menu plans this week: real food + real life meals for kids

confession: this was one of our vacation goodies I'm detoxing from... oh my. Have you tried this?? Amazing.

I'm detoxing this month from all the Christmas goodies {only they aren't feeling so good now, haha!}. Honestly, I think I might be wearing a layer or two of winter fluff because of them! :D But that's okay. I think it was probably worth it. Poor Man's Toffee is to.die.for, but now it's time to focus on good foods! Back to the old ofd. :D

This year, I've decided to incorporate eggs as well as a little meat and dairy into my original food diet. I found that I lost too much weight after several months last year, and eventually, I lost muscle too.  Which might be fine, if I didn't teach weight-lifting classes. :D I think I went too low on protein, which wasn't sustainable for my body long-term at my activity level. This year, I'm trying to eat more natural protein from animal products. I'm constantly experimenting. ;)  I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

You might notice I'm eating a little differently than the rest of the family this week. My goal is to keep the children full, but to still give them a healthier option of the things they like this month- especially when it comes to processed foods. They like some healthy things, and then sometimes mama likes to make sandwiches instead of cleaning up rice off of the floor after lunch. Ha!

So I'm trying to stay balanced, and add in more healthy foods for them as time goes on. Does that make sense? I try to make the distinctions of what I'm eating and what they're eating below.

Here are this week's menu plans:

breakfasts:
oatmeal, plain with stevia for me, with maple syrup for the kids
bananas {just me}
boiled eggs
raw vegan protein shakes {me- this one is good for you, and tolerable with almond milk, but not water}
homemade cereal- granola w/maple syrup, honey, coconut oil, and peanut butter {for the kids- I hope to share the recipe soon!}

compromise meal:
frosted mini wheats {for the kids- one of the few store-bought bulk cereals I've found to have just five ingredients- they are such a special treat! for me, anyway. I don't have to make the cereal!}

lunches:
salad and baked potatoes
ground turkey breast {4 oz.} + basmati rice
boiled eggs and salad w/homemade balsamic dressing {me}
chicken breast, fresh salsa, cottage cheese
spaghetti squash with homemade marinara {me}
leftovers

compromise meal:
whole wheat turkey sandwiches and kettle potato chips {just for the kids...I never realized until last year that plain potato chips have no preservatives- just potatoes, oil, and salt! We get these from Sam's.}


dinners:
black beans and basmati rice
black bean soup 
baked potatoes {w/cheese for the kids}, zucchini, and salsa
veggie chili
taco salad- leftover rice, ground turkey, beans, salsa, lettuce, {cheese for the kids}
dinner out- I eat salad and baked potatoes when we go out. :D

compromise meal:
pizza-family night- we pick up a pizza, and I eat salad, soup or veggies.

snacks:
edamame
bananas
apples
carrots
banana strawberry smoothies
dates
clementines

To prepare for our meals this week, I cooked 12 lbs. of 90/10 turkey for easy meals and put it in the freezer:



And I pre-cooked my boiled eggs for the next couple of days in a few minutes using this handy dandy invention... I love this thing!

I'll probably make the granola cereal tomorrow or Wednesday, which should last us a few days. I will also use my rice cooker to make several cups of rice to last for the week.

Making large quantities of food ahead of time and having lots of healthy snacks available always makes it so much easier for me not to grab {or cook} the bad foods when I'm really hungry. :D Also, I believe that finding healthy foods you actually enjoy is crucial to changing your diet in the long run. If you feel deprived all the time, you won't be able to stay with it. :D

And if you're just starting out on a healthy diet, my motto is this: any progress is good! Don't forget to give yourself grace, and work gradually toward a healthier lifestyle. Progress, not perfection! :D 

Do you have any favorite healthy recipes you love? And have you ever used an EggGenie? :)