A food journal has proven to be a great tool for anyone who is trying to lose weight. There’s nothing like feeling accountable when you have to write down every sip of soda and bite of chocolate. Food journals can also be put to use for kids and your family as a whole. As parents, we often find ourselves worrying about whether our kids eat enough vegetables, fruit, protein, and calcium. Nothing like starting a count in a food journal to realize that over one week your child actually ate only four vegetables or three servings with enough protein to count—or, to see that the macaroni and cheese and buttered pasta count tops 12 times a week, while vegetable-based meals, whether as sides such as carrots or part of the meal in the pasta sauce, only made it into your child’s eating routine three times.

Just as we watch what we eat, and remain aware of carbs, sugar and protein, we have to embed this awareness in our kids, so that making smart eating choices becomes a matter of course. That way, as we point out to our kids that calcium is critical for growing bones, protein essential for strong muscles, vitamin A great for eyesight, etc., we can look at what they actually ate and decide if it adds up to a healthy diet. When I did this exercise with my kids, I was amazed at how the empty calories stacked up. It gave me a chance to talk through how much milk, cheese and dairy products they ate (not enough!). With brainstorming, we came up with a list of things they love: string cheese, American cheese slices, milk boxes for the go (especially chocolate milk, of course!), strawberry yogurt, and fruit milkshakes. We came up with a list of totally loved vegetables, ones they could eat a few bites of, and those considered totally disgusting. With shopping list in hand, an eating revolution began!

A written record can also help with everything from creating more healthy family meals to saving money on your grocery budget. Create a menu for the upcoming week, encouraging kids to participate in meal planning. That way you’ll avoid complaints about what ends up in front of them. For instance, if your chicken noodle casserole is universally panned, ask if your spouse and kids would prefer grilled chicken with rice instead.

The journals also provide a great opportunity to research your family’s eating habits and preferences, and then make adjustments. The journals can help you set goals. Do you want to eat more meals that are made from scratch? Eliminate junk food from your cupboards? Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet? Are you looking to help one or more family members lose weight? Once you know what you’d like to do, and you’re armed with information about your family’s eating habits, you can start to make changes. For example, if your son reports that he drinks 16 sodas a week, you might switch to a healthier alternative, such as flavored seltzer. If nothing else, knowing your family’s preferences should help you turn more ‘yucks’ into ‘yums’ at dinnertime!

 

 

Involve them in your journal by creating a funny rating system for whatever notes you take – for instance, triple ‘yuck’ for something truly horrible, and triple ‘yum’ for your favorites.