It all started with 7th grade health class...

• Alec questioned why the school teaches us to make healthy choices but the they offer very few if any healthy choices for lunch. Cheese filled bread stick is an entree...really?
• When he asked his teacher he was told you're right, pack your lunch. So he does everyday.

 

• Alec now reads labels and among other things he looks for HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and if it's not at the very end of the ingredient list he won't eat it.
• During spring break we planted an herb garden.
• We started watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.
• I bought Alec Jamie's cookbook and he tagged all the recipes he wants to try first with post-it notes.

   

 

• And now, he cooks dinner for the family 1 night/week. His first menu:

Appetizer: Bruschetta (using fresh basil from his garden)

 

 

And from the cookbook: Shrimp and Avocado with Old School Marie Rose Sauce

 

 

Yes, it is as good as it looks! And we all voted that it's a make-again meal.

I'm excited about this and not just because that is one less night I have to cook dinner. I'm often referred to as the mom with the most rules particularly about what we eat. Now, Alec gets it! He even said that he is glad that I'm careful about what we eat.
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

Comments

[Lee Currie]

FANTASTIC!! So nice when they "get it". We're very fortunate that I was able to pack all lunches until grade 7 so there was some control over what they ate - or at least what was packed. The olders have a great selection at school, their staff lead the kitchens at the Olympics and they really understand balanced food choices. I'd love to have my kids make meals. You are very lucky!! Way to go, Alec!

[Gattina]

Wonderful ! and you are a lucky girl to have a private cook !

[Lisataz]

That's great, Jill. I hope someday my kids will "get it," too. School lunches really are awful, aren't they?

[Laurie]

This is such a great post! I LOVE it! Alec just may inspire me to be more healthy. It's great when kids "get it" and make the choice to be better because they want to, when they aren't afraid to be a maverick, when they don't just "go along" with what everyone else is doing (and eating, in this case). Hats off to Alec!

[Laura Toriello]

Good for Alec, and good for you for getting out of cooking one night a week. It certainly looks yummy.

[Kim]

I think that is amazing. I wish I could get my 14 year old to care about what he eats (and my husband too for that matter). He eats so much junk and drinks tons of soda (that I don't buy. He has a grass mowing job and his money is his to spend). My ten year old is much more health conscious, thankfully! Kudos to Alec! And I am getting Jamie's book from the library today as it is on hold for me! I loved Food Revolution!