what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

while me and DH arent the worst eaters we are ceartinly not the best ones.

with DD starting "real food" i have no idea what is considered good for her vs bad.

I barley have time to cook me and DH dinner so i have no intention on cooking 2 different meals. So i figured this would be the best time to get me and DH to start eating "right".

i just have no idea where to start there is so much and quite frankly to much information out there.

I need suggestions on what I should read, watch, etc.

I want to hear from organic and non organic moms.

This thread is not meant to or be a which is better thread.

I really would just love some recommedations (studies, documentries whatever) on what made you choose to eat what you and your family eat.

So then I can make decision what will be best for our family.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

Even though we just started cereal, I am going the organic route. I had a lot of fertility issues and time and time again my research brought me back to overly processed foods, toxins, plastics, chemicals and added hormones all wrecking havoc on my body. So I don't want to take any chance with my childrens' fertility and if doing something as simple as feeding them an as organic as possible diet that's what I will do. Of course we had to go to plan B w/ formula right away due to a few issues, but everything I can control going into her will be organic.
I also hope it teaches her better overall eating habits and a respect for the Earth at an early age.
As for what to read, I can't think of anything specific but this is a case where Google can be your friend. Just make sure what you are reading is from a neutral source.

Message edited 10/6/2011 8:54:34 PM.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

We just started 'real food' recently and while I would love to go fully organic, I also have to be reasonable $$ wise. Right now, I make sure to buy organic for the 'Dirty Dozen"...foods with the highest likelihood to have pesticide residue even after being washed and peeled (learned about it in Parenting magazine). So for me right now, that means I only buy organic apples. Everything else (green beans, sweet potatoes, bananas) are 'regular'. I would like to go organic when we get to cows milk also, but it is like twice the price of regular milk, so I will have to see how the budget can handle it. I'll research/decide about meat and poultry when I get to that stage. I'm glad to see that BJ's is starting to carry more and more organics, and I hope that continues.

Like you, DH and I are trying to eat better now to teach DS good eating habits. Hopefully that will also help us lose the 75+ pounds (each, minimum) that we are carrying around.


Dirty Dozen

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

My goal for DD is organic as much as possible, but I'm not going to be crazy about it. It's how I've been with the food I prepare with DH and I for years. I make sure I buy organic for the fruits and veggies that are on the "dirty dozen" list. I buy organic dairy. I don't always buy organic meat/chicken. It's really expensive and my local food store doesn't carry much. I do try to get chicken from a reputable brand, like Bell and Evans or Murrays, that's minimally processed and not given antibiotics/hormones. I strive to eat whole foods and as little processed foods as possible. I also strive to eat balanced. I always make sure dinner includes protein/whole grains or sweet potato/veggie.

However, I know it's not realistic to try to eat like this 100 percent of the time. I love to eat out or dine at friends/family houses and I have a sweet tooth that I indulge.

ETA: I buy my store brand organic for a lot of things, especially milk, yogurt, and eggs. My store brand frozen organic veggies are inexpensive and great to have on hand, especially now with DD.

Message edited 10/6/2011 9:14:42 PM.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

thanks for the input so far.

But a couple questions.

My ped says hes not a big organic eater so what makes other people big ones?

what makes organic in your eyes better besides the dirty dozen which i get what did you specifaclly read, watch what ever to say that organic is better.

I am not trying to question or start dramas people reasoning i would just love to be able to watch or read something some one recommends then just relying on google.

Also I am confused by meats as well. There is organic meat. I dont think i have ever seen it. what makes it organic. whats the difference between the meat that has no animals feed with no antibiotics/hormones? Is perdu not a good brand on there label they claim cage free no antibiotics/homones.

I should probably know this what is considered a balance meal for breakfast lunch and dinner. I know there has to be something i can look at for this whether or not someone eats organic vs non organic

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

Bump

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

I try my hardest to buy organic or hormone free milk, and organic antibiotic free meats. It's more money, but that is where I choose to splurge for us. As for fruits and veggies I kust buy what looks good, is on sale, and what I can wash. I don't always by the dirty dozen organic because my thought is fruit is better then no fruit and I just can't justify the prices. Like lets say I have $10 spend on frsh fruit this week for Emmy's breakfast and snack. I can buy 1 organci pinapple and a pound of grapes, or I can buy blackberries, straberries, a pinapple, 3 kiwis, and a small personal watermelon. I choose the later of the 2 options.

As far as good food/bad food it's all relative to me. You could look up 100 studies and you'll see a ton of conflicting info. My best advise is if you really feel that lost about nutrition call a dietician or nutricianist. Most insurances will give you a consult.

This is my rountine for meals and snacks

Breakfast- a dairy such as yogurt, fresh fruit, and a grain such as dry cereal. On the weekend she eats Daddy/Daughter breakfast and thats bacon/eggs/taost/sausage/fruit. It's a treat for her

Lunch- what you normally eat. Pasties, soup and sandwich, lunchmeat and fruit...normal lunch things

Snack- Apple Chips, applesauce, yougurt if none from breakfast, I try to do a healthier snack food like pita and hummus and so on. I also did fresh cuccumbers in small spears and cheese or peaches and necturines in spears.

Dinner- Whatever we eat and I try very very hard to do a lean protine, starch, and lots of veggies

Dessert- we don't do dessert

She gets juice throughout the day as she wants it. It's 1oz juice to 7oz water. Other then that we just keep cherrios out if she wnats them as well. She is a big grazer and often prefers to graze over sit and eat.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

he eats mostly organic. I am not a nut about it when we eat out but are are pretty much a local/organic family.

there are a number of reasons why, studies showing links to pesticid use and ADD/ADHD and just not wanting certain things in his body. life has changed. food and additives have changed. if I can nip something in the bud I will.

we eat grass fed organic beef, organic chicken and pork, wild caught fish, organic and/or non antibiotic or hormone milk and diary products.

for fruits and veggies, I go local/organic, especially for the dirty dozen.

I cook every night and basically everything from scratch b/c I don't like to deal with anything I don't know about.

when he first started on food, I would make purees for him a few days a week. when he started table foods, he ate a mashed up pureed version of whatever we eat and he still eats what we eat to this day. I've never made a separate meal for him and I don't plan on starting.

it's very fluid for me though b/c I have always cooked. I really enjoy it and it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love coming home from work and destressing while making a healthy meal for my family (and having a glass of wine lol).

it's very difficult to know what is right, but my view is, if there is a question about a produc and I can avoid it...why not?



ETA: there are a few movies you can watch about the meat industry and also the fast food industry but Google can help you search for articles about it. not sure why google is not a good source. it can direct you to journal articles and well as other places that may help you decide what to do.

in my home a balanced meal is protein, grain, veggie and/or fruit. I give dessert b/c it's fun. we don't have snacks.

Message edited 10/7/2011 12:20:44 PM.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

I have posted my mini-chicken meatball recipe a bunch of time - they freeze great - if you and DH have a bad meal, you can pop some out for DC at least.

Reynold's wrap's website some some easy, foil packet cooking recipes so no clean-up.

The crock-pot should become your new best friend - soups, stews, chicken

Make food fun for DC. If we are having spagetti - i take 2 meatballs as eyes, some green beans make the nose and the spag is the smile.

For breakfast I made DC "french toast butterflies". Take a french toast stick, put it in the middle of the plate. Next to it put 4 slices of apples as wings and some grapes/strawberries/banana/oranges as spots.

When DC gets older, let them help - if you are making chix cutlets, let them shake the breadcrumsb in a zip lock bag.

Re: what do you feed your DC ... looking for organic and NON organic eaters advice please

Sorry, I can't cite specific studies at the moment, but there have been studies that link pesticides to things like ADHD. And studies suggest that certain pesticides are endocrine-distruptors (which affects fertility among many other things, as baseballwidow said). Like pervious poster said, I'm sure there is conflicting info or claims that some of these studies are flawed. So at the end of the day, it really comes down to personal preference. I just feel better knowing that my fruits and veggies aren't covered in chemicals. Yes, this entire planet is polluted, but this is one way I *try to control my intake.

I don't always buy it, but there is organic beef. To meet the USDA's seal of approval, the cow has to:
Born and raised on certified organic pasture
Never receive antibiotics
Never receive growth-promoting hormones
Are fed only certified organic grains and grasses
Must have unrestricted outdoor access
*Look for USDA certified organic foods.

I think the most important thing you can do with food, whether it's organic or not, is to strive to eat whole foods. Jillian Michael's has said..."If it doesn't have a mother or didn't come from the ground, don't eat it." Of course, it's hard to follow that rule 100 percent of the time, but try to eat less processed, genetically-engineered junk most of the time. I try to follow a 90/10 rule. 90% of the time, I eat really well. 10% of the time, all bets are off.
Mostly shop the perimeter of your food store—produce, lean meats, low-fat dairy. From the interior aisles, go for things like whole grain cereals or oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, different grains like quinoa, snacks like air-popped popcorn, canned fruit (in juice, not syrup), frozen fruits.

This is, of course, just my opinion, but I hope it helps.

Message edited 10/7/2011 12:37:15 PM.