I really love healthy, fresh food. I giggle over fresh greens at the farmers market, squeal with delight over a bright quinoa salad, and would probably enjoy a grilled fish and vegetable plate for dinner most nights of the week. Because of that affinity, it’s what I often share in this space and on social media. Healthy food can sometimes seem dull or time consuming, so when I find something tasty and wholesome, I snap a picture.
However, as I was road-tripping down to Georgia on Tuesday to visit family, the girls and I were seeking out lunch and didn’t stop until we saw a familiar red sign promising lemonade and chicken nuggets:
And as I finished Hailey’s last fry for her, I thought about how my definition of healthy has continued to evolve, even over the last year or two.
I believe I’ve given a rough sketch of my background before. After college, “healthy” meant frozen meals and diet coke. Then it went to diabetic exchange and calorie counting. From there it evolved into more of a whole foods based diet. At my peak of this particular time, I was trying to make brownies with black beans and sneak quinoa into everything. There is nothing wrong with that, but I don’t do that as much anymore.
Now I am adapting to a more all-encompassing view of health that balances mind, body, and soul. I eat whole foods to make my body feel energetic. But I also believe that chili without Fritos isn’t really worth eating.
Translation: I want to be healthy in the nutrients I eat, but also in my mental state. There is no place in my expanded view of healthy for deprivation. For me that means chili will always be served with sour cream (rarely, if ever, swapped out for Greek yogurt) and Fritos.
And while I genuinely enjoy and believe in exposing my kids to a variety of unique foods, I don’t want to give the impression that I’m serving them chopped kale salad with grilled octopus everyday for lunch.
With the girls at ages 5 and 2 (almost 3), I want them to enjoy and explore nutritious food. I want them to understand it will make them sleep well and run fast, but I am equally interested in trying my best to make sure they don’t develop any complexes about food either. So when we’re at a ball game and their eyes light up at a helmet full of cold, sweet, BBs masquerading as ice cream, I’m not going to check the ingredient label before letting them dig in.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that for a couple of years, coinciding with my pregnancies and the rise of the word “superfood,” I really was a super “clean” eater. Today, however, I’d describe myself as a healthy eater and overall food lover. Since I talk about food so much in this space, I felt like I owed a little update on what healthy looks like to me. Sometimes I feel pressure to stick to a genre I’ve created for myself, and though healthy eating is a big part of who I am, I don’t want to feel like I’m cheating if someone sees me digging into a big ‘ol basket of hot wings while watching a football game.
And while on a 10 hour road trip, I’ll definitely pack raisins, bell pepper strips, and hummus for snacks, on a 4 hour trip to mom and dad’s house, I’ll most likely swing by a Chick-fil-A and call it a day.
Has your definition of healthy eating evolved over time?
What does it currently look like to you?
Dana says
Love your authenticity! I too used to be that mom that would sneak spinach into my kids brownies….not anymore! I believe whole food is best and I know what foods make my body feel the best! But I don’t believe in depriving myself anymore..my motto is everything in moderation. If I want that donut from dunkin donuts then I’m going to have it! I try my best and make healthy meals for my kids. I might throw some hemp seeds in their smoothies or chia seeds on their bagel as they run out the door but we still love chick fil visits and I’m no longer examining every label when we are out! You only live once right! Enjoy your food!! Love your post!
Tammy says
Amen! I agree with this way of eating 100%.
Very much enjoy your blog 🙂
Elizabeth says
Yup, I think balance is key 🙂 And like my husband says, extremes are bad (both ways) so everything in moderation.
Heather Warner says
We live basically the same way you guys do. Pizza/junk food, if not homemade, is a treat, and we don’t keep desserts in the house. We try and eat balanced, but sometimes a box of Annie’s is what we all want and thus we enjoy. My daughter went NUTS at Easter with all of the candy and desserts and we totally let her enjoy it all. I really love following Michael Pollen’s food rules when figuring out what to eat – they just give me pause.
Montessoriishmom says
We have a similar approach. I love cooking mostly healthy food at home, but I don’t really worry about what I eat when we go out once or twice a week. And I definitely plan on baking real, buttery chocolate chip cookies with my son when he’s older because that is a wonderful part of life! My goal is for him to have healthy eating habits, but not think much about it.
Annie says
Oh this is SUCH a great post! I think I fall into the same place as you with my views on food now. A few years ago though I had myself so stressed out about the quality of food I ate it became obsessive and while the nutrients I fed my body were healthy, my mental state certainly was not! I love making sure my family and especially my son get the best foods but it brings me so much joy to watch him eat a donut or ice cream as well!
Laura @FitMamaLove says
I love your outlook and it’s probably because I feel similarly to you that I enjoy reading your blog so much. I choose healthy most of the time, but have no problem with the treat that In N Out is on road trips. I admit, I do cringe when I allow my kids to eat treats that are have artificial dyes and likely transfat, but I’ll still allow them to eat it. In my perfect world, junk food would at least be made with decent ingredients, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so oh well!
Parita says
Our journeys and current mindsets/approaches towards food are so similar. I do the best I can with what I have/the situation I’m in and always leave some room for fun. This mindset, unlike others, has never really led me astray!
Taryn says
LOVE this post! I feel like my relationship with food and how I define healthy eating has evolved in a similar fashion. Today I too focus on “real food” – full fat bacon, raw whole milk, regular butter, etc. I feel that food should be eaten in its original state with minimal processing. I also have embraced the concept of making a lot of things myself, so I feel better diving into that cake with chocolate icing. Homemade cinnamon buns with lots of butter and sugar? Yes!
And we also work very hard at modeling a healthy behavior for our kids as well. I want them to embrace good, wholesome food, but I also want them to enjoy that brownie sundae. Balance, right?
Christine says
I think I’ve come to the same state of mind as you when it comes to healthy eating. After my first child I joined weight watchers and counted points. I thought, I can’t count points for the rest of my life! I did learn however with weight watchers to eat more veggies and fruit, whole foods, because they were zero points. From there evolved my first and second rounds of whole30 where I learned even more about eating whole foods! And from there I was onto Paleo eating. But I missed my dairy and wine..and the occasional donut! So now I’m all about balance. I try and eat whole foods (including whole grains and dairy) as much as possible but if pizza night pops up – I don’t sweat it. I enjoy a couple of slices with a big old salad and that is my healthy meal! I also work out 3-4 times a week. I think I’ve found my “happy balance” of my love for food and staying fit! It only took 35 years 😉
Laura says
My approach is very similar to yours, and, like you, has evolved greatly with time and as my little ones grow up. I grew up eating processed foods but never struggled with weight or had any kind of health issues. Then, after having my first child, I tried all sorts of diets to try to lose the extra baby weight I had gained during pregnancy – gluten free, dairy free, pescetarian, vegetarian, vegan. Etc. I was so worried about eating too much fat, sugar or carbs. To the point where food really no longer even tasted good. Sure, I managed to lose the baby weight, but I wasn’t very happy and eating/cooking had become a huge chore. I had my second child eight months ago, and I am much more moderate with my approach to food these days, and so much happier. Our diet is comprised of homemade meals with lots of fruits and vegetables, so we don’t hesitate to order pizza or go for ice cream every so often. I don’t want my children having any sort of complexes surrounding food, and eating healthy foods without restricting anything has been a good approach for us. I no longer ascribe to any particular diet, and if I feel like eating something, I eat it! And I will encourage my kids to do the same, provided they eat breakfast/lunch/dinner.
Andria says
I love this! I am all about healthy eating and fueling with real food. But I REFUSE to eliminate anything just to be “healthier.” You will never catch me giving up red wine or always skipping out on dessert because it’s not good for me. Life is too short to spend it always stressing about how many calories we’re taking in.
Emily K says
Oh my, I love this post. I feel that as my girls are growing this is similar to the view that I am taking too. Balance is key to life and while I serve pretty balanced whole foods most of the time to them, Chickfila and noodles with cheese are still things we enjoy.
Dietitian Jess says
I definitely think that healthy eating means not always eating 100% healthy- brownies, wings, fritos welcome, no restrictions! I consider myself a foodie so I’m always happy to indulge in whatever is satisfying and delicious even if it means a veggieless meal. This weekend my husband and I are headed to Charleston (with a pit stop in your neck of the woods!) and I know that this our meals will be 100% delicious but might not be the most nutrient dense but we will enjoy all of it without a second thought!
Also- what’s your favorite local brewery that we should check out!?
Brittany Dixon says
Oh man, Charleston is the BEST! Are you asking for a brewery in that area? If so, sadly I don’t know any Charleston breweries, though Edmund’s Oast has quite the selection of beer! Check out this post: http://www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/charleston-south-carolina-girls-weekend/
And have SO much fun!!
Laura says
Great post, yes to all of it! Although I never have really prescribed to any diet, I follow the same general guidelines as you. I remember once my MIL making a comment about being surprised I didn’t eat protein powder because she had heard it was healthy. My response was, if I am eating 2 or 3 fried eggs over black beans with avocado for breakfast, I don’t really need protein powder! Basically, I don’t eat things just for sake of it being healthy. I eat for enjoyment. I follow the same philosophy for exercise. I trail run and hike because I love it… if I can’t get out on a trail, I wouldn’t substitute with a treadmill because that would defeat my purpose for exercising (for enjoyment and to feel good!). Basically, don’t eat a salad because it is healthy, eat a salad because a really fresh salad tastes absolutely amazing! If I follow this philosophy of doing/ eating what I love and what makes me feel good (body, mind and spirit), I don’t need to focus on calories or worry if I eat junk every once in awhile.
Nicole says
Even more reason you have become my favorite healthy living blogger! I can completely relate to you on healthy eating and parenting. I stopped using greek yogurt in place of sour cream too! Good old sour cream tastes SOOO much better! I’ve definitely become less rigid and more flexible with what my family eats, and I just refuse to feel guilty for not following every food trend. We try to eat less processed foods, lots of fresh produce, less sugar and as much organic food as affordable. If we have corn dogs from Trader Joe’s some nights, no biggie. Pizza Hut, because it’s been a long week, yum! I want my kiddos to enjoy food and enjoy meals together.
Rebecca says
Loved this post–perfectly encapsulates what I want to achieve. I started back at work full time in January after taking a year off with my baby (thank you UK maternity leave!) and the added stress, pressure and time crunch had me reaching for the processed sugary stuff way too often. After one too many ice cream sandwiches on a recent vacation, I have been thinking about doing some sort of whole30 or paleo detox plus yoga to get a mind/body balance back but deprivation and restriction sounds like the opposite of that goal!
Katie @ Live Half Full says
I have totally gotten to the place you’re in and it’s so enjoyable! In the end, in my opinion, it all balances out.
Maria says
Always enjoy reading your thoughts on this matter!
Back in my early blogging days (circa 2010 – remember when?!), I was a very clean eater as well. I had a giant smoothie every morning filled with as many superfoods as I could jam in there. I passed on the bread and butter tray at work more times than not, and I ordered bunless burgers at In N Out. Then things evolved and while nutrients are still important, my happiness is equally important. I’m now known in my office as a fried chicken obsessed foodie and someone who whole heartedly enjoys eating…anything. It’s freeing and so much more fun.
Now that I know I’ll be raising a girl, I definitely want to set her up for a lifelong healthy relationship with food and know that there’s room for everything and being confident and happy with your choices is far more important than deprivation.
Lindsay says
I’ve also moved to this way of eating from quinoa and kale at every meal. But do you have any suggestions on how you can still eat without rules and restrictions and lose weight?
Thanks!
jodi Redcay price says
Love this! Completely agree. I try to follow the 80/20 rule, where 80% of the time, I am eating quite clean and healthy. And then 20% of the time, I enjoy treats as a part of life! Helps keep me in check but I don’t feel deprived. I still do Greek yogurt instead of sour cream if I have it though 😊
Brittany Dixon says
Haha, I know most people love Greek yogurt, but my goodness I love some real sour cream 🙂
Heather says
Healthy eating for me is about balance. I don’t quite have that yet, mind you, but while it used to be about counting calories and obsessing, I now know that we feel better when we eat better, but that deprivation doesn’t work for us. Some weeks are better than others, and ultimately I think we are fairly good at balancing whole foods with the not so great. I don’t even crave soda anymore and used to have it all the time, so I’m hoping in time to get rid of more of the junk that makes it’s way into our lives.