Tom heads back to college today. We had a wonderful time having him back home and even got to see a performance of Handel's Messiah at the Meyerson right before Christmas (photo above). It was fun fixing him his favorite meals and I am going to miss him. But it is awesome to know he is being well taken care of at college!
He had a fantastic first semester and was greatly blessed. He continued to eat as we do at home - the cafeteria at his college has been very accommodating. Tom buys all his ingredients, which they use to prepare his meals. They have gone above and beyond their original commitment and are even planning his meals and providing Tom with a grocery list of ingredients needed. We are so extremely grateful for this huge blessing. And I am so proud of Tom, making time for his rounds to Whole Foods, Sprouts and the farmer's market in his busy college schedule.
Of course, I am sending him off today with his cooler packed with good foods and ingredients - fresh organic produce, organic excellent quality meats, range-free soy-free eggs from our chickens, raw milk, frozen cookies, homemade chili, etc. He continues to avoid man-made processed foods and ingredients and is thriving at college.
When Tom was five, I was told by many that he would rebel when he became a teenager because I was so strict with his food. At that young age, I would not let him have the birthday cake and treats at parties, and junk offered at school. He was too young to understand that the sweet things and junk foods that everyone around him was eating were addictive and would create health problems for him down the road.
Though at first this was difficult and he would sneak things at school and church when I wasn't around, by third grade he was seeing the consequences of bad food choices and we had a wonderful breakthrough, as I shared previously in this post about sharing what you are doing with others.
Tom did not rebel and in fact, has now become a good role model for his friends at college sharing his knowledge as he lives out what he believes.
A few words from Tom:
" Some of my fondest memories from my childhood include frequently stopping by Whole Foods for the tasty samples. I loved hanging out with my family at Whole Foods, and my brother and I pestered my parents to visit as often as possible. Now that I'm at college, Whole Foods is a home away from home. I enjoy shopping for food there, or just enjoying a delicious meal. Eating healthy while in college hasn't been an issue at all. I thank God that He provided a way for me to continue eating healthy in college. If I had to eat junk food, I would probably be constantly sick and never feel good. Luckily, the kitchen staff at my college have been gracious enough to cook me meals from ingredients I buy at Whole Foods and Sprouts. Without these healthy meals, I know that I wouldn't be able to focus on my studies, and my grades would definitely suffer. My friends at college constantly comment about how good this healthy food looks, and many wish they could eat this way too. So far, I have encouraged three of my close friends to give up soda, which they were able to do for a couple months. Maybe I can get them to give it up permanently in the coming semester! I have to thank my mom for encouraging me to eat healthy when I was young. Eating all organic and avoiding sugar has been more than just a habit for me. The idea of eating junk food or anything unheathly sounds digusting; this habit of healthy eating has become a lifestyle. To anyone struggling with maintaining a healthy diet, I encourage you to stick with it! Anything worth achieving will have a struggle to get there, and reaching the goal is something to look back on with pride. Regardless of where you are in your walk to healthier eating habits, I hope my story provides a little encouragement for you, it is possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle even when surrounded by junk food!"
Thus, be encouraged, even if it is hard right now to say 'no' to your kids when they want junk food. If you don't have junk food in your house, if you also are eating well, if you are doing this together with your kids, you will reap a harvest of good health and commitment from your kids as they grow up. Take them with you shopping and teach them to choose healthy snacks such as fresh fruit and raw nuts. Have them read the blog posts and join in the weekly challenges with you. The good habits and knowledge you provide them when they are young will stick with them through their lifetime.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
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