My first...

I actually know a mom that gets her sons (two) fast food for lunch every day. She goes to their school, finds out what they want, goes and gets it--even if it is from two different places--and brings it back to them and leaves it with the secretary. If this describes you, I mean no offense, but I think there is a better way. I am not saying I have all of the answers, but I would like to share what I have learned.

There was a time when we ate a lot of fast food. We owned our own business which I ran, my husband worked approximately 60 hours a week, and we had a baby and a toddler. We were busy and exhausted. Then a wonderful thing happened which didn't seem wonderful at the time, but my husband quit his job because...well that may be too personal, but he did. He went back to school, and helped me with our store. Suddenly we had more time, and I was able to start cooking again which I love to do. Over time, I have figured out that cooking healthy meals for my family means more than just putting food on the table. It means they get a well balanced meal that they enjoy eating, we sit around the table together, we hold hands, my husband says a beautiful prayer from his heart, and we talk. These are precious times to all of us. My son has gone from a picky eater to trying things like Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Black-eyed Peas with Sausage. Dinner time for me use to be a frustrating struggle to get him to eat, but is now a pleasure, especially when they say things like, "Thank you for this wonderful food."

This did not happen overnight, but has been well worth the effort. My kids are hardly ever sick, and they are healthy, beautiful, smart kids in part due to good nutrition. I am not talking about wheat grass and tofu, although some really enjoy that kind of food. I am talking about well balanced, all-natural kind of food. Good sources of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables. I hardly ever worry about fat and calories. I think about antioxidant power, good protein sources, vitamins and minerals...and, of course, taste. If they won't eat it, what's the point.

That's enough for today, but remember the kid whose mom I described at the beginning? Fast forward thirty years, and you have a man with a wife completely frustrated because he requires her to go out and get him food for dinner everyday, but only from his favorite fast food establishment--this is another person I know. This is a man who has never eaten an enchilada and refuses to even try one because he has never been made to try anything new. Believe me there is a better way....