Detoxing As A Family

I know… we aren’t calling New Year New Rules a “detox” per se, because it’s FULL of food.  But it’s the best way to articulate a carved out period of time in which we rest our bodies of the gunk.

You might be curious about how a detox goes when you're the chef of your kitchen and cooking for a family. That was my biggest concern when I did my first program {with Katie Jasper Health} about a year ago. Making one dinner is hard enough, but one for the "detoxer" and one for the hubby and kiddos? See ya later.

In my mind a detox meant less food, complicated tofu filled meals, and maybe some gross "detoxifying" drinks like the Master Cleanse {yup, I've done that}. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my first detox was really nothing like I imagined.

The detox was simply removing foods that caused inflammation and replacing them with foods that nurture, heal and help detoxify. The recipes were delicious, and 90% of the meals we ate as a family! Whew.  Great news this round... EVEN more family friendly {and some more "meat" for the fellas... good meat that is}.  NYNR.

Having two little ones with sensitive systems and food allergies, I actually felt great about giving them food that eliminated common allergens and gave their little systems a break. And my husband was happy to report that he had more energy and lost an easy 10 pounds over the two weeks. It felt like we all "won," and I loved knowing exactly what my girls were eating-no funky, hard to pronounce ingredients!

Here are some helpful hints that I've made note of over my last few detoxes:

1. Be prepared to spend a little more time in the kitchen. Make an event out of it! Bring the kiddos in and let them help however they can.

2. Share what you learn! I am not kidding when I tell you that my three year old knows {and loves knowing} why kale is good for her. Make eating healthy food cool, think "jumping higher and running faster." If you're excited, they will be too. And yes, this does work on husbands.

3. Make larger portions for dinner, so that you have leftovers for lunch. I am okay spending more time in the kitchen around dinnertime, but lunch needs to be quicker at our house.

4. Reward your kids for trying food they might not normally eat. We served up some banana soft serve after a couple dinners that our girls were hesitant to try.

5. Have an easy back-up plan for a dinner you think they might not like. At our house "lettuce boats" are our go-to's. Wrap turkey, carrot shavings, avocado, hummus and some balsamic vinegar in a romain leaf...voila! Easy, healthy and quick!

I hope your detox leads to more healthy, happy, quality family time spent in your kitchen! What a great way to start off your year :)  I can't wait for NYNR!

Love - Anna