Food allergies and dietary restrictions can be a little overwhelming and even disheartening when you start to realize just how much (or little) you can actually eat. This feeling can be completely amplified if you're a mom of an already-picky child PLUS their dietary restrictions.... and don't even get me started on trying to provide healthy, well-balanced meals on top of all of that!! But before you start completely panic over that thought, let me share my 7 tips and tricks on feeding your diet-conscious family things they'll ACTUALLY love!
1. Focus on what you CAN eat and get creative with those ingredients! Thank goodness for Pinterest to provide an endless supply of recipes that cater to every dietary restriction or lifestyle there is! Â
2. Hide the veggies! There are tons of dessert recipes for muffins and cookies that have those 'secret' ingredients to help kids get their greens without them even knowing! If you've never had low-carb chocolate zucchini muffins.... start there!Â
3. Check out your local bakeries! With all the new diets and lifestyles, there are a plethora of new bakeries popping up that specifically cater to keto, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. Not only will you know what's available on the run, but it might spark ideas of other things you could make for your family at home!
4. Speaking of bakeries.... hint hint, nudge nudge... Num Gourmet Desserts was made for THIS VERY REASON! Our 'guilt-free' desserts were created to be universal health snacks/treats that everyone no matter what kind of program or lifestyle they are trying to live can enjoy. Your kids will love these treats and they're way healthier than their sugary alternatives so you can all stay on track.Â
5. Disguise the "good stuff" - there is no rule saying that you can't have dessert or pizza or even corn dogs, the trick is finding recipes that adapt your family's favorite foods to your diet or lifestyle. Again, thank goodness for Pinterest to provide a million recipes for things like 'Keto Corn dogs" and healthy "Reeses Brownie Bars". Disguising healthier ingredients in the same foods they love will keep your family healthy and on track. This can even be as simple as berries with sugar-free cool whip for dessert instead of sorbet and if that doesn't quite do it for you, I bet Pinterest has a healthy sorbet recipe too!
6. Try at least one new recipe per week. Remember when I said that diets and dietary restrictions could be overwhelming? Nip that stress in the bud by committing to try something new every week. The more you experiment, the more you get the know the ingredients that work well with your family's favorite recipes, and the more recipes you will have to alternate between when you find something new that they love!Â
7. Refer back to number four. Rather than source all of the ingredients yourself and slave away in the kitchen for hours, give Num Gourmet Desserts a call and treat yourself to some guilt-free, kid-friendly, diet-approved, desserts.
Just because you (or your kids) have food restrictions or have committed to a dietary lifestyle such as keto, gluten-free, vegan, or macro-counting, doesn't mean that you can't have dessert or any of your other favorite foods! By experimenting with recipes, upgrading your favorite recipes with healthier alternative ingredients, and by indulging in Num's Gourmet Desserts, you will be well on your way to a happier and healthier lifestyle.Â
