The February 2019 Food Challenge
I tend to do a food challenge in February, even if I don't blog about it, because it is the shortest month, and I figure my family will happily go along with what I have suggested knowing that in just 28 days (29 in a leap year!) they will be eating "normally" again. Although that doesn't always happen. After our month of fish a couple of years back, our consumption of fish on a weekly basis went up and I'm hoping that this challenge will have the same effect on our diet.
The challenge this year is to Eat a Salad as our main meal each day.
Top Ender, isn't too fond of the idea, but my assurances that the Salads will be tasty and not boring wet limp things seems to have swayed her slightly. She is still giving me the side eye when she thinks I'm not looking though!
So, why a Salad every day?
Well, for a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted our family to be eating more Fruits and Vegetables on a daily basis. In our home, the children and I manage around six portions a day, sometimes however it's a little less and I'd rather it was a lot more! Flyfour? Well, let's just ignore him on the number of fruit or veggies eaten a day and just pretend that when he is at work, he loves nothing more than to munch on some carrots or something similar.
Secondly, I wanted to give the whole family a love of Salad and an understanding of what a Salad really is. Flyfour, in particular, thinks that a Salad is a selection of a few Lettuce leaves, or other green things and should then be covered in Coleslaw, Dressing or something that negates the benefits of the leaves. I know this isn't just a Flyfour thing, so many people think a salad is just a few limp lettuce leaves on a plate when it can be so much more!
I also wanted to increase the amount of fibre we are eating as a family. Firstly High Fibre foods release the sugars in the food more slowly, meaning that someone like Dan Jon with Type 1 Diabetes will keep a nice even blood sugar level and those who Pancreas isn't skiving of work (eg the rest of the AMR Household) also benefit from stable blood sugar levels. Fibre moves through your intestines quicker than some foods, which means the signal that you are full comes sooner... I need that in particular! Fibre also, erm "cleans" as it leaves and you may find that you have it leaving more regularly if you get what I mean! It's a good thing!
So 28 Salads. I actually can't wait!
The challenge this year is to Eat a Salad as our main meal each day.
Top Ender, isn't too fond of the idea, but my assurances that the Salads will be tasty and not boring wet limp things seems to have swayed her slightly. She is still giving me the side eye when she thinks I'm not looking though!
So, why a Salad every day?
Well, for a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted our family to be eating more Fruits and Vegetables on a daily basis. In our home, the children and I manage around six portions a day, sometimes however it's a little less and I'd rather it was a lot more! Flyfour? Well, let's just ignore him on the number of fruit or veggies eaten a day and just pretend that when he is at work, he loves nothing more than to munch on some carrots or something similar.
Secondly, I wanted to give the whole family a love of Salad and an understanding of what a Salad really is. Flyfour, in particular, thinks that a Salad is a selection of a few Lettuce leaves, or other green things and should then be covered in Coleslaw, Dressing or something that negates the benefits of the leaves. I know this isn't just a Flyfour thing, so many people think a salad is just a few limp lettuce leaves on a plate when it can be so much more!
I also wanted to increase the amount of fibre we are eating as a family. Firstly High Fibre foods release the sugars in the food more slowly, meaning that someone like Dan Jon with Type 1 Diabetes will keep a nice even blood sugar level and those who Pancreas isn't skiving of work (eg the rest of the AMR Household) also benefit from stable blood sugar levels. Fibre moves through your intestines quicker than some foods, which means the signal that you are full comes sooner... I need that in particular! Fibre also, erm "cleans" as it leaves and you may find that you have it leaving more regularly if you get what I mean! It's a good thing!
So 28 Salads. I actually can't wait!