How did/will your diet change when the kids are grown?

**Thevail** · 03-16-2009, 05:42 PM

I'm really hoping I can get down to some seriously healthy eating.

Right now all the money is going out the door on school pictures, class trips, yearbooks, ASB cards, class rings, prom dresses-shoes-up-dos, etc.

I'm always trying to find a way to cut the food budget to the bone. I hope after she's grown I can afford more lean meat and salad kinds of food.

Anyone tried this?

**Spirit Deer** · 03-16-2009, 06:06 PM

Our habits changed drastically after the kids moved out, but in our case it was because I became better educated about healthy eating. I never cooked 'kid food' per se. It was put on the table and they ate it or went hungry. Since they were not allowed to be picky eaters, they weren't.

If I had it to over again, I'd have gotten smarter sooner and eaten more healthy when the kids were home. They needed to learn healthy eating habits too and now the opportunity for me to teach them is gone because I didn't know better myself.

**peanut** · 03-22-2009, 04:02 PM

We've eaten healthier since the kids left too. More money for organic food and spices. Less meat more vegetables. Shopping the Farmer's Market for local honey and produce. We try new and different foods we would never try with the kids...they'd probably just refuse them. We also have fewer goodies around because my youngest, the cook, left last summer. I do bake, just not as much or as often.

**mom2matty** · 03-22-2009, 05:09 PM

I love my kids but I spend a fortune on groceries! My son can eat more than all of us put together and he eats all day long! I am sure things will change drastically for us as well once they are both out on their own.

**dcompton** · 03-22-2009, 08:09 PM

Never mind. I somehow got this in the wrong thread.

**justpeachy92** · 03-22-2009, 08:54 PM

I don't forsee how diets changing much after our kids our grown and move on. I try awfully hard to teach my children the importance of eating healthy, and having my family eat healthy now. I look outside of the grocery budget to cut things so we have the funds to cover the kids field trips and other activities.

**PrairieRose** · 03-23-2009, 09:07 AM

Our diet has changed drastically. Gripey (my dh) had to modify his diet due to cholesterol concerns so we both went on the low cholesterol diet which is mainly: very little or no dairy, only lean meats (chicken, lean pork chops, chicken.....), lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies, no baked goods or processed foods (cookies, cakes, crackers). We did that for almost a year, sticking strictly to it and both lost about 75 lbs. (I actually lost 80 and have gained back 5). We drink only water except for our morning coffee as well. Honestly, I think it's less expensive to eat *this* way than to buy so much packaged food like we were in the past. We feel soooo much better and even younger as well. We work out daily as part of our 'lifestyle change' and all in all it's been a very, very good thing. It can be done, takes some getting used to however.

**peanut** · 03-23-2009, 12:17 PM

PrairieRose: we found that out too. I was the one with the cholesterol problems. I struggled with it all after my oldest left home, and my youngest was still with us. My youngest really liked the new lighter fare, and is busy trying to train her fiance to like it right now. Mostly health concerns as we've aged have determined our diet...not the kids leaving home. Except we do have more money to experiment with different foods now.

**Must-Stash** · 03-25-2009, 03:59 PM

Ditto what PrarieRose and peanut said.

**Debbie-cat** · 03-25-2009, 04:12 PM

I will be eating more fruits and veggies! Definitely!

**Michelle** · 03-25-2009, 05:48 PM

Because I have horrible willpower, I am thinking that I will do better when the snacks/junk that comes in for the kids (mostly via Dave when he goes shopping) is gone.

Also, we just like healthier foods more than they currently do. And hopefully we'll have more grocery money to afford healthier foods as well as more organic foods.

**forHISglory** · 03-25-2009, 09:18 PM

Our diet didn't really change much when we became empty nesters. We have usually (not always, but most of the time), had balanced meals with fresh fruit, veggies, meat, and a high fiber starch. I rarely made desserts and we just couldn't afford snack foods. We never had the kiddie type foods that tend to be expensive and unhealthy.

One year when the grand kids came for the summer, one said to the other, "Now remember, Daddy said that Grandma and Grandpa eat healthy." Guess he remembers........

**annymoll** · 03-26-2009, 07:32 AM

Our diet did not change. We felt it was important to provide healthy foods while the kids lived at home, and it is important now as well. I did notice that I could put leftovers in the fridge at night and they would still be there the next day. I could want a bowl of cereal the day after I bought it and there would still be cereal in the box.Milk lasts longer.

**craftypam** · 03-26-2009, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by PrairieRose

Our diet has changed drastically. Gripey (my dh) had to modify his diet due to cholesterol concerns so we both went on the low cholesterol diet which is mainly: very little or no dairy, only lean meats (chicken, lean pork chops, chicken.....), lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies, no baked goods or processed foods (cookies, cakes, crackers). We did that for almost a year, sticking strictly to it and both lost about 75 lbs. (I actually lost 80 and have gained back 5). We drink only water except for our morning coffee as well. Honestly, I think it's less expensive to eat *this* way than to buy so much packaged food like we were in the past. We feel soooo much better and even younger as well. We work out daily as part of our 'lifestyle change' and all in all it's been a very, very good thing. It can be done, takes some getting used to however.

wow That is great

**Thevail** · 03-26-2009, 04:15 PM

The main issues I seem to have that I forsee changing are..

I spend a ton of money feeding all her friends...honestly, they're teen aged bottomless pits...
I guess somebody has to be "that house", and at least I know exactly where my kid is most of the time.

Having actually useful amounts of left overs to recondition into other meals.

Fewer snack and convenience foods. DD has DH wrapped around her little finger...she says, "Daddy"..bats her eyelashes... and whatever it is..it's in the cart. Hey at least they really do love each other..I suppose that's worth a few twix bars or whatever.

Hopefully it will be a bit easier to steer our diet in a more healthy direction, since I'll only be fighting DH..not both of them.