Mom controls the sugar and keeps kids happy

About 20 years ago, Robyn Prusky changed her diet. She has worked on eliminating most processed sugar from her family's diet. But she does not believe in denying her children sweets. Instead, she has found ways to make more healthful versions of popular snacks.

Q: Tell me about your approach to feeding your family.

A: It starts from before they are born. I cook for Dagan, making his baby food. I am really anti-refined sugar. We have as little as possible. I have read a lot about sugar. I believe they are eventually going to link sugar to cancer. For children, when they eat too much sugar, it hurts their immune system. I read a book called "Suicide by Sugar," and it really opened my eyes. I think if more moms read this book, you would not see any child drinking soda.

Q: What do you cook for meals?

A: I do a menu on Sundays. I have probably 25 weeks of menus. For one thing, this helps me save money at the store. I will rotate fish, a pasta, a chicken, and a beef dish each day. We eat almost all meals at home. A typical meal might be stuffed chicken with spinach. I try to find ways to make foods so the kids will like it.

Q: What are some ways to get your children to try new and more healthful food?

A: In Japan, they have an art. Each food is separated and presented in a nice way. Children are more likely to try the food that way. I've learned that there is a certain time of day when they come home from school, and they are hungry. I usually let (Mateo) watch TV, and start with a raw vegetable snack. And because I know they've eaten vegetables at that time, at dinner, I'm not so worried about it.

Q: How do you control the sugar consumption?

A: I know how many grams of sugar are in pretty much in everything on the grocery store shelf. I try to never buy a snack that has more than six grams of sugar in a serving. I try to bake everything.

Q: Do you ever worry depriving them of sugar will make them want it more?

A: I never say no to sweets they want. I just make them myself. I make black bean brownies, which have protein and nuts. I also make phenomenal chocolate chip cookies. I use the darkest chocolate, 85 percent, and I put in chickpeas. I use half the amount of sugar of any recipe, and I use a unrefined, unbleached sugar. It's not processed as much. If they ask for chocolate, I give them one square of dark chocolate and let them enjoy it. I have an ice cream maker, so we make ice cream, with yogurt and fresh lemon. I make muffins with butternut squash. I don't have tons of time, so when I bake, I freeze half.