hi from Dallas, TX

[coletteh]

Hello,

My name is Colette. I started trying to eat mostly raw foods at the beginning of Dec. I'm finding it very hard to stick to because I'm the only one in a house of 4 that wants to eat this way. Dh will only eat hot food (has never liked salads, sandwiches, ect) and with it being winter he is even more reluctant to eat cold/room temp raw food. My 4 year-old only eats mac-N-cheese and ramen noodles. My 19 month-old tries to eat the raw food but just can't chew most of it yet (she only has 4 teeth on the top and 2 on the bottom). Any advice on dealing with this would be great. I also get board with it and start craving hamburgers (among other stuff). I'm going today to get a Raw recipe book. Recommendations on recipe books that don't require a dehydrator or juicer would be greatly appreciated. I hope to make this work. I feel so much better when I can stick to it.

[iamacranberry]

Kids love smoothies, and they're pretty easy to prepare. As far as your husband, you may not be able to convince him....right away or at all. Just because you are making a major dietary transition doesn't mean he's also ready to do this. What you could do for now, though, would be to at least include things like pates and raw desserts more often in whatever food the whole family is eating. There are many pates and desserts that are easy to make without a dehydrator. Also, just encouraging people to eat more fruit is usually a doable step. Have that cut up in pieces in the fridge instead of whatever snack foods are around. Changes that are made gradually are most likely to last...good luck with everything!

[tanishamarshall]

Welcome to the board. I can imagine how challenging it can be when your the only one raw. Do you have a dehydrator? I would definitely suggest Alissa's book as well as 12 steps to raw foods. Just know that I hated salads and veggies all of my life but I made the transition, don't give up on your husband, keep trying to make good food and I'm sure he'll start to like something, it might not happen over night but I believe anyone can change and hopefully by your example he might.

I wish I had advice to give for feeding your baby but I don't have kids.

[nfracer]

Welcome to MY life...I am the mom in a family of 7 and have 1 that loves raw but also the occasional SAD meal but for the most part I am solo. Sure, they will TRY "my food" but sometimes being "raw" is a lonely path.....I have cut way down on what I will buy for the house......I stopped buying "junk" and told everyone if they want it they will have to buy it on their own.....Of course my kids are older (11-21) and dh is the toughest sell but after 2 1/2 years of being the only "raw one" in the house I am at that point!!! Your kids are younger so adding rather than removing things may be the way to go.....try anything with bananas....seems to be a big hit here! banana milkshakes, banana mixed with raw spinach my 11 year old who DETESTS veggies loves and calls banana pudding one of his favs....go figure....Just take baby steps and they will try your things eventually....Just don't expect miracles....they'll still want the mac and cheese!!!!:)

[jacsam]

jamacranberry is right....start making desserts and smoothies and most of all get Alissa's book and DVD.....I have lots of RAW books and hers is the BEST!!! It's a recipe book and all the info you'll need in one book. She also has a very reasonable and easy to understand approach. The recipe section does have dehydrator recipes but the majority are not. Good Luck....Judith:)

[irinam]

Hello and welcome!

In my family I am the only one who is raw, although my daughter would try my salads and gladly have smoothies.

My husband and my son are a different story all together though.

Interestingly, most of the time I do not have a problem cooking for them any more. Cooked food does not interest me much lately and they know they are welcome to join me any time they are ready :)

It might take some time for you to adjust, but soon I bet cooked food will stop looking good to you.

[coletteh]

Thank you for the advice. Both kids do eat fruits and the youngest tries her best to eat veggies. It's not so much getting them to eat more raw as it is the temptation for me to eat what I've cooked. I haven't lost the taste for it yet and it looks and smells so good.


Interestingly, most of the time I do not have a problem cooking for them any more. Cooked food does not interest me much lately and they know they are welcome to join me any time they are ready :)

I hope to get to this point soon!

I have ordered Alissa's book and am trying to wait for it patiently. I did get a book at the store yesterday to help inspire me. It's REALLY basic but I think will help me until Alissas' gets here.

Thank you again!

[Frugal Raw]

Welcome Colette! I wish I'd have known so many Dallasites were on this forum before I moved from there!! Glad you found us, regardless:D

[Radiantly Raw]

Oh, I wish you all the best on your raw journey!:) It must be tough being the only one eating raw! My best advice for the kids is green smoothies, even small ones can drink those & it helps them crave the healthy stuff even more!;) Perhaps when it warms up & your husband sees your own success, he'll come around!? Either way, you can do this!!:D

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW.........Welcome to MY World.

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome to RFT!!! RAWk on!!! I'm so happy you got Alissa's book... believe me -- it will be worth the wait - and it will be there soon!!!

As far as bringing along your hubby... NO WORRIES -- sometimes the best way to 'sway someone' to seeing things your way -- is to not utter a word... simply - BE....

truly give raw 100% of your effort and as you change - your skin begins to glow - your mind clears and eyes are sparkling.... your dh will notice and begin to lean in to see what's goin on.... what you're eating etc...

That's the cool thing about this lifestyle -- you don't have to change anyone.... you only have to change yourself. YOU take the first step... You claim vibrant health, you beam with energy and glow with beauty....

you see - with this food --- this nutrition -- it simply IS... you cannot help but to glow when you eat raw....

blessings on your journey...

RAWk on!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/welcome.gif

[ladypeace82]

Yup Yup Yup!

Starfire is correct. She, as well as others, told me to be patient and lead by example. 4 months later, my DH is starting to incorporate raw into his diet. :D
Now, does he agree with the whole "Standard American Diet these days is what is causing the majority of cancers and illnesses"?
No, he doesn't. He won't even read a book or watch a video to even see what I'm talking about. He won't even let me read the China Study. His reasoning...isn't valid. So I read it at work. :)
But I'm sure, with time, he will see what I mean. It will just take a lot of time.

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!! As you can see I'm in Plano, TX.

[Chilley]

Just wanted to say that I had a friend (the one that got me started in raw) who went through most of her pregnacy 100% raw. Her labor was so easy and quick! Also the baby is the most happy baby I ever saw, smiles and laughs all the time. And one of the best parts is that the baby basically only wants to eat raw foods! She spits out cooked and processed foods (most of them anyway)! Wanted to tell you that the help motivate you in your raw journey and pregnancy!

[SuBu]

Colette, everyone's given great advice here and that's probably the key to your success. Come to RFT often and rely on all of your partners-in-raw to keep you encouraged and strong. I've been raw since July '07 and (I'm sorry) but the smells are still an issue for me. Wish I could say I truly hated SAD foods, but the fact is that I CHOOSE to eat raw. I still cook for my husband and the temptations are there (are everywhere!) daily. But I choose not to give into them. When I do, I pay the price--not necessarily in illness but in other ways (feelings of failure, etc.). SAD foods will always be there and you will always have to deal with your family's meals. You must come to grips with the idea that this is something you are doing for YOU. If you were training for a marathon, you wouldn't give up your exercising just because no one else wanted to run with you, would you? Of course not. If you want to be healthy, slim, and raw then you deserve it and you can do it. You have a wealth of information on this forum and a community of loving, helpful friends to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with you every step of the way. We are all here to cheer you on---and I'm here in Dallas too, so I'm really right here for you!!