Do your kids eat better or worse than you do?

We’ve tried to do a good job of keeping our wee beasts away from fast food. They have each had McDonald’s food only a handful of times and Chick-fil-A maybe five or six times during a play date. Other than that, there have been a couple of Sonic hot dogs for special treats and cheese quesadillas at Chipotle on a few weekends.

Most nights of the week, I cook from scratch. Very few boxed or instant foods make it into our house. Everything is freshly made so that I know exactly how much fat and salt are in our meals. No preservatives, no MSG.

I also try to keep a good balance of the food groups. I was a vegetarian for 15 years, but I’ve started to eat the occasional bit of chicken or fish out of convenience. I don’t want to limit the boys from having some red meat and pork from time to time. I’ll make a beef dish every couple of weeks to give them a chance at getting B vitamins and iron in the meal. We always have vegetables, a good proportion of protein to carb, whole grains, and most nights are finished with fresh fruit for dessert.

Now notice…these are all of the things I said I make, not necessarily what I eat.

My kids eat better than I do because they actually eat everything I’ve mentioned. I don’t always get a protein because I don’t always eat the meat. And I’ve become too complacent to stop and make something else for myself. And, hey, let’s not kid anyone…carbs are good. I’m not above eating a big plate or bowl full of pasta and nothing else from time to time! Carbs make me happy.

I just gave the boys a big bowl of strawberries and blueberries for an evening snack. Full of lots of good vitamins and enough to satisfy a sweet tooth. Did I have any? NO. Because I was in a hurry to get enough sliced up for them to eat before it was time to brush teeth. So I cut up just enough and put them away. Missed opportunity for a Mommy Healthy Snack.

I know parents on the opposite end of this scale, too. People who can’t stand fast food because of the way it makes them feel, but who will hit a drive-through on the way home every night to get the chicken nuggets and fries so that their kids “will eat something.” They’ve given up trying for a healthy variety and put Spaghettios in the microwave day after day after day. Their plates, by contrast, are covered with salmon and steamed broccoli.

So where do you stand?

Is your diet better or worse than your kids and why?