HOW I FEED MY FAMILY AS THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH

Does eating well (in perimenopause) mean cooking one meal for your family and something totally different for yourself?

A lot of women think so. Honestly, that’s just a recipe for hating cooking and mum burnout.

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in the kitchen, making one meal for your family and something completely different for yourself, just so you can eat “healthy,” I get it.

It feels impossible to prioritise your health without turning dinner time into a battle or doubling your workload.

But what if I told you that you don’t have to cook separate meals to eat well in perimenopause?

That’s exactly what I’m sharing here: how I feed my family in a way that works for everyone, without being a short-order cook, without food fights, and without missing out on meals I actually enjoy.

THE COMMON STRUGGLE: EATING WELL VS. KEEPING THE FAMILY HAPPY

A friend of mine, Ali, recently asked me:
“Sarah, how do you feed your family? How do you balance healthy eating with kids?”

And that question really stuck with me because so many women feel like they have to choose - either they eat in a way that supports their hormones, energy, and metabolism, or they keep the family happy with familiar meals.

For example, the kids get their usual spaghetti bolognese, while you’re sitting there with a sad little bowl of greens and poached chicken, feeling left out.

It’s no wonder so many women feel like eating well means restriction, extra effort, and missing out on food they actually enjoy. It’s what we’ve been told our whole life!

But here’s the truth: eating well should fit into your life - not take it over.

Eating to support and nourish your changing body and hormones shouldn’t mean missing out on socialising, festivities, or special celebrations.

And you really don’t need to.

Before I share exactly how I make one meal work for everyone, let’s talk about what I don’t do.

🚫 Short-order cooking – one meal. No catering to everyone’s preferences. Despite what restaurant kids menus would have you believe, being a kid doesn’t automatically mean they only eat bland food.

🚫 Mealtime battles – I don’t force my kids to eat things they hate, but I also don’t cater to every whim.

Instead, I teach my kids how to eat well and set up simple systems to make meals easier and more enjoyable for them and me.

MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY: WHAT’S ON MY PLATE?

Let’s talk about what is on my plate, before we get into how I get it on to my kids’ plates too! This is something I go into more detail on in my Perimenopause Diet blog, but here’s the short version.

On my plate, I always include:

🥩 Protein: Supports blood sugar balance, keeps me full, and provides the building blocks for my body. Same goes for my husband and kids!

🥑 Healthy fats: Crucial for hormone production, brain function, and reducing inflammation.

🥦 Vegetables: Full of fibre, vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, and essential for gut health.

🌱 Phytoestrogens: These plant-based estrogen-like compounds help smooth out the highs and lows of estrogen hormone fluctuations (found in foods like flaxseeds, soy, chickpeas, and tempeh).

For kids and men, the foundation is the same: protein, fats, and lots of veggies. I don’t focus as much on phytoestrogens for them, but if they’re eating what I’m eating, and there’s phytoestrogens in it, then that’s ok!

Just like I teach my clients my Guiding Principles, I teach my kids how to work out how to balance their plate, and support their growing bodies and brains. this also means that they know:

• If they want seconds of the meat/fish (or whatever protein it is), they need to have more vegetables to match it.
• If they’re eating sweets, they have protein first to avoid blood sugar crashes.

This approach makes food less restrictive, while still teaching them how to nourish their bodies in a way that feels good.

HOW I MAKE ONE MEAL WORK FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

This is the part that makes everything easier. As I said, I don’t cook different meals for adults and kids. Instead, I make small tweaks within one meal so that the meal works for them, their sensory needs, and tastes.

Here’s what that looks like:

• If I’m making a stir-fry, sometimes I’ll have mine over cauliflower rice to boost my veg, while my kids have basmati rice or noodles.
• If we’re having tacos, I add refried beans to the mince (more fibre, less cost!) and serve mine with extra veggies, skipping the wrap, while my kids enjoy theirs in a tortilla with cheese, lettuce, and guac.
• If we’re having a roast, I make sure there’s at least one vegetable each kid enjoys - one might love carrots, another prefers broccoli.

This way, everyone eats the same base meal, but in a way that works for their needs and preferences.

MEAL PLANNING & GETTING KIDS INVOLVED

Two things that have completely changed dinner time in my house:

1️⃣ Meal planning – less decision fatigue, less stress.

2️⃣ Kids in the kitchen – if they help make it, they’re more likely to eat it!

Every week, each of my kids takes a turn to cook dinner for the family. Not only does this teach them life skills, but it also reduces complaints, because kids are way less likely to whinge about a meal they cooked themselves!

ADDRESSING PICKY EATERS & SENSORY PREFERENCES

We’re a neurodivergent home, with different sensory profiles or needs for each person! I don’t force foods on my kids, because I don’t want to make mealtimes a source of friction, or make meals something they dread, but I do keep offering them, and experiment with different ways of serving them.

For example:

✔ My eldest hates soft, mushy vegetables but loves crunchy raw veggies. So I’ll serve carrot sticks, capsicum, or a crisp salad instead, and he’ll eat a giant plateful.

✔ If a kid doesn’t like broccoli, but loves roast carrots, I make sure there’s plenty of carrots on the table.

It’s not about making separate meals - it’s about being curious about what they do like, why they like it, and then leaning into that and exploiting it to expand their veg (or other food) repertoire, to make it easier for them (and you!) to eat a balanced diet without stress.

NO “GOOD” OR “BAD” FOODS, JUST BALANCED CHOICES

I don’t believe in labelling foods as “good” or “bad.” Food doesn’t have a moral value. What you do or don’t eat doesn’t make you a good or bad person. Chocolate isn’t “bad,” and salads aren’t “good.” We’re just eating food.

Instead, I teach my kids about how different foods impact their body and brain, and encourage them to tune into how they feel when they eat or drink these different foods.

In an age appropriate way, I teach them about how protein-rich foods help their body and brain to grow, as do healthy fats, and why they shouldn’t eat sweets or treats on an empty stomach. How you approach this with a toddler will be different to a teen, but it is a really powerful way to help them understand how to support and nourish their bodies.

Knowledge is power, and it’s also empowering. It’s so much easier to stick with something - your Guiding Principles - when you know why you’re doing it. It’s no different for your kids and food!

FINAL THOUGHTS + YOUR NEXT STEPS

So, if you’ve ever thought that eating well in perimenopause means cooking one meal for yourself and something totally different for your family, I hope this blog has shown you that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Eating well should feel simple, sustainable, and doable - not stressful or isolating.

And if you’re thinking, “Okay, Sarah, I love this, but I’d like more structure and guidance to make it happen,” that’s exactly what I help women do inside PerimenoGO. The program includes nutrition plans, recipes, my Guiding Principles, and real-life strategies to make healthy eating easier for you and your family - without extra effort or overwhelm. And for those wanting even more support, my Feeding Your Family guide is included as a bonus.

You can find all the details here: https://theperimenopausenaturopath.com.au/perimenogo