Choosing Better Nourishment for Our Family

One of the biggest changes our family has made over the years has been in the area of food. When I was a young wife and mom, I used to get so excited over a sale on boxed meals or snack packs. At the time, I thought I was winning at homemaking by stretching the budget that way, and in that season, I was.

Eventually, I realized the “luckiest gal in the world” wouldn’t be thrilled about feeding her family food filled with artificial ingredients and empty calories.  The body needs true nourishment.

We’ve come a long way since then, and we’re still learning. Healthy living doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a journey of small, steady steps. Looking back, I see that some of the most lasting changes we made came slowly, one phase at a time.

Here are a few of the swaps we started with back in 2010:

• Granola Bars: Convenient, yes. Nutritious, not so much. Instead, I began making simple homemade versions or replacing them with fruit, nuts, or something I knew had cleaner ingredients.

• Cakes: Instead of store-bought cakes loaded with preservatives and artificial colors, we shifted to homemade cakes or even simpler birthday treats. It turns out kids love the celebration more than the frosting anyway.

• Packaged Pasta: I was intimidated by the idea of making noodles at first, but with practice, it became a fun kitchen project. These days there are also wonderful gluten-free and whole-food pasta options available.

• Bottled Water: This one stretched my thinking.  Choosing reusable bottles and a filter system has saved money and reduced waste, while encouraging me to drink more water that is truly hydrating and beneficial for my body.

• Soda: Cutting back on soda was hard for our family (especially for my husband back then as he was drinking 2 cans a day), but it was worth it. It’s amazing how much better you feel and more energy you have without the daily sugar and chemicals.

• Fruit Snacks and Suckers: The kids used to beg for them, but once we cut them out, it stopped being such a battle. Healthier snack habits really do form over time.

• Pancakes: Store-bought mixes are convenient, but nothing compares to a simple homemade batter with ingredients you recognize and already keep on hand for other homemade goodness.

I can laugh now at how much I overthought some of these changes, but each one was a step toward being more mindful about what I was putting on the table for the people I love.

Maybe the most beautiful part? Each small step toward nourishing our bodies better has also reminded me of how important it is to nourish our souls. Just like a garden grows with care and patience, so do our families when we feed them well, both physically and spiritually.

I still find myself dreaming about the garden every spring, eager for those fresh vegetables that remind me of God’s goodness and provision. Every year I learn a little more, and every year I’m grateful for how far He’s brought us.