Things I wish I knew then that I know now

Way back in the olden days when I was a brand new mommy in the late 80's early 90's there wasn't any internet to speak of. At least not in every home, on your phone and there were no laptops that I remember. I was a product of the 80's - more more more things. My Mom didn't can, didn't garden, only sewed to decorate and fed us all (except my oldest brother) formula, canned and boxed foods and diapered most of us with Pampers. She was and is an awesome mother and cook and is able to make some amazing meals. But she loved the convenience, she had 9 children after all.

So, when I started my family I followed suit. Being unable to nurse (long story but trust me when I say I almost starved a baby trying) I went straight to formula. Soy because it didn't cause my babies to be as fussy. I did try cloth diapers for my oldest but was ridiculed out of the room by my "modern" family. This was before all these great new diapers - just a white rectangle and plastic pants.

What I really wish I had done differently however, was the way I fed my family. I am not a great cook, not even a good one so it was much easier to open that box, thaw that meal, throw some nuggets on a pan. Well now their tastebuds are used to all that good stuff crap. They balk at homemade. They want their frozen meals, their canned soup, and please no whole wheat anything. And oatmeal - gross! Even yummy veggies get noses turned up at them.

If I had it to do all over again, I would have:

• nursed - there are drinks that up your milk supply
• cloth diapered and cloth wipes
• made all my baby food from scratch - giving them lots of different veggies
  
• fed them healthy breakfasts instead of cereal and poptarts
  
• never gone down the skim milk aisle or the margarine tub lane
  
• made many more things homemade - nuggets, pancakes, pizza, cookies etc.
• offered many more fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis
• water - let them drink water when they were thirsty
• served them more eggs, whole milk, real butter, maple syrup, honey, fruits and veggies, I would have cooked with expeller pressed Olive Oil and Coconut Oil, cooked more whole grains and NEVER EVER let nutrasweet products in my home.

Well, I can't go back. I can only go forward. Slowly, slowly we are eating healthier. Sometimes it seems excrutiatingly slow. But then I remember how far we have come:

• Real butter
• Fruits and veggies are often the snack for the day
• Whole milk (still balking at organic or raw)
• Healthier breakfasts - no poptarts anyhow.
• More eggs in our diet
• Real Half and Half for my husband's coffee
• Real cups and plates - no plastic or melamine
• Real napkins
• Thermometer set at 67 in the winter and turned off in the summer
• Cleaning rags are all ripped up unusable clothing
• Cooking more and more from scratch

What advice would you give to a new mommy??

This was submitted to Frugal Fridays at www.lifeasmom.com - go check out all the other great ideas.
Updated to say I submitted this to Food on Fridays with Ann Kroeker. Go check out the great postst there.