new member (mom) kind of confused

Hi, Wheezy, and welcome! You can find some great support in the “Tips, Tricks, Recipes & Encouragement” forum thread (https://www.trimdownclub.com/forums/topic/tips-tricks-recipes-encouragement/), as well as in the Groups (link above), especially “New Beginnings” (https://www.trimdownclub.com/groups/talking-cooking-nanas/), though there are plenty of good ones.
If you have specific nutrition-related questions, you can repost here, and I would be happy to help.

Hi, Mary 551. See the tutorial here: https://www.trimdownclub.com/wp-content/uploads/mfiles/Menu%20Planner%20Tutorial.pdf. It may help you navigate. As for the meals themselves and amount of food, I can help you troubleshoot if you wish. How long have been with the program?

Hi, Sheila. You have a great grip on things! Most people do well eating every 2-3 hours. If you retire for the night at 1 am, probably about 11 pm would be the best time to have your last meal/snack. As for your kids, eventually, you all will find ways to turn healthy foods into sweets. Take a look at some of our dessert recipes – perhaps they will find something there that they like.

Hi, ane2014, and welcome! It is too bad that the market is full of foods that work against you, where the healthier stuff is less well-known. We’re happy to help with getting you familiar with the items that can really support your efforts. In addition to covering these in our online guides, if you enter into the Articles section, type in a food, and there may be something written specifically about that. If not, you are welcome to repost here, and I am happy to help.

Hi, emaleehamill. Keep in mind that much of the reason that it feels like a lot of food is because the whole form takes up more volume. In time, your body will get used to it, and if that process takes longer than you would like, you can try making changes to your exercise routine to wake up new muscles that will burn energy a little faster.
As for your specific questions, yes, nut butter does include peanut butter, as well as many others on the market, including almond butter (the most popular alternative).
Ordinary eggs are problematic. If they are not omega-3, pasture-raised, or grass-fed, they tend to be too high in omega-6, which has been shown in studies to negatively impact metabolism, which can work against your goals here.
“Raw” dairy is made from milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized. It can be challenging to find, so again, organic pasture-raised is fine instead. “Raw” vegan cheeses are made from nuts or seeds.

I also thpught it would be quite reasonable inexpensive tp do and not having tpgo to health shops as I know they are expensive . I have a very small budget for food and could not possibly afford health food stores prices.any sugestions would be appreciated thanks

Hi, Rashida, and welcome. Many of the foods you can’t find at regular grocery stores can be found at health-oriented shops or online. The attached is a start for finding them: https://www.trimdownclub.com/shopping-links-for-healthy-foods/.
It can be overwhelming at first, but after a few tries, it starts to become second-nature (much less time than it took to build up your current habits!).
Regarding your portions, feel free to post the ages and genders of your children, and I can help you with guidance regarding their portions relative to yours. Definitely do not cook separate meals! This program is healthy for just about everyone, and your children can learn good habits here.
For stories about weight loss on this program, please see here: https://www.trimdownclub.com/forums/topic/success-stories-anyone-care-to-share/

Hi, faeree. The application is quite flexible, though serving to balance the carbs, proteins, and fats. You can swap items using the circular icon next to them on your menu – for example, if you chose the items that appeared on your breakfast menu but do not like the combinations in which they appear, you can modify them. You can also click on “View Menu Exchanges” to the right of your menu, and you will see a table of exchanges (these are very similar to those of the American Diabetes Association, and you can get an idea of them by comparing them to the foods listed). In the example you posted, you will see that sour cream is a fat – so you can just use butter instead; oatmeal is a carb, so you can use bread instead; berries are a fruit, so you can put in any fruit you want.
Another possibility is to try selecting fewer items at breakfast, to increase the chances you will get what you want – for example, choose several different types of bread as a carb placeholder (but just use the bread you want) and the different types of eggs (and just prepare the type you want).
I just want to note that what you stated that you want for breakfast may not include enough protein, depending on the amounts you eat. If you do build your own menu from the exchanges, be sure not to skimp on the protein!
If you have any other questions, please do repost.