Reader Advice Day: Whole Food Plant-based Parenting of Young Children

For those of you that are new to HGK, newly here because of The Eat to Live Cookbook Project, welcome! Today I am bringing you an installment of something that I feature regularly here on my blog, which I call reader advice day. These posts are inspired by a letter I receive, asking for advice. Being no expert, I feel more comfortable engaging the whole plant-based community in finding the answer and seeing what we can come up with collectively.

It's also way more fun that way!

So here goes . . . a letter that I received just the other day:

"Hey Wendy,

I was telling my husband tonight that I feel like i need to see a therapist or something about being a SAHM [stay at home mother] to young kids, about them and food specifically. Because it's overwhelming and confusing, and right now, my least favorite part of parenting!

I then wondered as he asked me what's in those awesome banana zucchini muffins that are now a staple in our house, if perhaps you've already blogged about this or have some thoughts on the matter. I need ideas...I need guidelines...I need a philosophy.

My current m.o. has been to buy little to no "junk" food, an almost useless term because everyone defines it differently. So ok, no cookies, cake, or candy except a small amount on Shabbat. Although we'll take him for froyo with all the various candy toppings fairly often, probably 2-3 times per week. I try not to make dessert contingent on eating or finishing regular food when that kind of situation comes up.

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