Feeding the Family post band

(Like the Best of Carson, this is one of my replies on another Web site)

Banding and feeding your family

Karen wrote: For those of you who have to cook for a spouse or significant other and kids too. How do you feed them and make it band adaptable?

I have 2 kids 7 and 10 who a very finicky eaters. My husband will eat just about anything as long as it doesn't have anything "weird" in it. I know you need protein first, but does it always have to be a piece of meat, such as chicken, turkey or pork? ...

Reply:

I have a big, tall husband and a tall (not as big) 3-year-old. We all basically eat the same thing. I rarely have a plain piece of meat and I get all my protein in. I think the "eat protein first" rule applies because so many people have a hard time getting enough protein until they eat it first. I do meaty soups and casseroles.

At first, I had less pasta in my pasta dishes, then I started using Dreamfields low carb pasta or substituting veggies for pasta in traditional pasta dishes. Dreamfields is the bomb and no one can tell that it's low carb/high fiber because it's so tasty. I also started making a pasta sauce and serving my meal over eggplant or spaghetti squash.

I choose the band because I wanted to continue a very normal lifestyle for me and my family. If the lifestyle involves portion control as opposed to another diet, it's very possible (after the inital healing) for everyone in the house to eat the same foods. I've even found a way to reincorporate an occassional peanut butter and jelly sandwich using Nature's Own 'Light' Honey Wheat bread. My 3-year-old eats this high-fiber,tasty bread the same way she would the weak, white stuff. Two slices are low-carb and have 80 calories (for both). To boot, the stuff even has a decent amount of protein (5 grams) a serving.

It's really possible to succeed without being bound to the "plain ole piece of meat" meals. Takes some work, research and a comitment to a normal, balanced nutritional plan.