Raising a Healthy Family Starts at Home: How to Instill Metabolic Health in Your Children

My passion for nutrition began years before my children were born – sparked by my personal quest to address health challenges. However, it wasn’t until the birth of my gorgeous daughter, and my amazing son just three years later, that transformed my commitment to nutrition into a mission for my family.

Early Habits and Everyday Lessons

I took every measure to instill healthy habits, making all their baby food, packing wholesome snacks for outings, and even baking homemade cupcakes for birthday parties to provide better options. Early on, I taught them to read labels, choose one food over another, and swap less healthy items for nourishing alternatives. Grocery store trips became a playful learning experience: each child picked a new vegetable to try and a fruit of their choice. Today, they’ve become the kids who ask if the beef is grass-fed at their friends' houses!

Growing Through Challenges

Reflecting on our journey, every growth stage has presented its challenges. During picky-eating phases, I kept encouraging the mantra: “You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.” I refined my cooking skills and dove deeper into nutrition education, determined to model the perseverance and power of healthy food. Now, with my daughter at 14 and my son at 11, I’ve seen them develop their own awareness of how food impacts their well-being. They’re learning to listen to their bodies and make connections between what they eat and how they feel.

Empowering Through Education and Trial

Both kids have faced health challenges—my son has celiac disease and will vomit if exposed to gluten, while my daughter is navigating teenage acne influenced by food choices. They’ve seen peers struggle with frequent stomach aches, prompting discussions about inflammation and how diet can either exacerbate or alleviate it. My daughter has been proactive in identifying triggers for her skin, such as conventional dairy, sugary processed foods, and poor-quality restaurant ingredients like seed oils. We emphasize education, empowerment, and trial and error, even if it means catching her sneaking Buc-ee’s saltwater taffy before dinner!

Creating a Foundation with Food and Routine

I believe in laying a solid foundation of healthy eating habits and meal planning. While I can’t control every situation as they grow, I can provide them with the tools to make informed decisions. Our weekly routine includes Saturday coffee-fueled meal planning and Sunday grocery shopping and prepping. We prepare four dinners (doubling as next-day lunches), one nutritious breakfast like a crustless quiche, and protein-packed muffins (I’ve included recipes for two of our favorite meals below). Cooking has become a creative outlet for me, blending love and nutrition into every dish.

Beyond Food: Whole-Family Wellness

Food is just one part of metabolic health—sleep, movement, limited screen time, community, and nature play vital roles. Despite their “early” bedtimes, my kids have learned to prioritize rest and reflect on its effects on their energy. Between hockey practices, weekend tournaments, and dad as their coach, they get plenty of exercise. Screen time is capped at weekends, often replaced by family Sequence games or movie nights. Nature walks, visits to the bayou, and exploring parks reconnect us with the outdoors.

Deepening the Roots

After years of longing for a more rural life, we’re finally moving to our dream farmhouse on four acres outside Houston. We’ve started creating a food forest, inspired by Jim Gale’s vision of regenerative agriculture. With twelve baby chicks named after country music artists and plans for a ¼-acre food haven, we’re building a sustainable lifestyle that emphasizes soil health and deeper connections to nature.

This transition has not only deepened my family’s bond with the earth but also enriched my perspective on nutrition. Working with clients at Remission Nutrition, I’ve expanded my focus to include the soil’s role in producing nutrient-dense food. I’m more determined than ever to empower others with knowledge, proving that holistic health begins at the root—literally and figuratively.

FRESH HERB QUICHE RECIPE

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs

• 1/3 cup of Native Forest canned coconut milk

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 cup of herbs of choice (dill, chives, sage, basil, fennel!)

• 1/2 cup dandelion greens or fennel bulb

• 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325

2. Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl and pour into a glass baking dish or pie dish.

3. Bake for 60 minutes or until cooked.

4. Enjoy!

MY FAVORITE TACO RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 onion, minced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1.5-2 Tbsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp parsley

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1 lb grass-fed/grass-finished ground beef or turkey

• 1 tbsp organic tomato sauce

• 1/2-3/4 cup pasture-raised chicken broth

• 2 tsp cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over low-medium heat.

2. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

4. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Stir in the ground beef.

6. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

7. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, and vinegar.

8. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

9. Season with salt to taste.

10. Make a lettuce bowl with arugula, cabbage, broccoli sprouts, and avocado crema.

About Carrie Procinsky, BA, MS, CHNC, FMCA, ONC, TAP
Carrie is an Oncology Nutrition Consultant with Remission Nutrition, a Certified Terrain Advocate, and she is passionate about helping others reclaim their health. Her journey began at 19 after a Crohn’s diagnosis and has led her to study holistic nutrition, functional medicine, and oncology. She lives with her family outside Houston, where they’re growing a regenerative food forest and living out their wellness values daily.