A lot of people come to me for nutrition advice – young people, forty-some thing’s, vegetarians and even athletes. The most important group to address is the family. I don’t know many people that honestly live, breathe, sleep and eat alone, all the time. Most people are involved in a family – plus one, plus 4 or plus 10! Good nutrition is NOT attained by one person alone…it needs to be addressed at the family/group level.
As an ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, I am qualified to provide nutrition advice and meal plans to individuals in general good health. When I first meet with people, the most common denominator is that people aren’t eating often enough. Most people are eating only 2-3 times a day, but are awake 16-18 hours a day! I hear complaints about not having enough energy, feeling sluggish and complaints about how they’re not hungry so they don’t eat. Your body is an engine…just like a car. If a car doesn’t have fuel, it won’t run. How can a person expect to have energy, be productive or even feel hunger if they are starving themselves?
Families are busier now than they ever were. Typically there are several people working to help pay the bills, put food on the table, and get things done. My first recommendation to families is to get used to eating leftovers, if possible. Since eating more often requires food be prepared, it’s easiest to get acclimated to the lifestyle if you’re OK with eating leftovers, especially at first.
My second recommendation to families is to take turns preparing meals. Perhaps rotating daily, or per meal. Mom cooks breakfast every day, kids/teens makes lunches and snacks, while dad makes dinner.
Work as a team! Maybe one person always cooks the protein, someone else cooks the veggies, another person does the dishes, etc. Whatever works best for YOUR family.
Reward yourself as a team, too! As I said earlier, people are working more, and spending less quality time with the family. When you eat RIGHT for 6.5 days a week, go out together, enjoy a “cheat”, do it together! Maybe Friday night dinners, or Sunday brunches, whatever motivates YOUR family to work together and eat right.
Most importantly, if one person falls off the wagon, be supportive as a team too. These things happen. It takes TIME to change habits. But be supportive…cheer each other on! Make it count and do it together 
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