Foodie Family

  I have been wanting to write about this for a while, but wondering how to do it without offending. Many awesome Waldorf homeschooling families have gotten on board with Simplicity Parenting’s food rhythms. The idea being that children like regular repetition in their meals. So the Waldorf homeschool blogs exploded with simple meal planning, simple meals, eat from the cupboard or spend nothing on food months, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

  Now, I realize that this can be a money issue. I have been a single mama on welfare. I get that. But when that’s you, you don’t need an internet food challenge to inspire you to eat simply.

It is NOT HEALTHY or GOOD to only offer your children the same foods over and over and over. If you do choose to do that, don’t be surprised later if they have food allergies or are picky eaters.

  If you want children who think trying new foods is an adventure, feed them a lot of foods from the begining! It’s OK if they don’t like something the first time, it’s cool. Try it again! Buy or borrow cookbooks with lots of photos and let them choose some recipes. Have ethnic nights, with music. Have fun cooking together.

 Down with Taco Tuesdays!

Author: Midwife Melanie

Melanie Elizabeth Hexen is a midwife, regionally famous bellydancer, homeschooling mother and matriarch of the Many Hands House.

6 thoughts on “Foodie Family”

  1. Melanie, thank-you for posting, and I couldn't agree more with you. There are weeks that go by and the only common food we have is pizza (and even that isn't the same every time). So I am wondering – is Archers menu something he will then cook for the family or is this a list of his favorite meals or both? Please fill in the gaps on this great learning opportunity 🙂 And Huzzah for have a cupboard full of cookbooks 🙂

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  3. Christine, this list is of the recipes he wants to try from our new cookbook Plenty (introduced to us here http://theyearofplenty.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/swiss-chard-chickpea-and-tamarind-stew/ ). All the big kids wrote one. The children almost always help with the cooking. Sometimes they do meals alone – Rowan did ALL the time, so much we had to cut back because he was spending so much on cooking us gourmet meals!

    I look forward to making these – and I have a list of my own….

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  5. I agree that you shouldn't feed the exact same thing every day of the week, but even with a set schedule, there is still a TON of room for variety! Believe it or not, Taco Tuesday can be varied! Hard tacos, soft tacos, fish tacos, chicken tacos, bean tacos… Soup Thursday – Creamy Veggie Soups, Bean Soup, Meat & Noodle Soup – the possibilities are endless, Melanie.

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  6. I take the middle ground on this issue. Most meals are the same each week but, I have a few days set aside just to try some new recipes. There is rythm but, without getting into a food rut. Trust me I am a foodie but, the truth is most children do like some predictability in the menu and I def can respect that. I have been to cilinary school and am in love with the food arts but, having some simplicity in meal planning from day to day is ideal for most families and children. I think balance is the key issue here. Nothing is really as hard and fast as it seems at first.
    -Kami

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