we're like, if you choose to
try it, great.
If you don't, that's fine too.
Um, but I think you're right,Suzanne.
I stressed about it for so long,and then really they kind of
grow out of some of it, anyways.
SPEAKER_02 (26:16):
My trick.
Well, I my was not successfulwith my own two children, but my
grandsons had lived with me fora little while and they were
both picky, they like the friedstuff and all.
So, you know, I had got intogrilling.
Also, that that lets me beoutside where the noise is not,
and the kids couldn't come outthere and play and ask me
questions, and so they'd see megrilling gross, and then we'd go
in the house, and of course Iwould have vegetables and stuff.
But here's the secret I foundyou spices, like how do you
(26:39):
season this food and make ittaste good?
Yeah, it you know, salt andpepper is great, and that brings
out natural, but if you can finda cool spice, put it on there.
I I got those kids eating allkinds of stuff because it it
doesn't, it's not the same inthe same state, right?
Yeah, and that's just you know,I grill the I'd grill corn or
I'd grill vegetab vegetables.
Uh, bell peppers are ourfavorite.
They didn't ever like theonions, I couldn't get them to
(27:00):
do that.
But the little red bell peppers,they're a little bit sweeter
than the green bell pepper,well, not sweeter than the green
bell peppers.
So I found that seasoning stuff,also when they help me, I think
somebody said that earlier, whenthey help you do it, the buy-in
is immense.
Can I help you do this?
Yes, here's how we're gonna doit.
And they cook it, but we gottaeat it if we cook it, right?
You see me eat everything, yes,and we start, you know.
But they were there were littleboys, they're under five.
SPEAKER_04 (27:20):
Well, I'm saying I'm laughing because my mom, here's
another trick get like theirfavorite grandparent, and I
guarantee you they try it forthem because the other day my
daughter was upset we didn'thave ranch at the house, and my
mom was like, Oh, you've gotChick-fil-A sauce.
And he was like, Yeah, myhusband's obsessed with
Chick-fil-A.
And then and then my son's like,Oh, I'll try it, and he doesn't
like any sauces.
And so I was like, You're gonnatry something, but only because
(27:40):
Gigi did it.
Like so, I do thinkgrandparents, y'all have a
special touch.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_02 (27:45):
And I'm a I was a grandfather, see.
SPEAKER_04 (27:47):
Perfect.
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
All right, finally, if a family wanted to take just
one small step towards eatinghealthier this week, what would
you suggest that they startwith?
SPEAKER_04 (27:55):
You know, maybe just going through your pantry and
figuring out like what you feellike you're good with having, or
if there's something that youdon't want in there and like
just assessing what you have andwhat you kind of want to work
towards is what I would say.
SPEAKER_02 (28:07):
Well, my my thing would probably go even before
that.
That is a great idea.
You know, find your why.
Why is this important to me?
What's what's going on in mylife that I've had this
epiphany?
Things aren't okay that I gottachange my eating habit.
Um, because and I think that's agood start for the week.
SPEAKER_01 (28:20):
All right, thank you so much for joining us today.
If this episode inspired you toshare a yummy, healthy recipe
with a friend or a familymember, perhaps it will also
inspire you to share thispodcast with them as well.
As always, remember you mighthave to loan out your cortex
today.
Just make sure you remember andget it back.
SPEAKER_00 (28:36):
Thank you for listening to Brain Based
Parenting.
We hope you enjoyed this show.
If you would like moreinformation about CalFarley's
Boys Ranch, are interested inemployment, would like
information about placing yourchild, or would like to help us
help children by donating to ourmission, please visit
calfarly.org.
You can find us on all socialmedia platforms by searching for
(28:59):
CalFarley's.
Thank you for spending your timewith us and have a blessed day.
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