The other day my husband and I were trying to remember how spent our evenings before having kids. Embarrassingly enough, we could hardly recall what we used to do with the time we now devote to feeding, bathing, reading, teeth-brushing and corralling kiddos before bed.

One thing we were able to remember was that I used to make thoughtful and elaborate dinners that we would enjoy over leisurely conversation.

How different things have become!

Sure, we still eat most meals at home and they are usually still healthy; but dinners now are simpler and must be ready in minutes rather than hours.

That got me thinking about all the other ways my “food life” has changed since having kids. Here are a few of the biggest differences:

1. I eat on-the-go a lot.

Before leaving the house I make sure my kids are clothed and fed and have everything they need. But like many moms I sometimes forget about my own needs and then realize I’m starving the minute we walk out the door. Thank goodness for convenience foods – a category I never really cared about before. Though nothing replaces whole, unprocessed foods made from scratch at home, I feel lucky there are organic & natural options convenience foods available for people like me.

2. I only buy pre-washed greens.

Whole heads of lettuce and kale are cheap and package-free. But if I bought those, we wouldn’t eat nearly as many greens as we do. The pre-washed kind make meal prep so much faster and easier for me these days; these are more than worth it.

3. I eat more for fuel than for pleasure.

Of course I still love food. But these days I focus more on simple, hearty foods that will get me through to the next chance I have to eat. (This is mostly because I have a very new baby. With Lucy, I found after a year or two we could start having more leisurely meals again.) I eat a lot of PB&J’s!

4. Organic is more important to me than ever

Now that I’m feeding little, undeveloped bodies, I’m much more conscious of pesticides, antibiotics, artificial growth hormones, GMOs and the myriad of toxic chemicals that are used in the growth and production of conventional food. Buying organic allows me to avoid much of that and gives me much needed peace of mind.

5. We spend more on food.

Though we are much more budget-conscious than we used to be, we do spend more on food – for three main reasons. 1) Organic food usually costs more, and I buy a lot more organic. 2) I choose to pay a little more for convenient or prepared products that make my life easier. 3) I jump at opportunities to buy new or exotic foods so that Lucy can experience more flavors and textures as she develops as an eater. My husband and I both agree we’d rather cut spending elsewhere to make room for a slightly bigger food budget.

Moms & Dads – how has your own eating changed since having kids?