10 Cool Moms on When to Break the Rules About Healthy Eating — How I Feed My Kids

Here's how "mom life" is supposed to work: You get home from long days of (fill in the blank: work, school, play, travel, life), open the fridge, and find an abundance of fruits and vegetables for a perfect nutritious meal. (You're doing such a good job of planning ahead these days!) The kids play quietly while things come together in about 30 minutes, and someone else takes over the dishes while you have a few minutes to relax before the bedtime routine begins.

Sounds dreamy, right?

But here's how it really works: You get halfway home from soccer practice when you realize Sophie left her backpack there. As you turn around, your partner calls saying they have to work late. You're home 45 minutes later than planned. The cat barfed in the middle of the living room, and Jack managed to step in it even though he never goes in the living room. You wrench off your shoes and go for the cleaning supplies while you ignore your ringing phone, but realize simultaneously that you never got a birthday gift for the party that starts in 24 minutes. Sophie and Jack start fighting. Microwaved nachos for dinner, anyone?

The takeaway: Sometimes, for all of us, eating healthfully takes a back seat to busy schedules, celebrations, or those days that just go sideways before you can do anything about it. We asked 10 moms when they break the rules about healthful eating. Guess what? We all do it.

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