Diet Part 4: Meal Planning and Recipes

I've had many people say to me, "Josiah can't eat anything! What do you feed him?" They are right in that Josiah can't eat most of what is sold in the grocery store. There are very few things that don't have high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colors or flavorings. So, we buy natural and organic food. I only have to look out for salicylates and chocolate this way. We do alot of shopping at Whole Foods. They have their own generic brand, 365, for many items. We are able to find some things at Publix in their small organic section and Walmart is starting to carry some organic/natural items less expensive than Whole Foods.

I've also had many people follow the above question with "Your food budget must have gone up alot!" Yes, our food budget is more than it used to be, but it is not nearly as bad as we originally thought it might be. We have changed some of our eating habits to help with the budget. Instead of boxed processed crackers and snacks, which are expensive for the organic/natural versions, we eat more fresh veggies and fruits. Instead of boxed cereal for breakfast, I make some sort of egg dish. (The protein is very important for the brain first thing in the morning for learning.) We also don't eat as much meat. We do alot of vegetarian dishes. I guess we have become what is now being referred to as flexitarians.

Here is a sample menu for a typical weekday.

Breakfast
Quiche (sneak in some veggies in this)
cup of Happy Cow milk

Snack
fruit or cheese stick

Lunch
fresh tomatoes, celery, or carrots with ranch or italian dip
fresh fruit: banana, apple, peach, nectarine, grapes, pear (whatever is in season)
peanut butter (Skippy's Natural) and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread
or shells and alfredo (a 365 item)
cup of 100% juice diluted with water

Snack
crackers or cereal bar

Dinner
Apple Cheddar Quesadillas or
Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes or
Roasted Vegetable and Black Bean Quesadillas or
Chicken 'n' Spinach Pasta Bake or
Fettuccine with Shrimp & Zucchini or
Tomato and Cheddar Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches or
Greek Lemon and Chicken Soup or
Roasted Wild Salmon