Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso Read Free Book Online Page A

When the kids are sleeping or away at school is the optimal time to remove these food items from the home. Tossing out the fruit loops in front of the brood could cause an instant uprising, but if these choices disappear without commotion, it will not be as noticeable or disturbing to the little ones.
    Introducing Paleo to the Kids
    Everyone is typically hungry at breakfast, so this should be the first paleo meal you introduce to the family. Put the food on the table and do not make a fuss about how “different” the food is. Make it appear as your normal routine because it will become your normal routine. Kids always do so much better when there is some sort of routine.
    Serve up healthy plates to your little ones, and then sit down and eat with them without mentioning or suggesting that anything is different. When you serve the healthy paleo breakfast for the first time, and do not have the non-paleo alternative, most kids will not freak out. This is especially true when you focus on having fun, eating, and socializing, rather than what is missing. After all, most kids really like scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit. If they do not, that will be OK, too—we’ll work around it. Just remember to be patient. If your child only eats the bacon and the fruit or only the eggs, consider your first paleo breakfast a success and move on. Do not force your child to eat everything. He or she will not starve or suffer from eating an “incomplete” meal.
    If you have a kid who does freak out, don’t freak out too—this is the reinforcement (the attention) they are looking for, and the tantrums will continue. Some children will miss the toast and jelly or cereal right away, even if they are used to eating protein at breakfast, but giving in or arguing will only prolong the successful transition. Instead, calmly and cheerfully say, “This is all we have!” However, for this to work, you must not have an unhealthy option available. With no cereal in the cupboards or waffles in the freezer, your child will realize that there is no point trying to convince you to serve something you don’t have.
    Please rest assured that if your child opts to not eat, he or she will not stave. I have had parents tell me otherwise, but after some prying, I typically find out that they tried for one day and ended up giving in and pulling out the hidden pop-tarts. Trust me, your child will not be forever damaged if he or she skips a day of breakfast. If you reinforce your child’s behavior by giving tons of attention to it, they will not give up the fight, but if you do not reinforce the behavior, your child will get distracted with something else, be hungry, and at some point eat what you put in front of him or her.
    Another important thing to remember: paleo food does not have to “look” like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My middle child, Jaden, is not a huge fan of eggs in the morning. When he gets tired of eggs, I’ll let him choose what he’ll have for breakfast for the next few days. Often he’ll choose “Karina’s Yam Hash,” or sometimes he’ll opt for chicken sausage and a coconut milk smoothie, or even leftovers from the night before. Giving your child the power to choose is golden, and if you only have paleo options to choose from, you both win!
    Another example of switching up mealtime habits would be breakfast for dinner. My oldest son loves to make breakfast for dinner, and when he’s in charge of cooking the evening meal, we’ll often eat scrumptious omelets before bedtime. The point is if you and your family are eating some protein, veggies, and healthy fat, you are getting the job done. Be creative and not so stringent with how each meal should “look.” If eggs are not the protein source in the morning, that is perfectly fine-this is your chance to get creative!
    The most important point to remember when transitioning the kids is that food can still be fun, even without the cartoon character boxes. The best way to get your