A Kitchen Experiment Gone Right

With all the free time that summer offers for my kids, it's the ideal opportunity to get them involved in culinary happenings. This summer we're experimenting with a radical shift in our eating habits. We are moving from three fairly heavy meals a day to five small, snack-like meals every day. I'd heard that this was a healthier way to eat, but I had no idea that it would be so satisfying. It feels like I get to eat more when in reality, I'm eating less and eating more healthily.

My old meal plans were light on breakfast, heavier at lunch (like a sandwich and fruit and baked chips with quite a bit of fruit juice, not bad, but not good either), and a very filling meal at dinner (like spaghetti with tofu-balls and garlic bread). Now I've lightened that heaviest meal and shifted it to lunch-time. That way we can keep our old favorite meals, but still lighten up. This will be harder to maintain during the school year, but if it continues to be the shining success it has been so far, we'll try to continue with it.

Breakfast has changed to have large servings of fruit with the cereal (cheerios or shredded wheat 'n bran or other whole grain cereals) and soymilk (enriched reduced-fat with vanilla is a favorite with my kids).

After that, at about ten in the morning, we drink a soymilk and frozen-fruit smoothie or eat sliced raw vegetables and pieces of cheese. If we have cheese, we choose sharper varieties despite the higher fat content because a smaller amount is more satisfying than a blander variety. This keeps the quantity of lactose down.

Lunch has become the dinner meal of the day. Vegetarian tacos, pasta dishes, and other hot foods occupy the table at this time. If a meal contains meat or meat substitutes, this is it. However, there are no second helpings at this meal, unlike a traditional dinner. This helps to maintain a lightness.

The three o'clock meal varies in lightness. It can be a bowl of lite popcorn and a glass of soymilk, but it can also be half an open-faced peanut-butter sandwich with said glass of milk. Another advantage to this plan is that one necessarily drinks more soymilk and, to be honest, the kids could use the calcium.

Dinner is my favorite meal of this plan. We eat raw vegetables and toast points or pita wedges with a dip. Hummus, soybean spread, and mild Thai peanut sauce are some family favorites of ours. Celery, baby carrots, and sweet bell peppers are some favorite raw vegetables. Asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, or even potatoes are great cooked ones. Any vegetable can be cut to make it dip-able. Medallion shapes of carrots or zucchini stand up well and sticks are great from peppers or celery. Sometimes for a treat I make granola and serve it with sliced up fruits and yogurt for dipping. Leftovers from this are great the next day for breakfast.

On this meal plan, not only do I never over eat on this plan, but I'm also never hungry. It allows all of us to snack healthily and sensibly throughout the day. I've read that one should only eat until one is 75% full, that in a few minutes after the meal is over one will feel full. I've always had trouble trying to eat this way, but with these smaller meals, it's easy. I've never enjoyed my food so much and cooking has never been easier. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting recipes that have succeeded in my family with this plan, but I must say that even if your kids don't eat hummus reducing serving sizes and placing a few plant-based snacks throughout the day will improve your kid's lives and yours, too. I hope you try this with me. I know you'll love it if you do.