I was reminiscing about the blogging days of yesteryear this week, including how IGE got started. NINE (!) years ago I was a newlyish-married 20-something with a job that was nice and paid the bills, but wasn’t super fulfilling. Around the same time, blogging started to become a “thing” and I found that being able to peek into other women’s lives who were around my same age and stage in life to be fascinating (I sound like a creep, but hopefully you know what I mean.) Anyway, I figured, if they could do it, I could to – and thus a blog was born.
The first blogger I remember following – truly the one that got me hooked and excited about the possibility of blogging myself – was an RD named Cristen who blogged for Self.com. Anyone remember Eat Like Me? Cristen’s short, daily posts filled with un-styled snapshots of what she’d eaten that day, plus updates on her weekends, wedding planning, and eventually kids, was something I looked forward to reading every single day. Man, blogging was different back then!
Well, today I’m channeling the good ol’ days with a “What I Ate in a Day” post, sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. If you weren’t aware, May is Celiac Awareness month (here’s a post I wrote about living with Celiac Disease last May) and Enjoy Life Foods is a brand we rely heavily on at my house to live “normal” feeling lives on account of my Celiac Disease and Lincoln’s dairy allergy. Enjoy Life’s products are not only certified gluten-free, but allergy friendly and free from wheat, dairy, soy, sulfites, lupin, fish, crustaceans, peanuts, tree nuts, casein, egg, sesame, mustard, and shellfish. You may be thinking, uhhh, what’s left to make food from? PLENTY. From their chewy bars, to soft baked cookies, baking chocolates, and lentil chips (<< OMG) I have yet to find a product of theirs that I don’t love.
Enjoy Life is celebrating their new, updated teal packaging as a nod to the food allergy community (think Teal Pumpkin Project for Halloween, etc) and to celebrate, they’re offering 15% off online orders through June 8, 2018. Click here to shop then use code: ENJOYIGE at checkout to get the discount. (Minimum order of $10 applies.)
In the meantime, here’s an un-styled, un-edited look into what a typical day of eating looks like for me and my boys – ages 4 and 1 at the time of this writing. It’s what I (and my kids) ate in a day!
Breakfast
I rarely make breakfast for myself before getting Lincoln off to school, unless I’ve made overnight oats, so around 10am I brown a couple slices of sugar-free bacon then saute a giant fistful of baby spinach (maybe 2oz?) in some of the grease, and pair it with a piece of buttered toast. Less then 10 minutes, and boom – breakfast! Normally I’d tack on a couple fried eggs but we were fresh out. Could have sworn I just bought a dozen…
The boys ate earlier in the morning before school. Both had a large square of Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (which do not contain lemon as Cam’s face indicates – ha!) plus a Greek yogurt for Cam, and 2 sausage links for Lincoln.
I drank my feelings after Cam was “done” in the form of an 8oz mug of black coffee. I gave up creamer while going through Jacqueline Smith’s Go Sugar Free Course years ago and have never looked back.
Snack #1
Cam and I head to the grocery store while Lincoln’s at school and he has a near breakdown after I toss a package of cheese sticks into the cart – guess he’s still hungry! I hate being the Mom who opens food at the store before paying, but, well, here we are.
Every day I bring a “special surprise”, as Lincoln calls it, for him to nibble on while we drive home from school. Today’s treat is Enjoy Life’s Lemon Blueberry Poppy Seed Chewy Bars. I love how portable these bars are, and of course that they’re gluten and dairy free so we can both have one.
I ate a lot of date-based bars when I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, but found them to be too sweet over time. These bars are soft, chewy, and taste just like a lemon poppy seed blueberry muffin, without the massive sugar rush.
4 thumbs up from me and my little man!
Lunch
I assemble lunches for the boys and myself when we get home – plates are up around 12:15pm. Today I’m dining on a mozzarella cheese stick, vegetables leftover from a Mother’s Day crudite platter, and turkey slices wrapped around hummus, sliced pickles, and tons of mustard. Oh my gosh, the combo of mustard and hummus tastes SO good! #pregnantAF
I also dip roughly 500Â gluten-free pretzel sticks in hummus.
Cameron’s got turkey slathered with hummus that’s been rolled and sliced, a small peanut butter sandwich, cucumbers, and strawberries (all served individually otherwise he’ll either stuff everything into his mouth at once, or throw everything onto the floor, so no photograph!) while Lincoln gets a turkey and salami sandwich, carrots/cucumbers, a few massive strawberries, gluten-free pretzels, and a dill pickle.
Lincoln doesn’t like cucumbers but I keep having him try them, and a variety of other vegetables for that matter. Got one bite out of a slice today. He didn’t used to like carrots and now requests them for snacks. Point being, you never know when they’ll turn!
Snack #2
I graze on more leftover vegetables during the afternoon…
plus another cheese stick and a sliced apple which I split with Lincoln.
Big guy is HUNGRY today and also requests a bowl of carrots plus a piece of buttered toast (his new obsession,) as well as blueberries and raspberries when he sees Cam eating them for his snack.
This little guy could eat raspberries and blueberries all day long and be one happy camper! At nearly 19 months, I still slice his blueberries in half but he’s graduated to eating raspberries whole…and usually off the tips of his fingers. ;)
Dinner
We’re outside all afternoon but head in around 5pm so I can make a quick, 20 minute taco dinner. The boys actually get taco bowls, which are much easier for them to eat. Lincoln’s got rice, taco meat seasoned with my homemade taco seasoning, crushed blue corn tortilla chips, guacamole (avocado mashed with fresh garlic, lime juice, and salt,) and my homemade Secret-Ingredient Restaurant-Style Salsa.
Cam’s got the same, minus the tortilla chips, plus sliced olives. The boys GOBBLE these up – praise the Lord!
I make myself a giant Taco Salad – mixed greens, taco meat, sliced peppers, sliced olives, crushed tortilla chips, guacamole, and salsa which I drown with my all-time favorite Ranch dressing. I practically lick the bowl clean. LOVE this meal!
Dessert
Summertime means dessert is popsicles. I usually make homemade popsicles out of whatever we have in the fridge and freezer, but we’ve been burning through them so quickly that I broke down and bought a box. Lincoln enjoys a tangerine popsicle in the heat of the evening while Cam threw his raspberry popsicle into the grass out of frustration with I’m not sure what. Actually, I do – he’s getting 8 teeth in all at once. I’d be mad too. Poor guy!!
Mama gets to enjoy her dessert after the kids go to bed. Forget working for the weekend – I’m working for a scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two of Enjoy Life’s Chocolate Chip Soft Baked Cookies! These cookies might be my favorite product the company offers. They’re dense, soft, and chewy-gooey. Perfection.
Two of them, plus a scoop of ice cream, make for the most perfect mini ice cream sandwich. A great way to end the day!
Tina B 05.19.2018
Love reading your blog! Our oldest had milk, egg, wheat allergy which she outgrew by age 5 (milk was so bad we had to carry epi). Fast forward to a month ago now at age 18 yrs she had an anaphylactic reaction to drinking Silk with Pea Protein-OMG! We didn’t have epi only brother’s Zyrtec! She ended up in the ER for epi and all kinds of IV meds. SCARY!! So we find out she is allergic to Hazelnuts, green peas?! and Lentils! What the heck?? SO she is back to dragging epi everywhere right before heading out to college! I LOVE Enjoy Life Brand! We have had their products in the house before now, but they are going to be a staple after this! I worried about the lentil chips, but they are made in a total different facility when I called with concerns-whew! I do have a question-do you introduce stuff to the boys in small amounts to help prevent reactivity? This is so amazing that they are doing that now, as when Haley was allergic the status quo was avoidance. Allergy/Immunology has come a long way! Do they think Mr. Lincoln will outgrow the milk allergy like my kiddo? Sorry for the long post, Tina~
Kristin 05.20.2018
Food allergies are SO scary, and like you said, the information about when and how to introduce food allergens can be conflicting. We introduced both boys to peanut butter at the doctor in case they had reactions, and in Cam’s case we did introduce common allergens sooner then we did with Lincoln (partly because we had experience and partly because as you also mentioned introducing them early can help reduce the chance they become allergic.) and literally just crossed our fingers. So far Cam has no food allergies, and yes, hopefully Lincoln will outgrow his dairy allergy at some point. Our nephew was allergic to eggs, dairy, and peanuts and now, at 8 years old, is only allergic to peanuts as his parents slowly started incorporating both eggs and dairy into his diet to desensitize him (peanuts is something they’d never try and work on on their own.) Anyway, I’m so sorry to hear about everything you’ve gone through with your daughter and am glad Enjoy Life is a brand that has helped her feel more normal!
Holly 05.18.2018
LOVED this! I’d also like to see how you do a meal prep in a day? I keep trying so hard to make it work but by the time I meal plan, then write the list, then grocery shop, it just never happens. But with a 10 month old and being home more now than I ever have breakfast and lunch are getting HARD and I want to make foods she can eat. That darn baby food adds up fast! I struggle with snacks, too. I hate caving to processed foods but I still haven’t figured out yet how people successfully eat whole foods and healthy snacks they make. I need some meal prep tricks that work for when you have kids!
Kristin 05.20.2018
10 months is a really hard age – a lot of “healthy” snacks require teeth! Some of the boys’ favorite snacks at that age were torn up raspberries, quartered blueberries, peas, bananas, and yogurt for Cam. I’d also roast sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week to cube and sprinkle out for easy snacks too! Hang in there – we ALL struggle with this!
Elizabeth Smith 05.18.2018
I also used to read Eat Like Me but I probably haven’t thought about it in at least 8 years. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Total blast from the past, right??
Daniela 05.18.2018
Eat like me was the first food blog I read, and yours was right after! Been loving it ever since. As a first time mom to be thank you for the great ideas on what you feed your little guys!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Thank you so much for being such a long time reader, Daniela! Congrats to you on your new bundle too – so exciting!!
Laura C 05.18.2018
When did Cam get so big? Wowza! Like baby to toddler overnight!
Kristin 05.20.2018
I knoooooow – he is a bonafide toddler now – so insane. This is such a fun age though so I’m loving it!
Michelle 05.18.2018
I am amazed your children eat so well. I also like that you keep putting foods in front of them to try over again. It breaks my heart to see parents just give in and let them eat what they want. My kids always told me, thank goodness you and Dad taught us how to eat a variety of foods.
Kristin 05.20.2018
Sometimes I think I might be a little too “strict” – I don’t want them going the opposite way when they’re old enough to decide what to eat on their own – but I do hope to instill a love of healthy food in them from an early age!
Caroline 05.18.2018
I had forgotten about Eat Like Me, but I used to LOVE it! It inspired me to start my own blog back then too.
I really like posts like this showing examples of toddler eats—I always need new ideas!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Check out The Lean Green Bean blog and social accounts – especially Instagram – she shows her toddler’s meals on stories almost every day. SO helpful! https://www.theleangreenbean.com/
Devon 05.18.2018
Eat Like Me was my jam! Pretty sure that’s how I came across your blog and never turned back. Seriously, I’ve read every post.
I hope you’ll consider mixing in some “day in the life” posts more frequently. It helps to see how your using the same ingredients throughout the day.
Since I’m single… I try really hard not to waste food, but also not get bored with the same ingredients/meals by the end of the week.
Have a great weekend! :)
Kristin 05.20.2018
Definitely noted! Thanks for your feedback, Devon, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Jill 05.18.2018
This is so funny. That blog is how I found you I think. I believe you posted a comment or something and then I took a look At your blog from there. I’ve been a reader ever since!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Too funny! Seems like another lifetime ago!
Liz 05.18.2018
OMG, Eat Like Me! I loved that blog! What was that, like 12 years ago now? Her kids must be practically grownups by now! Weird. Anyway, I loved this post. I always love to see what other people feed their kids. I find it so helpful! My daughter has a dairy allergy too and unfortunately isn’t so into other sources of protein. It’s peanut butter or bust around here. I find food to be hands down THE most stressful thing about parenting, so I love seeing how other parents handle kid meals and getting ideas!
Kristin 05.20.2018
It’s one of the most stressful parts for me too. Does your daughter like whole nuts? (Not sure how old she is.) Lincoln’s been loving homemade “trailmix” lately – I’ll combine peanuts, cashews, or raw almonds with popcorn and dried cranberries. Good mix of protein, fat and carbs. He also LOVES salami, which is actually high in vitamin K, so I feel better about giving him that vs a hot dog for instance. Finally, I was just reminded that edamame is super high in protein – maybe she’d like splitting the pods and getting the beans out?
Aly 05.18.2018
What bread do you use for your buttered toast? It looks so much better than the GF breads I’ve bought! Yum!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White – SO good!
Lauren 05.18.2018
Try spreading a thin layer of peanut butter on the cocoa loco bars. So good!
Holl 05.18.2018
Loved this! Please do more! Your boys are so cute. What brand of coffee do you drink that you can do it without cream? I have tried to give up creamer but without it coffee is just so bitter
Kristin 05.20.2018
I love Cameron’s Coffee pods which are made with filters vs plastic cups – so much smoother! My favorite it’s the Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend. :) https://www.cameronscoffee.com/jamaica-blue-mountain-blend-coffee-12-ct
Beth 05.18.2018
what brand of gluten free bread do you use? And pretzels? That dinner looks like I need it now!
Kristin 05.20.2018
We eat Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free breads and Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels – both staples in our house!
Erin 05.18.2018
I love getting a peak into what other family’s eat! What brand of popsicles do you buy?
Kristin 05.20.2018
These are Nestle Outshine Fruit Bars – no food dyes!
Stef 05.18.2018
Love these posts! You were the first blog I followed back in.. 2011? Some of our family’s favourite meals are your recipes, and your site is my go-to when I want to try something new. My son is almost 4 and like Lincoln, his tastes change from day to day (Mama, today I like carrots, but tomorrow, I don’t like carrots). My twins (15 months) aren’t too picky yet, but it’s so nice to come here for ideas on what to feed them all! Anyway, loved this post – would love to see more like this!
Kristin 05.20.2018
My youngest is in that phase right now too – loved cheese sticks yesterday, HOW DARE YOU FEED THEM TO ME TODAY. ?Exhausting trying to keep up!
Ashley 05.18.2018
You were literally the first blog I ever followed and half of the meals I make come from here! I have a 14 month old who I’m struggling to feed…Kid will eat sweet potatoes, mac n cheese and a banana all day but give him any kid of meat and forget about it. All of it ends up on the floor (to my dogs delight)…I’m hoping if I keep giving it to him enough that he’ll eventually like it?! Ha thank you for the ideas!
Kristin 05.20.2018
That’s what we keep doing too – repetition, repetition, repetition. I just have to get through the next four(ish) years of the littlest two throwing food on the floor. Deep breaths!
Maria 05.18.2018
Loved this post! You were one of the early blogs I followed that had a theme (food!) versus talking about one’s day ? also I had no idea enjoy life has chewy bars (I wonder if our grocery doesn’t have them?) But I love those cookies and the chocolate bars! I bring them in for my students who have allergies!
Kristin 05.20.2018
They are my go-to when providing snacks to kids with food allergies too – easy decision, always a big hit!
Bryn 05.18.2018
How funny! That was the first blog I followed too! I loved her honesty. Seemed so brave at the time!
Kristin 05.20.2018
I totally agree, and loved how relatable her meals were even as a RD.
EM 05.18.2018
I loved this post- reminds me of the earlier days of IGE (when I got more ideas from the site about what to make).
Kids and veggies/food- it is funny what they will and won’t eat, no matter how often they see it eaten by other family members and it is on their plates! I used to think that parents just weren’t trying foods, as my son ate pretty much anything- then I had our daughter who rejects quite a bit (for example, herbs that are green.) Same food, same eating environment, etc., completely different reactions!
Kristin 05.20.2018
Yes, so true! Before kids I used to think to myself – just make them eat their vegetables! Not so simple I quickly found out. ;)