There are good surprises and bad surprises involved in parenting. Bad surprises include the green slime in a newborn’s diaper and the staggering reach of projectile vomit. Good surprises include the fiercely unconditional love and the moment you realise your kids feel the exact same way about you. Warm hugs with sleepy bedheads are also pretty amazing. One thing is for sure, life will never be the same. And neither will your handbag.

Earlier today I sat at a stoplight, cleaning my sunglasses on a spare pair of underwear. Not my underwear you understand. I hope I’m a good 30 years away from that stage. But although the girls are largely reliable, I do still carry around a few pairs in my bag.

Last week, one went flying across the grocery aisle as it had attached itself to my wallet (the underwear, not a child). That was almost as embarrassing as when I offered my client a tampon instead of a pen — because yes I carry both those around too.

My bag has everything in it to avert parenting disasters, apart from the ONE thing you need when you are having a REAL disaster, obviously.

That then gets added when I go home — and so the bag gets bigger. And no matter how often I clean it out, there is always a lip balm without a lid and a layer of granola bar crumbs at the bottom. Anyone else have this problem?

There are some parents that seemed to glide through the early years, unruffled.

There must be a crack somewhere, or at least some staff. I always say that every household needs at least three adults. Or that every wife needs a wife.

Even an extra husband would come in handy. Although the likelihood of husband number one taking husband number two out to the pub is pretty high. That would be annoying.

My point here is not to advocate polygamy (er, no!) but rather, that I am in constant amazement at how my single-parent friends manage.

Some have arrived at that status through an element of choice and some through utterly tragic circumstances. Either way, kudos to you for making it through each and every day.

One of the tricky things about healthy eating is that it often feels complicated or like a lot of extra work.

It can be exhausting or intimidating to get started or do more than open the door to the microwave. Couple this with the threat of your hard work being rejected by a picky eater and it’s easy to see why some people shy away. But however many adults are in your household, or even if you live by yourself, here are some tips to help you simplify!

Here are five tips for eating healthily and keeping it simple

1.Forget about the mung beans…

…and the chia seeds and the maca. “Superfoods” may be beneficial but they are not the be all and end all. Just focus on the simple things like fruit and vegetables. Apples, bananas, broccoli and carrots may be “normal” but they are absolutely packed full of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

2.Make dinner quick and easy

It doesn’t have to be fancy. How about scrambled eggs, spinach and wholegrain toast? Left-over roast chicken and avocado salad? Pasta with a plain tomato sauce and hummus stirred in? Tuna with brown rice and salsa? Keep it quick and easy so that it’s not such a chore at the end of the day.

3. Cook in bulk

This is the easiest way to handle dinner time. Cook healthy meals in bulk on a day off – soups, bolognaise sauce, casserole, curries – all those freeze well and reduce the effort and clean-up during the week. If you are looking for good, clean recipes to follow, check out the recipe index on www.100daysofrealfood.com or search www.cleaneatingmag.com for inspiration.

4. Try one new thing at a time

If you’re an all-or-nothing person it can be tempting to completely restock your fridge and pantry. But if it all turns out to be harder than you expected, or if you don’t like a lot of the things you bought, it’s off-putting and expensive. Try one new thing every week and see how you go. For example, try quinoa with your curry instead of white rice, or a new wholegrain cereal instead of a muffin for breakfast. Small steps add up quickly and effectively.

5.Get motivated

Isn’t part of the healthy-eating battle constantly feeling like you “should” be eating healthy? It’s wearing to feel as if you are constantly denying yourself or being “good.”

When healthy eating becomes something you want to do (rather than something you have to do) it’s amazing how much simpler life is. Try reading “In defence of food” or watching documentaries like “Food, Inc”, “Fed Up” or “That Sugar Film” to give you some new perspective on your diet.

•The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the Managing Director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda