I get this question a lot. As a parent of a 4 and 6 year old, I totally get it. And the question is actually two fold (1) people want to know if my kids follow my anti inflammatory diet and/or (2) if I’m making two different dinners every night (one for the kids and one for the adults).
The answer to the first question in short but not so simple terms is, “no”. While my kids definitely eat a lot of healthy snacks and meals that I prepare, I still expose them (in moderation) to all foods including gluten and dairy. My reasoning being (1) I don’t want to unnecessarily create food sensitivities in them by removing too many foods (as this can happen in some people when you remove certain foods from your diet) and (2) at the end of the day, they are kids who like to eat ice cream, gummies and Oreos just like any other kid and I don’t want to deprive them of these simple “pleasures” in life (and yes that even includes the odd trip to McDonalds).
That being said, my kids are definitely getting exposed to much healthier options via my diet which will hopefully educate and shape their choices (and their guts!) down the road. For example, my kids eat bread BUT we only buy sourdough or sprouted grain which are by far the healthiest options when it comes to bread (including being low in gluten, having a low glycemic index, etc.). And I only ever make grain free, refined sugar free baked goods which they tend to devour (yay!). And by virtue of just living in my house and eating my food, they are ingesting so many cleaner ingredients that I naturally cook with, for example, ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil (instead of crappy Canola or vegetable oil), or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, or almond flour instead of whole wheat flour, etc.
I guess my point being that it’s very easy to provide your kids with cleaner food choices without having to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet. Side note: if you want some suggestions as to how to incorporate cleaner options and choices into your meals and pantry, read more here.
I need to qualify however that my kids don’t have any major health concerns so I don’t necessarily need to be so strict with their diet. I do know of families with kids who HAVE health concerns and following an anti inflammatory diet has helped them immensely. So yes, kids CAN be on an anti inflammatory diet if it makes sense to do so. If their health is dependent on it, it’s amazing how something that can be daunting at first simply becomes a no brainer/non-negotiable.
And to answer the former question (i.e. do I make different dinners for my kids and me), the answer is yes and no. We have definitely created a repertoire of anti-inflammatory meals that all 4 of us eat and we make them often (e.g. roast chicken, meatballs, Pho, Shepard’s pie, tacos, turkey burgers, etc). But when I know my kids won’t eat a certain dish (e.g. curry or Cobb salad), then I tend to “dissect” the ingredients so that I’m still using all the same foods and ingredients, just maybe presenting them differently. For example, just last night I made Red Curry Shrimp Ramen bowls for the hubby and I…and for the kids, I served the noodles, shrimp and veggies separately with no sauce. Same same but different. See pics below to see more examples of how I create kid-friendly meals using the same ingredients I use for the adults.
And worst case scenario, if I am making something too adventurous, or too spicy, or let’s be honest, if I’m just too damn lazy, then like any parent, I have a stash of chicken fingers (organic), fish sticks and pizza (often gluten free) always ready to go. I tend to believe in all things in moderation. Like any parent, we are all trying to make the best choices but we are still human at the end of the day.
I will say that over the past year, we have made some headway in helping to blossom our kids palates. Credit goes to my hubby Neil who just makes a point of making them try everything. And not just once…like 10 times. And it’s worked! For example, when I first started making Pho for the kids, they tried it and said “yuck”. But then we kept making them try it every time I made it and sure enough, now they love it. And just the other week, both kids ate (and liked!) Kung Pao Chicken, Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps (minus the lettuce haha!) AND Butter Chicken (all anti-inflammatory recipes of course)! A year ago I never could have imagined… So, it CAN happen parents! Just keep trying! Just because they don’t like something today doesn’t mean they won’t like it next time!
Asian Chicken Salad (for the adults; same same but different for the kids)
Strawberry Avocado Salad (for the adults; same same but different for the kids)
As always, don’t hesitate to email me with any questions. Or please feel free to message me or make a comment on @karliskitch.
Karli 🙂