How do you adopt this raw food lifestyle?

[goingrawchelle]

Those of you with children, how did you incorporate this raw food lifestyle with them? We have four children ages 11, 10, 8, and 3 1/2. I can see how I can eat myself but it's going to be tough making two meals. Hmmm... thanks for your input. :confused:

[Dimond]

You may find these websites helpful.

All 5 of their kids are raw:
http://thegardendiet.com

Grown kids that have been raw since young:
http://www.rawfamily.com

[deberaw]

...I know what you mean...it is a challenge...I have 3 young ones....for me, I started exploring Raw a little over a year ago....I jumped in 100% but soon failed because I was overwhelmed and some of the recipes didn't sit well with me etc. But, I kept reading and exploring and trying new recipes and gathering equipment...on EBAY, just a regular dehydrator etc......somewhere I set a goal of trying 100% this March...so towards the end of the year, I tried new recipes every week...made crackers and treats I liked and kept adding them in our routine. Then I was ready in Feb. to give it a go and it's good so far.

Breaksfast and lunch are easy....it's dinner that's a challenge...but I'm finding it works great to have a big salad and fresh or lightly steamed veggies at the table...I make simpler meals for the kids and my hubby {who eats whatever I've made: Raw or vegetarian}....brown rice and tofu or lentils, pasta, veggie tacos, homemade pizza, seem to be some staples....since I've gone 100% I don't have the cravings or desire to eat what they are eating...and it's not as big a deal as I thought. I really struggled with the issue of how can I teach my kids to eat well if I'm not eating what they are....etc., but we are taking this one step at a time....I would recommend to keep playing with recipes...add smoothies and salads to meals or snacks..etc., until YOU feel you are at a point where it is right for YOU to take it up a notch. I must say that it was much harder for me when I was under 100% because I kept eating the cooked!

I think too it depends on your goal....and then you can tweak your plan as you go.....My husband wants to go vegan...so my next step is to make more vegan meals.....depends where your family is at too...if meat eaters...can your hubby cook the meat? keep it simple and easy....easy meals....choices...fajitas, tacos etc are good for kids too.....

Lately I've been doing this: when I make a pasta for the family, I make kelp noodles for me or zucchini noodles with marinara sauce, I'm going to try Raw taco "meat" for when we have tacos, I had a wonderful Raw pizza the other day which I am going to try to make myself.....I keep Raw crackers/breads available to have with salad. I find that the food is so nourishing I am content easily {It is a different feeling then feeling full on Sad}., and lastly, my kids are eating lots more fruits and veggies. "Green is Good" is a mantra in our house.....they eat lots of brocolli and green beans! I went to a Raw banquet the other day and one of my 5 year olds said "I love Raw foods!!"
{he didn't try much, but tries what I make, most of the time} best of luck! Deb

[gingincal]

My family is really SAD. I find that, the longer I'm raw, the more curious my hubby and kids become. They're somewhat willing to taste what I'm eating and they've begun asking questions about rawness. At least the seed seems to be planted;) . I'm trying to encourage everyone to eat more fruits and veggies but not pushing anything.

It's a snap to be raw for breakfast and lunch. When dinner rolls around, I try to make sure that MY dinner is ready first. If I am ravenous, I'll just nibble my dinner while I cook for the family. Also, I try to serve a big salad or other big raw veggie dish at dinner, so it doesn't feel like I'm really making 2 totally separate dinners.

If you just stick with it, I think you'll find a routine that works for you. Good luck!

[ShelShel]

You honestly work into it slowly. :rolleyes: I started little at a time too. Breakfast, the Lunch those were easy...it truly is dinner, when everyone is not only home with you, but expecting you to prepare what they are eating that gets rough in the beginning.

If it's any encouragement at all, this become habit, natural and easier than you'd think.;)

I've been raw for well, let me think...LOL 2 years and one month...8 months of it were 100% raw straight. It was awesome, so much so, I am back to it again.

Any who, to answer your question...just make sure you aren't hungry before you begin cooking. That's it. That is the trick. If you aren't starving, you can cook anything and it won't bother you. After a few weeks you won't even be tempted by smells or anything. You become so comfortable with what you are eating, how you are feeling that it just become how you eat. No biggie. You know!?!?

Oh, and you end up rubbing off. My family is so SAD it isn't funny and my daughter just took green peppers, green grapes and a banana to school in her lunch after having fruit for breakfast. Kids are so easy. They see you eat and they get curious. Introduce easy stuff and they will eat some of what you do, as they get older they will chose to try other stuff.

My 12 year old daughter said this summer she would like to try going raw with me. :) I was so proud...she has the most difficulty not overeating. My other daughter eats like a bird. So, try to think about it as a teaching tool as well. Do as I do and all that!

In your time, you will come to it, if it's right for you. It was right for me and I'm just thrilled to be back to it. Good Luck on your Raw Journey.

[GoingtoRAW]

My family is all SAD too. I have 3 children and my son, who will be 13 yeares old soon, is the only one who will dare to even try any of my raw food. In fact usually he will sneak into the refrigerator and eat some of the raw foods I get from one of my favorite raw food store/restaurant. He loves the stuff and I have to take him with me when I shop so he can get what he wants so he won't eat all of mine! Even though he is not 100% raw he is probably the healthiest of all of us too.

What I have found really helpful in dealing with my non-raw food eaters is when I shop for them I try to buy foods that I don't care for anyway. That has worked quite well thankfully because I am totally food obsessed. I have no problems with the foods I buy for them.;)

[goingrawchelle]

Thank you all for your detailed responses. I really appreciate the help. I will continue to transition into this. It's going to be challenging though. I'm just NOW getting my husband to think "less meat," and use other sources of protein. So it WILL take some time.

BTW, how in the world do you make raw crackers? amazing! I gotta get Alissa's book!

Please keep your responses coming as to how you incorporate this with children. I do appreciate you in taking the time to help this newbie. lol

Chelle

[DavidZaneMason]

Opinion: What YOU eat is ultimately YOUR choice. No one can put that food in your mouth for you....chew it...swallow it...digest it...well you get the picture! If you prepared food for your family before....continue to do so! Just make MORE of the healthy foods YOU are eating...and make sure they are always stocked in the house. Offer to take your husband and children on special outings and treat them to special 'raw food' events that YOU devise! Take them on shopping trips and let them choose their FAVORITE fruit or vegetable. If they are not interested....and YOU are not happy...then no words will convince them. If they see you happy and relaxed on a daily basis....then they will emulate you. Who wouldn't? LOL.

-David Z. Mason

[Blazin'Jane]

goingrawchelle, have you spent some time on the "raising raw kids" board? 'should be lots of help and support there!
I think you women who are modelling RAW for your children are wonderful! Kids can be very tough on any diet regime, and Raw takes time, energy and creativity. Keep up your good work! all my children are grown and raising their families, and I still see my job as modelling the best I can for them. None of them are raw---well some are pretty serious dabblers--but all are making some changes for the good with their food, and that's a good thing.

[ShelShel]

I think what also worked for me was that my focus was just me. At first. I wasn't concerned with converting the whole family all at once. I was heavy, ill feeling and desperate.
My hubby encourages me as if he was raw he just thinks it the best, but there will NEVER be a day that he eats raw, he's a meat eater. :rolleyes: And I'm ok with that.
My kids eat more raw than any kids I have personally met, simply because they are mine and they eat what I feed them. :p But they are not 100%.
I think eating raw is a choice we have to make for ourselves.

Raw Crackers are made in a dehydrator. They can be made from a mix of sprouts and veggies, or flax and veggies. There are several recipes in Alissa's book. Or you can do what I just did and purchase some on-line already made. :p Let you know how they taste when they come!

You can do it!

[Aleesha Sattva]

i don't push my family to be raw with me... but i do offer them a taste of everything i make. slowly... they are getting more interested in what i'm eating and the changes my health and weight have taken.

i figure... maybe one day they'll go raw... and if they don't, oh well, it's their health!

[Theogirl]

I'm in my second raw week. My husband and two kids (2 and 4) eat a fairly healthy but regular diet (bison burgers, pasta...) I was worried about eating differently but it's so not a problem. For breakfast I make the kids oatmeal porridge topped with frozen berries. I eat a bowl of just berries, but more of it. Or I'll make a smoothie and share. For supper what works good is to make a big yummy salad for all of us, then a little meat or pasta or whatever on the side for the rest of the family. I just eat more of the green stuff than they do. They can try whatever I'm having. So far this way is working really well, none of us feeling deprived. My kids love the raw carrot cake with raisins and almonds, and the flax crackers with just avocado and vine ripened tomatoes. Mmmm.
It's interesting, when I was introduced to this I thought my DH would freak out about me being unbalanced or restrictive or off on another crazy phase. I told him I would do it for one month and take it from there. He was supportive. Now it's funny, because he'll make comments about moving in the same direction and really appreciates having more salads and green stuff around.
I have to say, eating 100% is 10 times easier than vegan or vegetarian. The focus is not on what you are cutting out, it's totally all about All the wonderful things you CAN eat! It's like treating yourself like a queen every day, all this yummy fruit and greens and seeds. And after the first few days of super grouchy, I am feeling fabulous! So much more energy and patience with my kids. No one's asking me to change my diet now!:cool:

[theresaann]

I am a single mom, 14 days 100% this time (have gone raw before) and my kids are 14 and 11. To be honest, I am just focusing on me, letting myself detox, making stuff I feel like eating and they are kind of on their own a little bit. They are not very interested in the raw stuff and I am sort of concerned-I've lost all interest in cooking for them, at all.

Today I put a frozen organic pizza from whole foods in the oven for them, and they had some of the carrot cake I made (Alissa's recipe-OMG!)

I'm hoping that one of two things will happen, soon:
1. I'll get over this "aversion to cooking" or
2. they will start to eat raw with me

My daughter, the 14 year old, is open to trying stuff and says she's willing to go raw, but isn't yet. My son, who is 11, is pretty much in total rebel mode about it. Its ok...we are all good, and adjusting.

[goingrawchelle]

I'm just loving all your responses. So what I'm getting here is that I need to just eat how I choose to eat myself and let my kiddos try it IF they want. So that's what I'm doing now.

Just last night I was eating some raw broccoli slaw with tomatoes and red onion and my daughter who said she "didn't like that stuff on her salad," wanted some and had more and more of it, then my son wanted some. LOL

This is going to prove fun isn't it? :)

[goingrawchelle]

It's interesting, when I was introduced to this I thought my DH would freak out about me being unbalanced or restrictive or off on another crazy phase. I told him I would do it for one month and take it from there. He was supportive. Now it's funny, because he'll make comments about moving in the same direction and really appreciates having more salads and green stuff around.

My husband doesn't like it when I go to the extreme of anything. However he likes the fact that he's finally getting the salads and veggies that he's wanted for the past almost 16 years of marriage. LOL He knows ALL too well how I go off on crazy phases. lol

[Horselady73]

I think you're doing great and making great changes. I went raw a couple of months ago. My thirteen year old daughter is almost completely raw with me, but my husband and my two boys(9 &15) eat the raw and then eat other things on the side as well. I admit, I have limited my kids choices to incorporate more raw, but they are beginning to comment on how much better they feel on raw. In fact my fifteen year old was feeling very tired and sluggish so he informed me he was going raw for a couple of days. Wow! I never thought I'd see the day with him, but they trully follow my example far more than I ever thought possible. Also, on the weekends my husband gives them some "mad" money to spend on food treats. He allowed them candy bars, chips, pop, etc. in the beginning, but I've been amazed how we've helped transition them to healthier choices with their mad money even if not raw. After all, kids wil be kids. I had to relax and trust them to make the right choices for them, eventually.
Good luck!

[Raw Yogini]

I'm starting my kids w/ raw desserts. Last night we had raw apple pie and my ds had two pieces!

[Theogirl]

I thought it was interesting that my husband who is not raw and I wasn't sure would be supportive (but is) has been making some changes too! For supper most nights I make a big salad for him and me and veggie slices for kids. I add meat sometimes or lately, miso soup for them and I just have the salad.
Guess what! My husband has lost as much or more weight than me! (He was overweight and I wasn't, even to start with.) He is tickled pink and has decided to start working out again, which he had gotten out of the groove of. As well, his skin has been clearing up too!
His preferences are changing too. If I don't fix lunch, he'll come up from work (he works in our basement suite) and fix himself a spinach salad and some herring. Or have an apple. I'm trying not to comment too much but I'm so pleased! Our entire family's diet now consists of tons of produce, then meat or fish maybe 4 times a week, omega 3 eggs, rice milk for the kids, sprouted bread and the kids love peanut butter. They're definitely not raw but we're all getting so much healthier!
On a happy side note, we hope to live in Mexico one day. Eating less and less meat and so much produce is making us both healthier now, and more prepared to live simply and healthfully there! (Who wants to eat meat hanging in a market, ugh!):)

[erialicia]

I don't expect my 2 daughters ages 9 and 13 to eat a raw diet. However they have increased their raw fruits and vegies alot and they each have a small green smoothie with me each morning. I am slowly cutting out all sugar or using healthy alternatives. Ive never bought processed foods so that was never a problem. I just can't expect them to change over night or give up a good steak if they want it.