LCing for kids on a budget?

[ebeth2210]

:help: I want to put my son on a low carb diet. But I dont have a lot to spend on groceries. My husband and I both are putting ourselves through college. So I have to make food count. I myself do a lc diet, so I know the basics. I have found it to cost more money for me to lowcarb. I do not keep any junk food in the house and I have started making tea and Koolaid w/ Splenda.
Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks
Mary

[ebeth2210]

Had to update my profile. Wanted to see what it looked like :clap:

[kaeleen]

How old is your son? Why do you want him to lc? Does he have a weight problem?
I spend mor money on food since starting lc. I make lc dinners with a carb dish like rice or potatoes on the side for the rest of the family. My kids dont have weight problems. I always serve salad with dinner.
Splenda is expensive. Maybe try getting your son to drink plain water. It's a good habit to get into. I keep trying to get my kids to drink more water.
Meat is just more expensive than the pasta meals we used to eat to save money.
Sorry im not much help. Best of luck!

[JeannieF]

Hi Beth,

I am also doing lo-carb for my whole family and have run into the same problem you have. Eating low-carb is much more expensive than eating hi-carb.

I have searched for low-carb bread, as my kids weren't willing to give up toast, sandwiches, etc. and was able to find it reasonably in my grocery store (6 carbs a slice) Schwebel's Country Hearth Lite 100% Wheat bread. This is about $2 a loaf (or so) and is much less than the lo-carb bread they sell in the health-food stores.

Hot dogs are cheep and my kids love them. No, they aren't the best food, but they are better than cereal at every meal which is what they would have eaten before (had I let them).

I purchased 1 case of bottled water with sports tops and have re-used them all summer long. While my kids will never, ever get water from the tap as it's very boring and un-cool, they will drink bottled water out of the fridge in these "cool" sports-top bottles. They drink far more water than they ever used to and I hardly ever make kool-aid. Like you, when I do, I make it with splenda.

I buy peanut butter in the largest, most economical package I can get as we go through a great deal of it. I buy nut in bulk to save money also. I get my beef jerky (which is expensive no matter how you buy it) at Walmart where it is about 30-50% less than anywhere else.

I get my pork and beef directly from the farmer and I buy a half a cow and a half-a pig at a time. Usually about $1.00 a pound plus packaging and butchering. (Usually end cost is $1.30 a pound -- a bargain. T-bone steaks for $1.30 a lb, anyone?) Plus, the quality of the meat is soooo superior to what you'll get at any supermarket.

Sunflower seeds are not too expensive as a snack and if you truly stop buying all the junk you may have bought before (cookies, pretzels, chips, pop, cereal, ice cream, white bread) it may balance out better than you expect.

I'm struggling too, but my 11 year old son lost 10 lbs (so far), my husband lost 20 + lbs and I'm holding steady and gaining weight very slowly (I'm currently 8 months pregnant!)

Good luck to you. If you have any further, more specific questions, please PM me or just resond to this and I should see it!

Jeannie

[lkonzelman]

My parents always had me on a diet and I felt horrible about myself and became a closet eater.

My opinion although maybe not with the majority is love as is and when/if he is ever ready show him how you lost weight.

And have healthy balanced meals at home daily - show by example.

[JeannieF]

My 11 year old despirately wanted to lose weight as he couldn't stand the bullying anymore and he wanted to be better at sports too.

Feeding kids healthy alternatives to chips and pretzels cannot be bad parenting. Putting them on "diets" and restricting their intake can be very hurtful. I went through this too. I'm just sooooo glad I finally figured out what was wrong with me (a carbohydrate addict) and that I can lead my kids in a healthier lifestyle NOW so they don't have to face decades of failed diets and low self-esteem.

Jeannie

[lkonzelman]

That is very different from my situation.

All the best to you.

[dreamer]

I have an 11 year old who wants to lose weight, he is about 10-15 lbs overweight. What are you feeding your child and what works as far as foods?

[JeannieF]

Since mid-June I have had my entire family on CAD (Carbohydrate Addicts Diet). It has made a major difference in the life of my 11-year old. I can't tell you what a different kid he is now, both in looks and self-confidence. He also has a real sense of accomplishment because this was his own decision to join my husband and I on a better way of eating.

If you can afford it, go get the Carb Addicted Kids book. It is out of this world and will help you get started. Both of my boys (one overweight, one skinny as a rail) tested positive for carb addiction. Their bodies just react differently to the carbs. I learned an amazing amount from this book.

CAD consists of eating very low carbs for two meals of the day and then having a Reward Meal where you (and the kids) can indulge in carb rewards. That can be anything from a slice of apple pie to a serving of french fries. The RM makes this a very livable way of eating for most people and really helps a kid stick with it and not feel deprived of the foods they love the most. (They can have them one time every day!) While losing weight, my son has had ice cream, cookies, candy, popcicles, bowls of cereal, etc. :yay: They simply had to be eating during his one-hour Reward Meal.

I can tell you that this WOE works in terrific ways. My child is now 12.6 lbs lighter than when he started in June, and as I said before, he looks and feels terrific.

Best of luck. If you need more info, feel free to PM me or just post another question here and I'll come back and answer it.

Jeannie

[JeannieF]

Another quick point. This works really well during school because your kid can have a regular school lunch without blowing the program or letting anyone else know he is eating different than other kids are eating. This is a BIG plus at this age where kids just look for any reason at all to ridicule and make fun of other kids. No one else has to know your kid is eating lo-carb, as his RM can be at lunch time and he can eat what everyone else is having.

Jeannie, (again)