# Is anyone else ok with their kids eating MOSTLY healthy, MOSTof the time?



## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

I have two friends who eat extremely selectively- as in, no processed anything, no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, etc. They cook everything from scratch, never go out to eat, and have to bring food with them wherever they go. They NEVER make exceptions either. They eat very healthy, and sometimes I leave feeling like the worst mom on the planet for having goldfish crackers in my purse...

But, honestly, the more I think about it, I am OK with my kids eating mostly well the majority of the time. Maybe I have the luxury because my kids will eat any fruit or vegetable, nut or seed, grain, or meat/fish that is put in front of them and they have no allergies. Even though they rarely will sit down and eat a plate at an official "meal time" they snack on berries, nuts, tuna, carrots, etc all throughout the day.

When they do get the occasional happy meal (which they really just pick at and don't really eat) or a hot dog at a bbq or juice, or candy at Grandpa's I don't sweat it, because sometimes I think that those memories, or experiences, or the simple stress relief of hitting the drive through outweigh the nutrition factor.

My friends who i mentioned above have to think about food constantly, and I know if I were them my life wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable because I LIKE going to dinner, and indulging in McDonald's, and eating two SKOR bars in a row when pregnant









I do draw the line with certain things like Soda and stuff with aspartame, etc, and we usually buy healthy versions of unhealthy things like hot dogs, etc.

Anyone with me?


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

I am.

We do eat really well most of the time, almost everything made at home is made from scratch, is usually organic or locally grown (mostly by me). But yeah, sometimes we stop at McDonald's or have hot dogs for dinner. I know they eat really well the majority of the time, so I don't mind a few unhealthy things sometimes.

I don't give my kids dairy but that's because of allergy/intolerance issues. Otherwise I would.


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## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

I cook a lot from scratch. I love cooking, I have the time to do it and the kitchen and gadgetry to do so. My older one is fussy, but I can get most manner of raw fruits and vegetables into him. DS2 will eat everything.

That said, one of DS1's favourite things to do is to go to our local Science Centre with his best buddy and afterward, he knows there is a happymeal with his name on it. They eat and play while the moms drop. This is once every few months. Most of my mom friends get McDonalds or something similar once a week. Which I can't do, but they also work and are pooped so I won't even begin to judge.

I figure if I can get 6 healthy dinners and breakfasts and snacks into them a week (school handles healthy lunches), a pizza or BBQ is fine.

We don't do pop (for the kids, mom likes pop *G*), chips are a treat, as is candy and chocolates. My oldest won't touch french fries and isn't too fond of chocolate. My youngest is more prone to eating junk, which is another reason why I try to limit it. We're not totally abstaining because I think the minute the kids get on their own, they'll have a junk food orgy, but trying to set limits and giving them a taste for it as a treat, but home cooking is the best.


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## laohaire (Nov 2, 2005)

You are in the majority.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

Yes. The majority of what we eat is whole foods, prepared from scratch. But I think so far as 95% of what we eat is very healthy, the other 5% or so doesn't matter.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

I am fine with my dd eating mostly healthy. I understand what you mean by feeling badly about yourself when you are around friends who go to extremes. It is hard to always feel great about what you do as a parent 100% of the time.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

Majority? Really? That is interesting, because I know that where I live, the vast majority of moms really feed their kids junk pretty much all the time. Kraft mac and cheese, hot dogs, pb&J, and pizza make up 90% of the food kids eat around here. The only fruits and veggies kids know about are bananas, apples, and oranges. Maybe carrots. I am usually the outcast for bringing healthy snacks for preschool. Maybe it is just my area?

We do lots of gardens, farmers markets, and eat 75% organic. I AM trying to cut back the juice consumption though- my kids looove juice. My goal is to get them to love water and tea more









And for the record, I definitely need to eat better. My kids eat waaaayy better than I do, lol.


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## Just1More (Jun 19, 2008)

Yeup...we eat healthy.

And sometimes my kids have NERDS, for fun. And we go out for ice cream a lot in the summer.

We also usually pick the healthy version of junk food, and I severely limit chemicals of any kind, but...

We are all going to die sometime of something, and I refuse to be a slave to food to add a year onto my life...


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## Just1More (Jun 19, 2008)

Yeah, and most people find ME extreme. Even as I shop with a toddler holding a fast food fry box...


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## EFmom (Mar 16, 2002)

I'm with you. I'm not fanatical about many things.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
Majority? Really? That is interesting, because I know that where I live, the vast majority of moms really feed their kids junk pretty much all the time. Kraft mac and cheese, hot dogs, pb&J, and pizza make up 90% of the food kids eat around here. The only fruits and veggies kids know about are bananas, apples, and oranges. Maybe carrots. I am usually the outcast for bringing healthy snacks for preschool. Maybe it is just my area?

We do lots of gardens, farmers markets, and eat 75% organic. I AM trying to cut back the juice consumption though- my kids looove juice. My goal is to get them to love water and tea more









And for the record, I definitely need to eat better. My kids eat waaaayy better than I do, lol.

That's what you SEE them eating when at preschool or out and about, just as they probably see your kids having a happy meal or a hotdog at a BBQ. You have no idea what they eat the majority of the time, just as they have no way of knowing what your kids eat the majority of the time.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

I'm with you. I just roll my eyes at the threads that go "OMG! My kid is going to like, die
! Grandma/grandpa/friend/stranger let my kid have choc milk/soda/ice cream/whatever" I don't have the time or energy to stress over 100% organic, 100% from-scratch 100% non-proccessed foods. I just don't. And besides, I have zero interest in being "that" family thats just so. freaking.wierd.about.food. I really don't. *I* was that kid/family in school, and I just have zero interest in subjecting my kids (or myself) to that.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

I'm with you, but I think we're fortunate to have kids without allergies/food sensitivities.

I don't really know anyone who subsists on a constant diet of junk food like you mentioned -- our schools have rules about not sending junky snacks/lunches to school, and even ask that parents donate a book to the school library in their child's name instead of bringing cupcakes on their birthday. And when neighbors have put out snacks for the kids there might be popsicles once in a while, but there's also a lot of veggies and dip, fruit and cheese, etc.

So around here, among the people I know anyway, it's normal to be aware of healthy-ish eating. Hopefully that awareness will become more widespread with campaigns such as the First Lady's childhood obesity initiative. IMO, at least in my area, the pendulum seems to have reached the extreme and now is starting to swing back towards center. Perhaps the families you know who are more extreme in their healthy eating just feel the need to provide a counterpoint to the general sway of the population in your area?


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## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

I'm with you. We eat healthy most of the time, but if we are out somewhere running errands I don't have a problem with stopping somewhere and getting a burger.

I _am_ extremely uptight about people giving food to my kids as babes, though. They were all sensitive to dairy and soy (and I'm sensitive to MSG, DS sensitive to red food dye) so having someone give one of them a cookie could have been a big deal.


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

Before a year I'm fanatical about food. But once that first piece of birthday cake touches their lips I'm much more relaxed. We eat healthy 80% of the time and while I wish we could get to 90-95% I'm pretty ok with it. Compared to the majority of people I know we eat very healthy. I try to limit junk to homemade things, but processed stuff is in there. We had chocolate covered marshmallow eggs with lunch yesterday and fruit by the foot for snack this afternoon. But with that D also had 1.5 lbs of strawberries, a tomato and a ton of wheat bread with natural pb.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Yes! My kids eat healthy, whole foods the majority of the time, so I am okay with an occasional bag of chips, candy, hot dog, and even soda. To me, banning all junk food and "poison" aka sugar from your kids diet is extreme and likely to back-fire on you someday.

All things in moderation.


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## ~Katie~ (Mar 18, 2007)

Everything in moderation. Even moderation.

I buy the healthy version of junk food, the organic/allergen free, etc. DS has a dairy allergy. It's better for my thighs too







We don't keep soda in the house. Otherwise I don't fret over the occasional fast food or whatever. We've eaten it more than I'd like since my DH left, but I remind myself that it isn't permanent and we'll revert back to majority of meals being eaten at home once he's home again. I don't make everything from scratch all the time, but I do like to occasionally when I have the time and energy. I do avoid things with HFCS, artificial dyes, sweeteners, etc. Otherwise I'm not super strict about food.


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## Evan&Anna's_Mom (Jun 12, 2003)

Count me in. I love cooking, we love the farmer's market and I don't use processed food at home. But we definitely eat fast food when its the convenient answer to "Place A from 4 to 5, Place B from 5 to 6 and Place C at 7". The kids get pretzels and ham sandwiches in their lunches, just not twinkies and lunchables. I do not sweat the occasional candy treat and I let them have the Ding Dongs that someone brought for little league snack. I figure they eat mostly healthy, most of the time. They like fruits and veggies and water at home so why stress when they get a cookie and juice when we are out? Or even a soda with dinner when we are out at a restaurant? After all, that's probably a healthy option compared to my marguarita!

I was more careful when they were younger, but now that they are 7 and 10, I know that its not always up to me anymore and I don't have total control over what or where they eat. So why stress?


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Sure, I don't stress over it. We eat healthy most of the time, and it's perfectly fine with me if ds has a chicken nugget meal or subway sandwich on occasion. When he has field trips at school, I'll often let him have a lunchable since he thinks they are so cool.

I don't think the occasional total junk is going to hurt him, the kid eats so well MOST of the time. I feel the same way about my eating habbits, btw. Everything in moderation!









I also think I'm lucky that he does not have any food allergies - that would change my outlook on things I'm sure.


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

That's us. We make most of what we eat, but DS gets cold cereal with milk, crackers out of a box, the occasional *GASP* potato chips or french fries (on the occasion DH and I have them), and even a cookie now and then (though usually the cookies are baked by DH, who really likes to bake







).

I figure he eats well enough most of the time, and I'd rather he grow up thinking of "junk" food not as something forbidden and naughty (because there comes and age where forbidden and naughty is so very cool







), but something we occasionally indulge in because... we can.

Now I have my limits. No HFCS (though it's snuck by me a few times and I didn't flip out, or even really care... just made a mental note not to get that brand again), no Kool-Aid and the like, RARELY do we have straight-up candy (we're more of a baked sweets kind of family







), and I try to keep "healthier" versions of stuff around the house (Triscuit crackers are a good snack choice, V-8 Fusion or Vruit if you've got a juice aficionado, etc), but need to accept that good enough really is good enough.


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

My son had a four egg breakfast. My free range hens provided the eggs so they are organic and tasty.

For lunch at school he took a whole wheat bagel with four slices nitrate free organic lunch meat. And a out of the box granola bar.

Dinner, I'm making meatloaf from grass fed beef. I'll be serving rolls from a package at the store and a lovely side salad with as much organic produce as I can get my hands on.

For me, I do my best but I honestly don't have the time or money to eat organic everything or prepare everything from scratch. I figure my kids are eating better than a lot of their peers.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

I totally am like this OP, I do believe that good nutrition is necessary and we do pretty well. Are we perfect? Oh lord no, but those who are obsessed with never having anything processed, well that's their _own_ trip.

I personally live in an area where it is locavores to the max, in fact to the point it annoys me beyond belief. I remember when a local mother had her second child and was asking for people to make her food, but it could only be organic, grass-fed beef and a huge list of no-nos. Not due to allergies, but just because _they_ choose to eat like that. The best part was that their 3 year old was not allowed sugar and treats, but the adults could







. It's been years since I got that e-mail and it still annoys me beyond belief, beggars can't be choosers.

Now we had our fair share of "junk", but honestly compared to any of my ILs with one exception we are doing awesome. My ILs are the worst or the worst, kids with sodas, candy and just TONS of crap. We are known as the "sugar free"(which is not true) family. We have to limit DDs sugar intake so she doesn't get hyper and out of control, they all seem to think that is a normal thing or something. We have to have balance, and for us that is just fine.


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## Tigeresse (Nov 19, 2001)

I have water kefir and kombucha brewing in my pantry while there is a stack of bargain basement pizzas in the freezer. My grass-fed beef may be leaning against a tub of Breyer's. My Highlander Grog coffee is enhanced with raw fresh cream and stevia. You get the idea!


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

Me.

They even get HFCS sometimes. Since what it's in they eat in moderation, I'm not worried about it.

We eat mostly from scratch. They eat a lot of good stuff. What I'd really like to just avoid completely is *candy*, and around here it's all over the place from November through the end of the Easter season.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Yep, this is me.

We eat pretty well most of the time (easy to do when you've got 3 CSA farms almost within walking distance, as well as a ton of nearby dairies and poultry/meat operations!) but that's because it's easy and I'm lazy and cheap.

I don't care what other people eat, as long as we're not about to go for a long drive in a small car and it's going to give them major reeking farts.

I'm no Sustainable Saint, though I do try to do my best most of the time, don't expect anyone else to be either.


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## Altair (May 1, 2005)

Yep. I have no desire to be 100% perfect. I work full time and split shifts with dad and don't use childcare for the vast majority of the time, so we are busy busy busy and spending time with my son is my biggest priority. A bigger priority than worrying about the fact that he had his first piece of pizza by 10 months.

I cook, we eat healthy, shop the farmers markets, etc. but I just don't have the inclination to be fanatical. My 12 month old is the BEST eater or I really don't worry.

Today he had:

Steel cut oats with dates
Almond butter on whole grain bread
banana pieces
crab cake
a few french fries (handmade)
homemade bread dipped in olive oil
sweet potato
cherries

and a LOT of breastmilk. This kid can eat!


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## Bluegoat (Nov 30, 2008)

To be honest, I think trying to be super-strict with food is often a way of trying to control the uncontrollable. It can have a kind of puritan aspect to it almost. Our parenting culture has a lot of messages that say "you must do this or you will ruin your kids, but if you toe the line you will avert disaster". And of course it isn't true.

I saw a couple on a documentary once who ate a special low calorie diet that had been shown to lengthen life somewhat - by about a year or so I think. But they had to spend a lot of time meal planning, and were constantly hungry. I thought they must spend more time thinking about food than they gained, assuming they weren't killed in an accident or something.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

I stay pretty relaxed and look at the whole picture. I absolutely draw the line at fast food though. But I wouldn't eat that even before I was a Mom.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
Majority? Really? That is interesting, because I know that where I live, the vast majority of moms really feed their kids junk pretty much all the time. Kraft mac and cheese, hot dogs, pb&J, and pizza make up 90% of the food kids eat around here. The only fruits and veggies kids know about are bananas, apples, and oranges. Maybe carrots. I am usually the outcast for bringing healthy snacks for preschool. Maybe it is just my area?
.

I don't see pb&j and pizza as junk food. Just sayin'. (Although we usually go for almond butter and j).


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## sanguine_speed (May 25, 2005)

I am not only okay with MOSTLY healthy MOST of the time, I think rigid and strict diets with many forbidden foods is _harmful_ in the long run as it relates to teaching children about food and eating.


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## deditus (Feb 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
I have two friends who eat extremely selectively- as in, no processed anything, no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, etc. They cook everything from scratch, never go out to eat, and have to bring food with them wherever they go. They NEVER make exceptions either. They eat very healthy, and sometimes I leave feeling like the worst mom on the planet for having goldfish crackers in my purse...


I was okay with it...until my dd stopped growing and never slept, and couldn't poop without suppositories. She can't have gluten, dairy, soy, or eggs or she wakes up every 45 minutes, gets itchy rashes, ear infections, severe constipation, and stops growing. If I am not 100% perfect, I and my dd pay for it.


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## verde (Feb 11, 2007)

Yep that's us. DD eats very healthy stuff most of the time but does have treats every now and then. Actually DH is more strict than me but that's because he has food sensitivities and I can eat just about anything. But even DH lets her have occasional treats which he monitors carefully. DD loves her fruits and veggies, brown bread, pasta and rice, and oatmeal for breakfast. I agree that moderation is the key.


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

I'm totally with you. Dd has a ton of food allergies and in a way I think that's helped me be LESS strict where food is concerned. I mean, it's so rare that she can participate in ANY food-related events/activities that I feel it's especially important for her to experience "treats" and understand that food can be fun and not just something that marks her as "different."

Today, for instance, we had for dinner: leftover roasted organic chicken, lima beans, fresh organic strawberries, and...Annie's gluten-free mac and cheese from a box.







And then dd had the ice cream sundae that I've been promising her for days--Breyer's chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and ORGANIC chocolate syrup.









So we do eat our share of junk, but fast food isn't an option for dd, so I guess that's one thing I don't have to worry about. The only things we are absolutely religious about with her, besides her many allergens, are soda (she's still a toddler, so that's a given) and aspartame.


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## Just1More (Jun 19, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
I'm totally with you. Dd has a ton of food allergies and in a way I think that's helped me be LESS strict where food is concerned. I mean, it's so rare that she can participate in ANY food-related events/activities that I feel it's especially important for her to experience "treats" and understand that food can be fun and not just something that marks her as "different."

Today, for instance, we had for dinner: leftover roasted organic chicken, lima beans, fresh organic strawberries, and...Annie's gluten-free mac and cheese from a box.







And then dd had the ice cream sundae that I've been promising her for days--Breyer's chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and ORGANIC chocolate syrup.









So we do eat our share of junk, but fast food isn't an option for dd, so I guess that's one thing I don't have to worry about. The only things we are absolutely religious about with her, besides her many allergens, are soda (she's still a toddler, so that's a given) and aspartame.

Whoa...Annie's has GLUTEN FREE mac and cheese?!?!?! Yeah! I've been stealing the packages of cheese mix to put on GF noodles. Then, I have to figure out what to do with a box worth of regular noodles... The rest of us can have them, but, still...

(And add me to the list who is a bit fanatical about ds's food consumption. It's funny, though, the more refined/processed it is, the less likely it is to cause him a problem. He can't have gluten, but seems to be okay with white flour, highly refined on occasion. HFCS Candy? No problem. A homemade whole wheat cookie...no way...rashes, bathroom trouble, belly ache, etc. The other day he had some whole grain...wheat free/GF...bread, and within an hour was curled up holding his belly. It really seems to be the whole grains with him. That said...my food choices for him can look really bizarre if I don't have the time or the inclination to explain them. It's a hard road to find balance for a kid who can't eat just anything without issue. I practically jumped for joy when dd2 had wheat for the first time and nothing bad happened!)


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## snguyen (Jul 15, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Norasmomma* 
I totally am like this OP, I do believe that good nutrition is necessary and we do pretty well. Are we perfect? Oh lord no, but those who are obsessed with never having anything processed, well that's their _own_ trip.

I personally live in an area where it is locavores to the max, in fact to the point it annoys me beyond belief. I remember when a local mother had her second child and was asking for people to make her food, but it could only be organic, grass-fed beef and a huge list of no-nos. Not due to allergies, but just because _they_ choose to eat like that. The best part was that their 3 year old was not allowed sugar and treats, but the adults could







. It's been years since I got that e-mail and it still annoys me beyond belief, beggars can't be choosers.

This is totally us, too! I do most of the shopping, so I can make it that most of the stuff at our house is fairly healthy, but sure we have pizza, candy, pop and such as well.

I'm sure a couple of my friends think I'm in the same boat as your orthodox puritanical locavores, but I'm not-- there are a lot of them where I live, too. Walking into the grocery co-op gives me the heebie-jeebies sometimes though because they are everywhere! I may try to get good quality food that we eat on a regular basis, but good Lord, live a little, people! Everyone is entitled to a little junk every now and then. That forbidden fruit factor is going to bite a few parents in the rear when their non-allergic kids get older and know exactly what button to push with mom and dad.









I would be irked to NO END about that new mom food request snobbery, too. Could she come off any more pretentiously? Damn. If she chooses to shop that way (as I often do too) and food allergies aren't an issue-- wonderful, but you don't go expecting others to rise to your standards WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR GIFTS. Is she going to help pay for the "premium" ingredients?


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## dogretro (Jun 17, 2008)

Nope, we are in the minority here on MDC. We eat a pretty mainstream American diet, as far as I know. DD usually eats an organic Pop Tart w/ organic whole milk for breakfast. If it's not that, it's Kashi oatmeal or a real homemade breakfast of organic eggs, pancakes (Arrowhead Mills mix), and regular sausage if we have it. I eat the oatmeal almost every morning w/ a glass of organic whole milk mixed w/ strawberry Nesquick. DD and I eat candy every day & we drink water, juice, Gatorade (dd does not like), Kool-Aid, and milk during the day. I'll drink soda if dh bought it (dd does not like). I loooove soda! Annie's Mac & Cheese, beanie weenies, grilled cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, pb&j.. Those are all lunchtime staples around here. We also happily eat frozen veggies & veggies w/ dip, & various fruits. We love cookies & Ritz crackers for snacks. I buy variety snack packs of cookies & Goldfish crackers b/c they are easy to toss in the diaper bag. I do make our dinner almost every night (meat & veggie), but I sometimes use McCormick seasonings & Zatarain's w/out guilt. Even Hamburger Helper!

It has been proven that sugar does NOT cause hyperactivity & I love sugar & junk food, as does dd. I do make sure that is not all that we are eating all day, but I rarely say no to a request for a cookie. I will eventually say no to candy requests b/c dd is not old enough to self-regulate in that dept yet. We have a big ole candy bowl & I love that. I really really just do not care about sugar intake. We do take-out pizza about once a week & we do go to McDonald's often enough that dd knows that nuggets & fries come from there. A couple times a month, I guess. I'm just not that interested in being the food police.

If we had allergies, yes, I would regulate more b/c of obvious safety reasons. There is everything a-okay w/ that!


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## GuildJenn (Jan 10, 2007)

I grew up with a mother who was pretty controlling over food. When she was on a health-food carob-and-toasted-chickpeas kick, so was everyone. When she was on a diet where there were no carbs, so was everyone. If she made the highly processed green bean casserole or wanted to go to McDonalds, you'd better appreciate it.

I am only grateful that many of the things we know about food now were not on the radar at the time because then it would have been death by a single pesticide laden apple peel if I brought home the wrong apple.

As a result I snuck and hoarded food. It wasn't that I was hungry per se. I just needed some autonomy. I also needed to get along with people who ate differently. I needed to find my own way.

As an adult I finally had my lightbulb moment. I could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

As soon as I realized that, my relationship to food changed dramatically for the better. It's one reason I'm here; I learned a lot about CSAs and how to make non-processed food and it did lead me more towards NFL, even if I don't really have the crunchy credentials of champions.

I believe there is also harm in stress and self-hatred and having to control every bite and arguing with family if they bring something full of HFCS over. There is toxic stuff in some food. We really do need to move our bodies and not eat in a way which makes us sick and diabetic and heart attack ridden.

But there are other toxic things. When _worry_ about your food is making you feel sick, that's not a good thing.

In my first pregnancy, I did everything right. No mercury-laden tuna, no processed stuff, nothing. Guess what? My daughter died anyway. What do I wish she had gotten to experience? The love of her family, the wind in her hair, the sun on her face, some really lovely meals, and the joy of the odd freshly made french fry, the sweetness of a vanilla milkshake, the taste of cake on her wedding day.

I absolutely am ok with mostly healthy, most of the time.


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## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

I am ABSOLUTELY with you!
I had a friend who was the person you described. I just couldn't stay friends as she was bizzarre; I didn't mind most of what she did, but she ALWAYS minded what I did! I couldn't take it and nothing was fun, always stress, always nagging her children.

Live and let live, but remember that when you're at my house I guess!


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## starlein26 (Apr 28, 2004)

Most of what we eat is made from scratch (thanks dh!) but we certainly don't abstain from sweets







or convenience snacks (although I keep them organic!) We never eat at McDonalds though. I just can't support a company like that (for so many reasons) and I don't like eating food that is engineered that thoroughly/extensively.


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## spottiew (Jan 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
I know that where I live, the vast majority of moms really feed their kids junk pretty much all the time. Kraft mac and cheese, hot dogs, pb&J, and pizza make up 90% of the food kids eat around here. The only fruits and veggies kids know about are bananas, apples, and oranges.

oh. that stuff is junk?

my kid eats about 5 things on this earth. mac & cheese, pb&j, and pizza are on the list. ok, so are hotdogs. but i can't see the others as junk...

eta: and sugar DOES wig him out... sure doesn't seem to affect every other kid, but sure does mine.


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## Shellie (Dec 29, 2003)

We are at least 90% organic and minimally processed; I will not bring anything into the house that has HFCS, hydrogenated fat or artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, etc. *unless* it's a special treat such as the occasional mainstream birthday cake or Easter chocolate, etc.
We do eat out, maybe 2-4 times per month. 90% of the time it's "real" food at a decent restaurant but we do go to Chik-Fil-A, Rubio's and this other Mexican somewhat fast-food place (Someburros for the locals) about once a month. I'm OK with this--I think it's enough and it's certainly 90% better than we used to eat and 100's of times better than most Americans.


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## alexsam (May 10, 2005)

Us too. I think the idea is balance. My kids eat balanced, nutritious meals and snacks. Hippe granola perfect? No. But basically whole foods, crap-free.

But the "balance" in food is also social. When the ice-cream truck tinkles down the road, I cringe a bit at the "junkiness" of their ice-cream, but really, the happy memories of sitting on the front step eating sloppy ice-cream from the truck in the summer time with the kids on the block is worth more than the worry about the ingredients. We are also cool with birthday parties, grandparent visit treats, snowy day brownies and a Friday night desert or even a "blue moon" chinese food night. Really, those encompass less than 5% of the food they eat, but the times we do eat them, we appreciate them as fun and social.

Also, my kids don't have any allergies or food issues. Obviously, those need to be evaluated differently.


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## St. Margaret (May 19, 2006)

This is what we do. I don't like knowing what "food" is junk and putting it into my body, but sometimes at the ILs, or eating out with a bunch of people, etc, we just relax about it. Things regularly consumed are very important to me (ie organic dairy the majority of the time, but an occassional bottle of milk while out all day at Disneyland? Fine). Oh, and never anything artificial (like colors or flavors) or HFCS. I simply don't trust that to not be out and out poison, esp for DD's tiny body and mind. Even costco has kosher hot dogs if the ILs really need to do that "special" thing with us (they think that's some huge deal, to eat lunch at Costco). And when she was smaller I was MUCH pickier about what she ate, yes even down to not wanting MIL to feed her the pesticide-laden strawberries she eats. I just always brought DD's food, not a big deal as people expect baby food for babies anyway.

I sometimes wonder how easy it is to gauge how we eat vs the majority. I tend to think we don't eat all that different, at least not from other Californians, but then I realize my "healthy" ILs keep tons of soda and Hersey's "chocolate" in the house at all times, never buy anything organic or whole wheat (we try to only eat whole wheat), eat fast food almost every day... and I see the teenagers I teach with such garbage to eat! Much of it sent from home, not bought at school even. I've only seen one student with something like no artificial fruit leather (she has ADHD, but I think her parents switched up her diet and she is doing SO well). They talk about the food they like during passing period and they all drink soda and eat fried foods regularly and that sort of thing. Granted, they ARE teens but it's not like they are buying this, they're only 13-16.

Mostly our family eats natural and organic whole foods, but I consider the 5-10% of not-so-good to be when we bake organic cane juice brownies or have all natural ice cream or dip our veggies in ranch for every bite







The point is, it's impossible to really know what people are eating all in all, and I'm fine with moderation. The point is to keep it truly moderate. But if DD is eating the good dark chocolate, I'm not so worried when she asks for a third chip, you know? Or when she has the neighbor's birthday cake or french fries or gold fish crackers, b/c her tastes for dark chocolate, broccoli, and cous cous are well established. It's all fine for her!


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## FREEmom1120 (Feb 23, 2008)

Yes, this is how we eat.







My kids are going to grow up knowing what is healthy to eat, what is not, and that it's ok to not be perfect.


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## peaceful_mama (May 27, 2005)

I was REALLY picky with DS1. I used to get mad at my parents for giving him candy and junk popsicles and stuff. (when he was around 18 months-ish, not old enough to know what it was or ask for it.)

Now? I'm really glad I backed off of that. My dad probably enjoyed his last 2 years with his grandson more because of it.

I still used to cringe when DH handed DS2 cookies at under a year old...not old enough to ask for them or be upset if he got handed, say, an apple slice.

BUT...for the most part, I have realized that *I* control what *I* buy and give them. Other than that, I can *try* to talk to DH and get him to see my way....but ultimately, I can't stop him from going to the store and buying utter crap.

And since I came to the conclusion that this is a battle I don't want to fight, I have noticed some TINY better changes---like he buys *less* candy. He's open to going to Subway over McD's. And I'm sure if I baked and we never ran out of cookies, he would quit buying. (this is one I need to work on.)

They do know what McD's, Subway, BK, and takeout pizza are. They also *love* to tell me what fruit to buy when they go to the grocery store with me. (It's REALLY HARD for me to say no to a child who is begging for watermelon or strawberries...)
They haven't met a fruit they don't like, and they consider homemade-sugarfree-banana-berry smoothies to be a treat on par with ice cream.









They also eat ice cream--I have a freezer, or I buy "real ingredient' ice cream like Breyers or Haagen Dazs or similar.

Though they have had 'junk' ice cream too--I'm not going to say no if all the other kids around are eating it, the ice cream truck came down the street, whatever.

We've actually been 'bad' about eating out lately and I am trying to get back to a commitment to home-cooked, less-preservative type stuff.


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## BarnMomma (Dec 12, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadelbosque* 
I'm with you. I just roll my eyes at the threads that go "OMG! My kid is going to like, die
! Grandma/grandpa/friend/stranger let my kid have choc milk/soda/ice cream/whatever" I don't have the time or energy to stress over 100% organic, 100% from-scratch 100% non-proccessed foods. I just don't. And besides, I have zero interest in being "that" family thats just so. freaking.wierd.about.food. I really don't. *I* was that kid/family in school, and I just have zero interest in subjecting my kids (or myself) to that.









30 years ago when I was child those same foods were not 1/2 as bad as they are now. Now everything is corn syrup, preservatives, fillers, and synthetic everything. Meat, chicken, fish- the majority of it it's not safe for consumption. Fast food? It's not food. So I'm quite happy to be THAT mother who feeds her family wholesome foods. And I don't find it any more difficult than if I were to feed them junk. (A cooler makes life easy.)

When my son is older he can have more say in what he chooses to put in his body. My hope is that since he's seen how food is produced(thgouh the use of our gardens, trips to the farm where we buy meat/dairy, farm markets, he'll have enough insight to make smart food choices.


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## waiting2bemommy (Dec 2, 2007)

We have had times when we were eating food bank/donated food and couldn't choose so there have been times when we didn't eat so well, but generlly speaking we eat simple but healthy. Still sometimes I make what *I* think is a healthy meal and then I come on MDC and see almost everything that was in the meal ripped apart. Which leaves me wondering, what CAN those people eat? We eat lots of rice and beans, whole grain bread, fresh (or canned, because of the budget) fruits. Ds is sensitve to HFCS and food dyes so I avoid them as much as possible but on our food budget I can't afford to buy the substitutes for typical junk food. We do indulge in slurpees a lot....I LOVE them and there is usually one flavor at least that has no red 40 (ds's main sensitivity), and when we are completely broke, for $1 on our EBT card it is a treat/outing for ds to go get a slurpee.

We are considered "weird" around here because we won't let ds have things like kool aid, hawaian punch, fruit roll ups, etc. I keep fruit leather in the car to offer as a substitute, but sometimes if it doesn't have any food dyes I will just let him have whatever s being offered.

We cook from scratch at home so I know he is getting 3 healthy meals a day. So I don't need to lose my mind over doritos or twinkies or whatever he gets when we are out. That is just too much stress for me, plus I really am trying to learn to pick my battles, and I believe there are much bigger hills to die on, like vaccines, and people using racist terms around my child. In the big picture the chips just don't matter that much.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

i am with you.








its interesting though where everyone draws the line.

i draw the line at McDonalds. dd didnt get any McD till she was 5 and then discovered she hated it.

i allowed her to have soda from 3 i think but she just liked taking a sip from me and not really drinking it.

one of the reasons too i allow junk is coz dd hates most things junk







: except for candy and icecream. she loves trying it and then screwing up her face. i dont think she has ever had kool aid and i have explained to her why i dont like sunny D instead of telling her not to drink it and she made the decision of not drinking it.

its funny that she has the option of eating junk but doesnt. she hates all fast food.







she hates all children's meals. however she loves trying new things.


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## Trinitty (Jul 15, 2004)

We are very good about 95% of the time.

I have a few hard and fast rules for safety:

*No factory beef*
_(due to Mad Cow disease, I worked in Agriculture, and cows should not be cannibals)_

*No aspartame*
_(We do not trust it)_

*No Trans fats*
_(This is an abomination of oils and fats. No matter how fit you are, this altered substance ruins your arteries, you cannot work it off)_

I am _trying_ to eliminate HFCS because of the effects on the liver and pancreas, it troubles me almost as much as transfat, but, glucose-fructose is in many things... I think I have avoided it pretty well though.

I also try very hard to avoid artifical colours and flavours.... but, I don't want to be a tyrant, she love candy.

All this being said, DD does get candy and chocolate (with just plain sugar! LOL) a few times a week, and she gets chicken fingers and french fries about once a month or so.... if you check the nutritional content they provide, you can make sure there are no transfats. She does love ketchup, and I am now planning on bringing out own with no HFCS.... sigh.

She gets some goldfish crackers, "sensible solutions" cookies, etc. I think we are fortunate that we can get alll of the ingredients and content nowaday.

All in all, she eats better than I did as a child. No hotdogs, cheese wiz, etc. Basically, I try to avoid fake foods and dangerous things.

I do my best! But, I don't want to restrict her so much that she rebels when she is older.

Trin.


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## major_mama11 (Apr 13, 2008)

We do the best we can, without completely stressing about it. DD is allowed to have candy on holidays and such, but no soda or candy on a daily basis. At least, not when I'm around- I can't control what DH feeds the kids when I'm at work. During Easter, she kept giving her candy to her cousin, so she must not feel too deprived.









The way we eat would probably horrify some, since we allow some sugar and some processed foods, but yet my in-laws think that I am an obsessive health nut just because I don't let them feed my infant M&M's







, or give sugary drinks to my cavity-prone daughter (they always pretend to "forget" about her teeth, despite my explaining this issue over and over).

I think it would be easier to eat healthy all the time if we did not live next door to DH's family, who are all junk-food-aholics. I know that DH lets them feed DD junk food when I'm at work. However, I feel that the positive effects of interacting with these older relatives so often is worth my annoyance about her being fed crap food more than I would prefer. I know that these relatives will not likely be around when DD is older.

Eating healthy is important, but quality of life is about more than just the food we eat. That being said, I am working on improving our diet, and the foods that baby DS eats regularly are much healthier than what I fed DD at the same age.


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## HeYunyi (Mar 18, 2008)

Trinnity, do you think it's possible to not allow any trans fat without becoming one of "those" parents? It's frustrating for me because it's a pretty rare family/social get together that the dessert does not contain transfats and often the side dishes do as well. Most of these are actually listed as being transfat free because there is less than .5 grams per serving. But when you have several side dishes and dessert with .49 grams of transfats per serving or something like that, that can add up to way more transfat than anyone should eat.

Right now my son is 18 months, so I am super strict about what he eats but I know I can't do that forever, unless I do want to be one of "those" parents.


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## Trinitty (Jul 15, 2004)

Hello HeYuni,

Oh, I am _already_ one of "those parents" but, I was one of "those people" before we even had DD... so, I am okay with it. I am used to being looked upon as a freak when it comes to many things... even if some of it is unwarranted.

I would be willing to put up with the family grumbling when it comes to transfat, for me, it is a safety issue, not a nutritional one... so, I would insist upon it.

I use the Earth Balance "shortening" and real butter and good oils for baking, and it works really really well. I even sent a box to my father who bakes pies all. of. the. time. and asked him to please use it for my DD's pie, and he did... he knows I am a spaz, but he also knows that I have good reasons. I am lucky because my mom and three sisters are all really vigilant about it too.

I would have a major problem if we went to my inlaws though.... as my mil uses ONLY the margarines that are loaded with transfats, factory beef, white everything, iceburg lettuce, factory eggs, diet pop, "punch" etc, etc. But, we have almost no contact with them at this point.... so it's not an issue.... but, again, my DH is onboard with me, and I know that while he may grumble about my refusals/obsessions for appearances sake, he would agree with me, fundamentally.

So, sorry to ramble, but I would just stand firm on transfats, and bring PLENTY of my own baked goodies that do not contain transfats for my child to eat. Who knows, maybe you would win a convert! LOL









Trin.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

The 5% of stuff my dd eats that isn't healthy could be laden with trans fats, HFCS, food dyes, whatever. It doesn't matter to me. So long as the basis of her diet is healthy, IMO a small amount of that stuff doesn't matter.


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## sanguine_speed (May 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Trinitty* 

I use the Earth Balance "shortening" and real butter and good oils for baking, and it works really really well.
Trin.

I must need tips. This stuff ruins all my baking!


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

It's interesting how some people are kind of rolling their eyes at "those" parents, while simultaneously saying that _they are_ perceived as "those" parents by some people in their community. I guess it's all relative -- the people being classified as extreme on this thread are probably just doing what they think is right and best, just like we all are. I tend to be fairly relaxed about food, but if another family chooses to go vegan or all organic or GFCF or avoid HFCS and red 40 or whatever, I'm okay with that.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Hey, you know what I say?

Be one of THOSE parents if you wish.

All that means is that you are intentionally living up to your ideals. I don't see the harm. We can't parent within the parameters of someone else's comfort level, especially if it goes against our core values.


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## Quinalla (May 23, 2005)

She isn't eating anything but breastmilk yet, but yes, I plan to feed her mostly healthy things most of the time, but yeah, eating out occasionally and easier snacks when out and whatnot I totally plan to do. That is how I was brought up and it worked great for me


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## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

Man, this thread made me feel really bad about our eating habits!

I'm a single mama law student, I don't get child support (yet - long story, don't ask), and things are TOUGH right now. Right now, I'm lucky to get food in my mouth before I go to sleep at night (DS is always well fed, but its not always the most healthy, organic, wonderful food that he should be getting). It's so hard for me to find the time to cook, and find the time to be the mother I strive to be. I put my mothering and patience above healthy foods on my list of priority's (DS eats pretty well, he's definitely not eating sugar at every meal - we try to balance out veggies/fruits/grains/meat but its tough some days).

I'm doing the best I can. It's not easy to eat healthy all the time! Or even most of the time for some of us...


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## griffin2004 (Sep 25, 2003)

I'm totally fine w/ a "healthy most of the time" diet for my DD. She's a kid, for god's sake, not a robot.

For me, life lived at the extremes is oppressive.


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## mamadebug (Dec 28, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
Majority? Really? That is interesting, because I know that where I live, the vast majority of moms really feed their kids junk pretty much all the time. Kraft mac and cheese, hot dogs, pb&J, and pizza make up 90% of the food kids eat around here. The only fruits and veggies kids know about are bananas, apples, and oranges. Maybe carrots. I am usually the outcast for bringing healthy snacks for preschool. Maybe it is just my area?

We do lots of gardens, farmers markets, and eat 75% organic. I AM trying to cut back the juice consumption though- my kids looove juice. My goal is to get them to love water and tea more









And for the record, I definitely need to eat better. My kids eat waaaayy better than I do, lol.


Maybe the majority on MDC? I know in real life, the majority of people I know feed their kids kind of junky food or "kid friendly" food a lot of the time.

We eat mostly healthy, most of the time, too. Obviously, if you have a child with real food allergies, you have to feed and protect your child accordingly.

But, I have a friend who has become like the moms in the OP's first post. She was pretty healthy to start, but really has taken it to another level. Food is a major deal now, seriously impacts their day and activities with others (either they can't eat out or they have to leave to get home at a certain time in order to have time to prepare everything from scratch....). It ends up feeling like a real control issues in their family.

I think you have to eat healthy most of the time in order for your child to learn healthy eating habits. I also think it is important to indulge in not so great stuff sometimes so your child can learn to do that in a healthy way, too, and not go crazy with food/candy/etc once they are old enough to have more freedom around this issue.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

I decided early on, before my oldest child was even eating table food, that I wasn't going to make junk food consumption a hill I was willing to die on. Food allergies are limiting enough without being THAT family that does no sugar, only organic stuff, etc.

Besides, "junk food" is a pretty subjective title. Pizza can be pretty healthy, as can a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Heck, even an ice pop or a smoothie can be made healthy.


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## ~Charlie's~Angel~ (Mar 17, 2008)

Didn't read all the responses, BUT, I just wanted to add my .02.

A friend once told me (hes 80% raw vegan btw, and does TONS of food research) that he found the amount of stress you put yourself through about food will kill you faster then the food itself.

SO, rather then let food and what I am going to make and how I am going to make it and.and.and RULE MY LIFE, I try to let it go. Do I feel like a bad mom sometimes for allowing them to eat a frozen chicken patty or french fries? YEA! But I am making conscience efforts to give them wholesome nutrtious meals the other 85% of the time, so I guess I get a pass.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *spottiew* 
eta: and sugar DOES wig him out... sure doesn't seem to affect every other kid, but sure does mine.

Sugar wigs out ds2, too. I don't think it's a sugar high, though. I think it's when he _crashes_. He's one of those kids that becomes harder and harder to manage, and physically wingy when he's tired - sugar crashes seem to cause an exaggerated version of the same effect.


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## madskye (Feb 20, 2006)

Everyone has their own place where they draw the line. I like to think we eat well 80% of the time. We do a lot of whole foods, selective processed foods, and I try to keep sugar to a minimum, without actually living a "low sugar lifestyle"--as in, I keep an eye on how much sugar we consume, but I don't cook special foods or do substitutions. I just make sure if we are having a sugary treat it's a small amount and we all know that it's special and not for all the time. I do think she is sugar sensitive and sugar unchecked can really make her wig out and lose control of her behavior.

I don't do McD's and so far, DD is 5 and it hasn't been an issue, because we hadn't eaten that way for some time before DD was born. I'll let her have a soda at a birthday party, and expect the meltdown that will come later. I think when she's 7, we'll probably have the sugar talk and I'll let her make more decisions on her own.

DD eats everything but celery. She's very good and open about what she eats, and she eats when she's hungry and sometimes she doesn't eat too much at all. It seems to balance out. I don't stress about it.

There's more reasons to post about food issues, so I think we talk about those more on the boards. I am always interested in reading about what other kids will and won't eat, and how people handle it. And also what other consider healthy and not healthy.


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## Cascadian (Jan 28, 2009)

I agree with a few others that this is not the hill I'm about to die on.

We're about..hmm...80% when it comes to eating healthy. I strive for much higher, but our daily reality is not so hot sometimes.

Organic meat/veg/fruit, no processed food in the house, no instant-anything in the pantry, no white flour...but our kids do have orange juice (real, pulpy stuff not 'punch' stuff  ), take-out sometimes (mostly Chinese/Japanese, almost never anything else) and once in a long while, McD happy meals.

I do have some treats in my cupboard (cookies, granola bars) but don't limit them when we're out at parties/other peoples' houses. They're fantastic about fruit, but not as great with veggies. They tend to self-limit, actually, and that's what I'm aiming for. Ever seen kids who won't eat cake or white bread, and stop themselves from finishing ice cream? Those are mine.

Once I get my Vitamix, I expect our % to be higher as I can make the 'sweet treats' with natural stuff...and get the goods in them!









ETA we have no allergies or sensitivities. My kids don't really react to sugar or dyes. We are 'those' people to some of our friends although I feel like a shirker on MDC


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## grniys (Aug 22, 2006)

I think not letting a kid have any junk ever does more damage than a happy meal every once in a while. I feed my kids mostly healthy, but if their friends are all going to McDonald's for lunch I have no problem with us going along. I'd think if a kid never got to eat junk food ever that might attract them to it more and cause them to over-indulge as they get older. But that's jmo.

Anyway, I noticed one post here mentioned pb&j and pizza and stuff being junk and what most mom's they know in their area feed their kids. To be honest, I'd probably seem like one of those mom's to people who don't know me. My ds eats pb&j frequently. And frozen pizza. And mac n cheese. The pb&j is organic on whole wheat bread. The pizza is usually either kashi or organic. The mac n cheese is usually annie's. But at the park all the other mom's would see is my kid pulling out a pb&j, a sippy, and a baggy of snacks (usually annie's bunnies or an organic fruit roll up). So appearances can be deceiving.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *grniys* 
I'd think if a kid never got to eat junk food ever that might attract them to it more and cause them to over-indulge as they get older. But that's jmo.

That's the pattern I noticed with my DH when we first got married.

He rarely got junk food as a child and it took him a few years to develop the self control to not sit and eat an entire package of cookies or chips once he was out on his own.


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## kittywitty (Jul 5, 2005)

We eat healthy most of the time. I do allow some junk-especially at holidays. But I do draw the line at the "you gotta let your kids live let me feed them 8000 pounds of sugar everytime they're around" family attitude certain people we are related to have. Moderation is key. The only time I'm fanatical is when dealing with food allergies. People may have thought I was insane bringing food everywhere when my 2 youngest had severe dairy allergies, but they didn't live with bleeding hives all over their kids' bodies.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I do better than I could, but not as well as I should. My kids eat pretty well overall, but our "occasional" treats aren't as occasional as they should be, imo. I'm working on it. I do very badly when I shop when I'm hungry, forget to take something out of the freezer, or am unusually tired or sick. Today, I'm sick. Dinner's in dh's hands, because I have no interest in food. I'm having trouble making myself drink water.


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## Trinitty (Jul 15, 2004)

Sorry you aren't feeling well!!!


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## bri276 (Mar 24, 2005)

I'm with you OP. DD is healthy, happy, her teeth look good, she's fine. She's eating ice cream right now, but it was after she ate some grassfed cheese with whole wheat bread and almond butter. I think that's pretty good.

My mom never kept ANY sugary/junk/convenience food in the house, and frankly, we were hungry a lot and both my sister and I went on gross food binges when we left home because we never got to regulate our intake of that kind of stuff. It was "eat all you can, as fast as you can" when that stuff was around because it was so, so fleeting (so a birthday cake would be devoured in one day, or an entire batch of cookies, or whatever). DD already regulates herself at 4 yrs old. She had some Easter chocolate and she stopped eating it when she'd had enough, even though there was plenty left.

I just don't think there's any evidence that a moderate amount of crap is going to have any effect on a child whose diet is MOSTLY healthy.


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *griffin2004* 
I'm totally fine w/ a "healthy most of the time" diet for my DD. She's a kid, for god's sake, not a robot.

For me, life lived at the extremes is oppressive.

Ya. EITHER extreme. We have friends who feed their daughter, almost exclusively, processed "junk" food. They're just as tied to the "bring your own food" thing as a parent who refuses to EVER let a kid eat anything processed/packaged. Even your average Wisconsin cook-out (a bastion of party food if there ever was one!)... she might eat a hot dog (though if it's at our place, we try to get the "good" hot dogs from the local butcher shop), but fruit salad? Potato salad? My homemade salsa? Just plain ol' nothing-but-fried-potatoes potato chips? V-8 Fusion juice? Heck no! Mom has to come armed with a bag full of Capri Sun, Fruit Roll-Ups, Cheetos, and the like... cuz her daughter won't eat the "real" stuff.

Put me happily on the "unprocessed" side of average. As soon as DS is PLed, I'm not lugging around a bag of "supplies" for him when we go to cook-outs! He eats what we eat, which is what's supplied at the party.


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## tessie (Dec 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *grniys* 
I think not letting a kid have any junk ever does more damage than a happy meal every once in a while.

That.

Allergies aside, being completely uptight about food can be detrimental to a child developing good eating habits.


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

I think that sensibility would dictate that you make your decisions based on age. Just as you wouldn't give soda pop in the bottle to a baby, you have to teach a child how to eat healthy.

There are many articles out there to support this, but the first few years establish eating habits. Not letting a 2 year old eat sugar is different than letting a 6 year old have ice cream after dinner a few nights a week.

We eat NO fast food. Dd has never had soda pop. We don't 100% organic, but we are on an all-natural diet. Dd has a food intolerance, though. We didn't discover this until we started letting her have a little bit of junk food (suckers, actually) around the age of 4.

MDC families are not a good example of the average American diet. The average American eats something like their body weight in fast food fries per year.


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## griffin2004 (Sep 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blizzard_babe* 
Ya. EITHER extreme.

agreed!


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

Add me to the eating healthy majority of the time crowd. No way will I ever be strict about DS' food. He gets treats now and then as do I! I work days and DH works eves so I cook most nights but sometimes we just have sandwiches or takeout. Life goes on.

I make us a healthy breakfast every morning and DH always makes him lunch. DH is actually more strict about giving him junk than I am. DS drinks tons of water, very little juice, BM, cows milk, NO soda. He eats just about anything. I'm fine with our diet.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Sugar wigs out ds2, too. I don't think it's a sugar high, though. I think it's when he _crashes_. He's one of those kids that becomes harder and harder to manage, and physically wingy when he's tired - sugar crashes seem to cause an exaggerated version of the same effect.

My DD is like this-she gets more tired and yet more amped, honestly my ILs don't have to deal with her erratic sugar post-sugar consumptive behavior, she actually has been physically shaking like a drug addict after an exciting day at the amusement park combined with sugar. CRAZY







. They think I'm anal, which is funny, but they all eat crap all the time. They're shocked DD doesn't drink soda, ummm she's 3.5.

I think unless you have allergies or intolerances you need to have some flexibility.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Yeah, I'm happily inconsistent. Some of the things we do are pretty out of the mainstream - baking slow-rise wholemeal bread, soaking grains, cooking with chicken stock, no margarine, no soft drinks for DD except the occasional sip of ginger beer. But I go by taste as much as nutritional principles. I love to cook, and I'm not willing to make tastes-like-cardboard chocolate cake just so I can say it has no sugar in it. You know? I find that most really gourmet food is fairly whole foods/Traditional Foodsy anyway. Real chefs don't bake with margarine, or use MSG-laden chicken stock powder, because - ew. Real food is better.







So the better I get at cooking, the less I want to make processed, chemical-laden compromises.

On the other hand, though, I continue to make evil white-flour-and-sugar chocolate chip cookies, because my chocolate chip cookies are a thing of beauty and a joy forever and I'm not adulterating them with agave or buckwheat flour, no way no how no sir. I'll make healthy baking substitutions if they taste good - I replace canola in banana bread with half butter, half yoghurt - but not if they're going to turn the baked good into a sodden parody of its former self. 'Cause I don't get the point of that. Why bake at all if it's not going to be delicious?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I have never been really uptight about food. I figure if we eat healthy 75% of the time the rest will take care of itself.

And food can become such a control thing and obsessing about it can really hold you back from a lot of joy. what is the point in being super healthy and living a long life if all you do is ibsess about what you are eating? and never go out? and alienate friends? As a good friend once said "life is short. eat the m&m. "


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smokering* 
On the other hand, though, I continue to make evil white-flour-and-sugar chocolate chip cookies, because my chocolate chip cookies are a thing of beauty and a joy forever and I'm not adulterating them with agave or buckwheat flour, no way no how no sir. I'll make healthy baking substitutions if they taste good - I replace canola in banana bread with half butter, half yoghurt - but not if they're going to turn the baked good into a sodden parody of its former self. 'Cause I don't get the point of that. Why bake at all if it's not going to be delicious?










And this is just so beautiful I had to repeat it.


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## mamakah (Nov 5, 2008)

I'm with you!
I went totally crazy when ds started eating solids. I read about each diet, which all claim to be the healthiest (no grain, vegetarian, vegan, etc) I got so confused and overwhelmed that I finally just said "Feed him well, don't freak if he eats not so great every once in awhile." It's funny though because even what I freak about really isn't worth worrying about. I have a niece who's entire diet is processed breads and sugars. When I start to panic about ds and what he's had to eat that day I think about her and it puts into perspective just how healthy he still eats.
I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner at home, mostly from scratch. But, if I'm tired, I have no problem with him eating the pizza we order.
I agree with you about the memories. One of my favorite memories is going to my grandparents house and they always had those hand held pies (they are reeaaaalllly bad, I think they are like .50 cents a piece at the grocery store). I still see those and think of my grandma and our special times eating them together after dinner.


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamakah* 
One of my favorite memories is going to my grandparents house and they always had those hand held pies (they are reeaaaalllly bad, I think they are like .50 cents a piece at the grocery store). I still see those and think of my grandma and our special times eating them together after dinner.

















Dirty little secret: DH loves the lemon ones and I love the cherry ones. They are just about the nastiest thing ever. So gross. And yet... every once in a long, long while, we'll be really really naughty and indulge.


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

I feel so stuck in the middle - like a crazy healthy freak amongst my mainstream friends and family to a horrible, unhealthy eater around my crunchy friends. I look at where I came from and where DD is and it is worlds better. I grew up on the standard american 80's diet - sugary cereal and Hi-C punch for breakfast, spaghettios or a sandwich consisting of oscar meyer bologna and an individually wrapped cheese slice on wonder bread for lunch, deep fried hot dogs and fries for dinner (yes my family had a deep fryer and used it a lot) and then chips, doritos, cookies, ice cream, ice pops for snacks in there. The only fruit or veggies I ever ate or even tasted as a child were apples, bananas, canned peas and corn and I would say I ate maybe 3 fruits/veggies a week. I never tried a strawberry or piece of broccoli until I was over 18 years old. We went through 6 two liters of coke/pepsi a week and only 1/2 gallon of milk. I never drank water until I was pregnant with DD.
Now we are a mix - we only buy organic milk, grassfed local when we can get it, grass fed pastured meat for the most part, local free range eggs, local fruits and veggies from the farmers market during the season and I grow what I can in our garden. DD loves fruit and some veggies but most of the time they are not organic if they come from the store unless the selection and prices happen to be very good. I scratch my head at my friends who drive 90 mins round trip to whole foods to buy organic fruit shipped in from across the world rather than buy local, but conventional produce from our local orchard. In the end, aren't the fossil fuels being used and harming the air just as bad as the pesticides on the food?
You are just as likely to find annie's bunnies or oreos in our pantry depending on the week, we buy frozen pizza and eat at chick fila (DD's fave restaurant) probably once a week or once every two weeks.
If there is junk in the house DD is allowed to eat it, not 5 popsicles in a day, but two, sure. I buy the "real fruit" ones with no HFCS but plenty of other things in our house have HFCS in them. Sometimes we'll have popsicles every week for 2 months and other times we'll have no popsicles for 2 months, it just depends.....


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## crowcaw (Jan 16, 2009)

I try to make sure everything that's in the house I feel good about and what dds eat at parties, when the grandparents want to take us out to dinner, or at the grandparents house, etc, I don't worry about. I may cringe internally, but I don't get in a tizzy. Luckily the grandparents are pretty good, because dds are at their house a couple of times a week, but it's still not the same as home. DDs favorite thing to eat at grammy's is boxed mac and cheese (and grammy is impressed with herself that she uses Annies), which they don't get at home. We tease grammy, who is a very good cook, that her signature dish is boxed mac and cheese and it is what she will be remembered for forever. She tries to serve other things that are scratch and dear to her (she was so thrilled when one dd for about 6 months loved her chopped liver), but the only thing dds consistently ask her for is mac and cheese.

I very rarely talk about food with other parents; I worry that I'm either going to end up feeling judged or inadvertantly making someone else feel judged. I also don't talk about "healthy" and "unhealthy" or other labels for food with dds and avoid making any qualitative comments about what we or others are eating. Right now they're too young to understand and shouldn't have to have the responsibility of choosing healthy foods. That's why the choices at home and the things they see dh and I eat all fall into what I consider good.


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## Maela (Apr 2, 2006)

I'm strict before 1yo. Then as long as we're eating healthy most of the time, it's usually okay. I try to watch sugar intake. No soda before at least 4yo.


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## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

I grew up in a home without refined sugar and tv







I am so thankful that my parents made that the default in our house. They didn't go on about the evils of tv and processed foods they just didn't invite it into our world. As a result, I am very in touch with my body and how it feels when I eat healthy vs. chemical. I also don't need a lot of over seasoning and artificial flavoring. It was never an "obsession" in our house, it was simply treating our bodies as they should be treated. It also wasn't a big deal or a discussion- when we were out and wanted to try a piece of dyed cake or something of that sort we did.....and thought it was nasty tasting.

I am so thankful that my parents put thought into nutrition and provided us with healthy foods and didn't care that they were going against the mainstream McDonald's mold.

I really think taste buds can be "trained" to require some crazy substances in order to enjoy food. My enjoyment of food is definitely different from my husband, who had a completely different food experience as a child.


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## ~Charlie's~Angel~ (Mar 17, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tessie* 
That.

Allergies aside, being completely uptight about food can be detrimental to a child developing good eating habits.


Boy you said a mouthful (No pun intended)

I know someone who is very slight in build (we're talking 5'3" and MAYBE 95 pounds soaking wet.) Her husband is on the shorter side too, but not nearly as slight. So its safe to say her kids will be on the shorter side, but not necessarly tiny like her. (Shes actually very unhealthy looking) from the time her son was very small, she tried to limit how much he ate. Didnt matter what meal it was, it would ALWAYS get to a certain point where she would say "OK, thats enough" or "Youve had enough" or "you just ate X, you arent getting Y too". This kid is SOOOO messed up about food now, he is about 20 pounds overweight (and at the ripe old age of 12) will eat til he damn near throws up, and to WATCH him eat would turn your stomach. he packs the food in to the point where he can barely chew. I honestly think he eats like that because if he can wolf it down real quick, she cant tell him to stop before hes done. Its really really sad.


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## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smokering* 
Yeah, I'm happily inconsistent. Some of the things we do are pretty out of the mainstream - baking slow-rise wholemeal bread, soaking grains, cooking with chicken stock, no margarine, no soft drinks for DD except the occasional sip of ginger beer. But I go by taste as much as nutritional principles. I love to cook, and I'm not willing to make tastes-like-cardboard chocolate cake just so I can say it has no sugar in it. You know? I find that most really gourmet food is fairly whole foods/Traditional Foodsy anyway. Real chefs don't bake with margarine, or use MSG-laden chicken stock powder, because - ew. Real food is better.







So the better I get at cooking, the less I want to make processed, chemical-laden compromises.

On the other hand, though, I continue to make evil white-flour-and-sugar chocolate chip cookies, because my chocolate chip cookies are a thing of beauty and a joy forever and I'm not adulterating them with agave or buckwheat flour, no way no how no sir. I'll make healthy baking substitutions if they taste good - I replace canola in banana bread with half butter, half yoghurt - but not if they're going to turn the baked good into a sodden parody of its former self. 'Cause I don't get the point of that. Why bake at all if it's not going to be delicious?









Wow, it's like you're my long lost foodie twin. *G*


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## kittywitty (Jul 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smokering* 
Yeah, I'm happily inconsistent. Some of the things we do are pretty out of the mainstream - baking slow-rise wholemeal bread, soaking grains, cooking with chicken stock, no margarine, no soft drinks for DD except the occasional sip of ginger beer. But I go by taste as much as nutritional principles. I love to cook, and I'm not willing to make tastes-like-cardboard chocolate cake just so I can say it has no sugar in it. You know? I find that most really gourmet food is fairly whole foods/Traditional Foodsy anyway. Real chefs don't bake with margarine, or use MSG-laden chicken stock powder, because - ew. Real food is better.







So the better I get at cooking, the less I want to make processed, chemical-laden compromises.

On the other hand, though, I continue to make evil white-flour-and-sugar chocolate chip cookies, because my chocolate chip cookies are a thing of beauty and a joy forever and I'm not adulterating them with agave or buckwheat flour, no way no how no sir. I'll make healthy baking substitutions if they taste good - I replace canola in banana bread with half butter, half yoghurt - but not if they're going to turn the baked good into a sodden parody of its former self. 'Cause I don't get the point of that. Why bake at all if it's not going to be delicious?









Just wanted to AMEN! this.


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## Brigio (May 18, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *grniys* 
I think not letting a kid have any junk ever does more damage than a happy meal every once in a while. I feed my kids mostly healthy, but if their friends are all going to McDonald's for lunch I have no problem with us going along. I'd think if a kid never got to eat junk food ever that might attract them to it more and cause them to over-indulge as they get older. But that's jmo.

Anyway, I noticed one post here mentioned pb&j and pizza and stuff being junk and what most mom's they know in their area feed their kids. To be honest, I'd probably seem like one of those mom's to people who don't know me. My ds eats pb&j frequently. And frozen pizza. And mac n cheese. The pb&j is organic on whole wheat bread. The pizza is usually either kashi or organic. The mac n cheese is usually annie's. But at the park all the other mom's would see is my kid pulling out a pb&j, a sippy, and a baggy of snacks (usually annie's bunnies or an organic fruit roll up). So appearances can be deceiving.

Still junk IMO....


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

I don't get the pbj = junk connection. We use whole wheat bread, all-natural (read: just crushed peanuts and a little salt) peanut butter, and all-fruit spread.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blizzard_babe* 
I don't get the pbj = junk connection. We use whole wheat bread, all-natural (read: just crushed peanuts and a little salt) peanut butter, and all-fruit spread.

I don't get that either.


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## pianojazzgirl (Apr 6, 2006)

Add us to the mostly healthy most of the time crew.

We (ok.. it's dh.. he's the one who loves to cook







) make most of our meals from scratch. We buy most of our meat and veg from a local organic farmer. And we don't do McD's or soda pop. But we have dessert fairly often (mmmm... cake). Sometimes the kids get hotdogs or fries when we're out and about. We also love to eat out for breakfast so the kids have had a fair amount of bacon and breakfast sausage.


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## Zuzu822 (Oct 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blizzard_babe* 
I don't get the pbj = junk connection. We use whole wheat bread, all-natural (read: just crushed peanuts and a little salt) peanut butter, and all-fruit spread.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Alyantavid* 
I don't get that either.

Me neither. My boys and I had pbj for breakfast- homemade ww bread, organic, no salt, no oil peanut butter, and all-fruit blackberry spread. I put pb on both pieces of bread and about a teaspoon of fruit- only enough to taste. They also had oranges and my weakness, low-sodium V8 (only juice we do).

I also make pizza from scratch- ww crust, my own sugar-free sauce, organic cheese, veggies, and maybe free-range chicken. You'll never convince me that's junk! I could go on about my mac and cheese- same principles- ww pasta, my own sauce with ww flour, organic dairy with pureed veggies mixed in. All three are staples in our house, but I feel great about serving all of them!


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## grniys (Aug 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brigio* 
Still junk IMO....

And why is that?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

No one will ever be able to convince me pbandj and pizza are total junk. it may not be gold medal nutrition the way I make it but I am still getting some pretty good stuff into my kids.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

People have widely varying ideas about what consititutes good nutrition. Traditional Foods fans are not going to agree with vegans, locavores are not going to agree with those who think organic frozen veg from China is superior to a non organic carrot grown a mile away.

Frankly, I avoid listening to people who try to convince me that they feed their kids the perfect diet and everyone else cannot measure up. I have no need to justify my families food choices to anyone.


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

Hi, y'all! I need to ask that you take any further _nutrition-specific_ discussion over to Nutrition and Good Eating forum so this thread can focus more on parenting _philosophy_. I know it's a fine distinction, but we're trying to keep threads on-topic to the particular forum they're started in. Thanks so much







Please PM me or a Parenting moderator with any questions. I think I'm going to go make a PB&J now


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## amma_mama (May 20, 2008)

We are another 90% healthy-eating family. I am OK with our diet. I try to be as careful as possible without obsessing. We have no allergies or pickiness to deal with so I guess it makes it easier to manage. DD eats tons of veggies and fruit and whole grains, plus lots of fish (and DD eats some chicken, though DH and I do not). Nothing wrong with PB&J on wheat, if it is healthy bread (grains and yeast), non-filler PB (just nuts and salt) and jam (fruit, sugar, pectin). Same goes for the right kind of pizza.

For the other 10%, I try to give the healthier alternatives but occasionally DD gets something with artificial flavor or HFCS (2%) and I am OK with that. DH is little more liberal with the latter - I usually steer her to other choices. We rarely do fast foods or fried foods - she does not really even like the stuff anyways (she'll eat two to three fries, if any, when offered). She does get a small sweet each day, either a "healthy" boxed cookie or home-made something or other that she helped to bake. She may have ice cream or a bag of chips if we are out shopping.


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blizzard_babe* 
I don't get the pbj = junk connection. We use whole wheat bread, all-natural (read: just crushed peanuts and a little salt) peanut butter, and all-fruit spread.

In that context I see it as healthy (and sooo good), but around here the norm seems to be white bread, hfcs jelly and skippy or another sugarfull brand. Or those frozen uncrustable pbjs. I will admit though that pbj on white bread with crappy jelly is a big comfort food for me.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Yes, I try to make sure DS is eating healthful food most of the time and we cook most things - including DH's amazing pizza - from scratch.
But I just can't see a PBJ sandwich on whole wheat bread with my MIL's homemade jam or the birthday cake I make for him with good Belgian chocolate, butter and eggs as "junk."
And I don't want to be the person who would prevent my son from eating a hotdog with all the other kids at the block party or a popsicle from the corner store on a hot day.
Food isn't just fuel - it should be a joyful way to connect with our families and friends.
(And hey, I grew up with a mom who made her own granola and kelp smoothies and a dad who would feed me nothing but frozen fries and fish sticks when she went on a business trip.)


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snoopy5386* 
I feel so stuck in the middle - like a crazy healthy freak amongst my mainstream friends and family to a horrible, unhealthy eater around my crunchy friends.

Yeah...I know that feeling.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I would have to say that, yes, I'm ok with my kids eating junk occasionally. Today my kids had Lunchables for lunch







(crackers & cheese, a juice, and a Reese's) for a treat. They also eat lots of PB&J, but I do try to make it healthier by using whole wheat bread, almond butter I grind myself at the store, and jelly with no HFCS. My 4.5 year old is currently on a mission to eat me out of house and home







and right now she's eating a quesadilla and a Clif's Z-bar. Not exactly health food but I don't think it's horrible. Half an hour ago she was eating a cupful of fresh, raw sugar snap peas.

I think it's all about moderation. If they ate nothing but chicken nuggets and french fries, yeah that's bad. But I was raised on a farm where we grew absolutely everything we ate, and never had junk food, ever. My first semester of college I hate literally nothing but Kudos bars dipped in Jiff peanut butter.







Then I went through a drive-thru phase. I would rather my kids learn to make healthy choices for themselves and realize that it's ok to have a "treat" every now and again.

I remember visiting my mom after we had moved away, and showing up at the park and unexpectedly crashing a playgroup of all the MDC moms, who were staring me down as I walked up with Happy Meals.


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## Ldavis24 (Feb 19, 2009)

The single best thing we did for our healthy food as well as not over eating is get rid of our microwave! It's been over 8 months since we've had one and it makes such a difference sometimes.

I also enjoy cooking and love to bake so making things from scratch being a SAHM is something I really enjoy doing for our little family. Some nights I am tired and we order a pizza but I don't beat myself up over it because the other times I make our pizzas from scratch with sauce from scratch...I think we all just do the best we can here although we are strive for the same thing which is feed our children and ourselves as well as we can.

On a side note, I am going to totally disagree with the PP who said that PBJ and pizza is junk food....

Made right both of these are actually pretty balanced and healthy meals/snacks and if you are worried about the sugar in the jelly just do a PBB (peanut butter and banana sandwich) which in my humble opinion is yummier than a PBJ any day of the week!


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ldavis24* 
The single best thing we did for our healthy food as well as not over eating is get rid of our microwave! It's been over 8 months since we've had one and it makes such a difference sometimes.

I miss mine once in a while, but overall, I agree. We didn't even use it that much, but the temptation to just "zap" something when in a hurry is gone. I do miss being able to heat up my moose and heart (microwaveable hot pads), and my coffee when I let it get cold. Other than that...just don't care much, yk?


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
I remember visiting my mom after we had moved away, and showing up at the park and unexpectedly crashing a playgroup of all the MDC moms, who were staring me down as I walked up with Happy Meals.

















I can well imagine...


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## goldingoddess (Jan 5, 2008)

Who cares how your friends eat? I mean really they can feed their children how they want to feed them and you can fed your children how you want to feed them.

I put a lot of time and energy into healthy foods because it is a high priority to our family. I don't expect others to do the same, and it's fine with me if my son has a few of your son's goldfish, or if your son has some of my sons pinto beans and avocado.

I think food and health go hand in hand and I am just not willing to compromise. Though I;m not going to stop my son from trying other foods, but we're not going to have them around because we just don't eat that stuff at our house. Sure we make our own pizza and cookies and even buy cookies sometimes, but it is not the everyday stuff we bring to the park, it is treats.

Eat and let eat!


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goldingoddess* 
Eat and let eat!

Beautifully said!

I am more relaxed about food than many of my mom friends, but I really would feel awful if they came away from my house feeling like a "mean mom" for not giving their children the treats my kid gets -- homemade waffles with maple syrup, Easter basket loot, hot cocoa, etc. And likewise I don't want to feel like a mean mom for not giving my son a diet of 100% awesome nutrition.


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## ingriid (Apr 9, 2010)

I couldn't stop rolling my eyes at some replies here, seriously...

My kids do eat junk food, except the baby, but oh well. My DD LOVES chocolate, candy, soda, juice, and all the junk delicious things there are. And here she has a lot of variety to choose from. And she's a healthy child, of course she's not eating junk ALL day but she has her treats everyday.
She's a really good eater and likes everything that touches her lips. You'll probably think what a horrible mother I am if you see me in the streets with a child holding a bag of Doritos on one hand and a bottle of Pepsi on the other







My youngest DD adores candy as well.

But yes we eat junkfood. I don't have time to cook at times, actually I don't cook my MIL does. We have dinner at my MIL's house almost everyday becuase I work long hours on weekdays and when I get to have sometime for myself I don't want to cook. I don't have time to prepare homemade bread, jelly, etc.

I don't understand the whole craziness, and all the people I know eat this way.


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ldavis24* 
The single best thing we did for our healthy food as well as not over eating is get rid of our microwave! It's been over 8 months since we've had one and it makes such a difference sometimes.

Hmmm...we use our microwave to steam broccoli, to bake sweet potatoes, to reheat leftover homemade soup, to defrost frozen, homemade muffins, to warm 100% maple syrup, etc. Sure we could do that stuff on the stove or in the oven--but with two parents working, we often very little time in the evening to pull together a healthy dinner. It makes a HUGE different to be able to, say, cook a sweet potato in 4 minutes instead of an hour. I don't think it's the tools themselves that lead to unhealthy eating, but how you use them.


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## goldingoddess (Jan 5, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ingriid* 
I don't understand the whole craziness, and all the people I know eat this way.

I think a lot of what motivates the 'craziness' is that junk food/poor nutrition choices is the cause of childhood obesity, early onset diabetes, and I'm sure a whole host of other problems. And I don't think it's craziness, it just means that some people prioritize healthy food over other things in life.


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## ingriid (Apr 9, 2010)

I know that is causes obesity. I live in a country that has all sort of junk goodies for kids and they eat it all the time. And it has the highest life expectancy rate and lowest percentage of obesity.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goldingoddess* 

Eat and let eat!

Ah, but you are suggesting that people forego the joys of parental oneupmanship, which is what threads like this are really all about


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## bebebradford (Apr 4, 2008)

The RIGHT KIND OF Pb and J is not junk. The RIGHT KIND OF pizza isn't junk either. Homemade wheat breads with honey to sweeten, and organic natural peanut butter is great! It had good grains, and a great amount of healthy fat/protein. Pizza can be made super healthy as well.


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## DariusMom (May 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goldingoddess* 
Who cares how your friends eat? I mean really they can feed their children how they want to feed them and you can fed your children how you want to feed them.

Eat and let eat!

Truer words have (almost) never been written!









Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Ah, but you are suggesting that people forego the joys of parental oneupmanship, which is what threads like this are really all about









See above. Who cares? I really, truly don't care what other people eat. We do the best we can, our DS eats more veggies than any other 7 year old I know, and sometimes he has French fries.


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## ShadowMoon (Oct 18, 2006)

We eat healthy, whole foods and ingredients most of the time. Because of this, I'm fine with occasional treats and splurges.

That being said, we do avoid all animal products, HFCS, and really try to avoid artificial coloring/flavors.

To each their own.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
Hmmm...we use our microwave to steam broccoli, to bake sweet potatoes, to reheat leftover homemade soup, to defrost frozen, homemade muffins, to warm 100% maple syrup, etc. Sure we could do that stuff on the stove or in the oven--but with two parents working, we often very little time in the evening to pull together a healthy dinner. It makes a HUGE different to be able to, say, cook a sweet potato in 4 minutes instead of an hour. I don't think it's the tools themselves that lead to unhealthy eating, but how you use them.

Yeah, I don't get what's so bad about a microwave, either. It saves SO much energy to cook a sweet potato in the microwave instead of the oven. That's also how I reheat much of my big-batch Sunday cooking over the week.
And anyway, HOW would a parent get a hot cup of coffee without a microwave? I swear I rehead the same cup of coffee two or three times.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ingriid* 
I couldn't stop rolling my eyes at some replies here, seriously...

My kids do eat junk food, except the baby, but oh well. My DD LOVES chocolate, candy, soda, juice, and all the junk delicious things there are. And here she has a lot of variety to choose from. And she's a healthy child, of course she's not eating junk ALL day but she has her treats everyday.
She's a really good eater and likes everything that touches her lips. You'll probably think what a horrible mother I am if you see me in the streets with a child holding a bag of Doritos on one hand and a bottle of Pepsi on the other







My youngest DD adores candy as well.

But yes we eat junkfood. I don't have time to cook at times, actually I don't cook my MIL does. We have dinner at my MIL's house almost everyday becuase I work long hours on weekdays and when I get to have sometime for myself I don't want to cook. I don't have time to prepare homemade bread, jelly, etc.

I don't understand the whole craziness, and all the people I know eat this way.

I get you. I work outside the home FT and typically for long hours. I'm not making my own bread, raising chickens or sprouting anything.
I'm NOT trying to slam you (and I don't know the realities of your life) but I don't get how junk food is faster. Surely it's just as easy to hand a kid a glass of water and a banana as it is Pepsi and Doritos? I personally think scrambled eggs or peanut butter on storebought wholewheat bread are totally reasonable choices for a quick meal and both are faster than ordering in.
And it really doesn't take me that long to make a vat of something on Sunday or for DH to make dough and sauce for a few pizzas a week.


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## karika (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Megan73* 
Yeah, I don't get what's so bad about a microwave, either. It saves SO much energy to cook a sweet potato in the microwave instead of the oven. That's also how I reheat much of my big-batch Sunday cooking over the week.
And anyway, HOW would a parent get a hot cup of coffee without a microwave? I swear I rehead the same cup of coffee two or three times.

I used a microwave extensively also and did not understand why some people didn't want them in their homes. I thought those people were old and out of touch. Then I read a lot about it and how they work. I no longer use a microwave. I have a counter oven that works nicely, or heat on the stove.

http://www.beyondhealth.com/site/art...wavedFoods.pdf

I eat organic and healthy and would not want to waste money by eliminating so much of the nutrition by microwaving it.


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Megan73* 
I get you. I work outside the home FT and typically for long hours. I'm not making my own bread, raising chickens or sprouting anything.
I'm NOT trying to slam you (and I don't know the realities of your life) but I don't get how junk food is faster. Surely it's just as easy to hand a kid a glass of water and a banana as it is Pepsi and Doritos? I personally think scrambled eggs or peanut butter on storebought wholewheat bread are totally reasonable choices for a quick meal and both are faster than ordering in.
And it really doesn't take me that long to make a vat of something on Sunday or for DH to make dough and sauce for a few pizzas a week.

I agree with this 100%. There is just as "fast" healthy food as there is junk food. For dinner, whole wheat pasta takes 10 minutes to boil. With a jar of all-natural sauce or heck, with just some olive oil, garlic and salt, you can have a nutritious meal on the table in 20 minutes... less time than drive thru.

Junk food isn't faster. People are just conditioned by media hype to think so.


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## karika (Nov 4, 2005)

I haven't read the whole thread because this is a train wreck waiting to happen, lol... but here is my take on things. I am like one of the mothers the OP wrote about. We do not eat out, I take food everywhere, and we do not ingest dairy or gluten. i am currently working on removing the last of soy and I strongly avoid corn (since it is all now GMO or GMO compromised, same with soy). Once you begin to view a substance as a toxin, everything changes. As background, I drank soda constantly, ate fast food daily, worked in a pizza place... so I have not always been this 'weird' (according to most of the posts I did read) person. Did anyone see Jamie Oliver's food show where he showed the kids what is in a nugget? Why would a person want to eat that or give it to a child? Also, the meat in the burgers is not 100% meat even. It is skin, bone pieces, entrails, all the bits not sold as use for meat (just like the chicken bits in jamie's experiment). After they chop it all up, they soak it in ammonia. That is that familiar taste and smell I could never put my finger on when I worked in a McD. (also, what goes on behind the scenes at fast food and sit down restaurants, is appalling) Here is a link to the NY Times article that exposed this truth to the world. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us...2&pagewanted=1 Now about why we choose to eat GFCFSFCF.... I do it for mostly (for lack of a better word) moral reasons. Dairy is an easy one for me. They take cows, get them pregnant, then take their babies away, screaming for their mother as their mother screams for them, usually on the day of birth. I think it is a horrible practice and I refuse to be any part of it. Even organic milk is produced this way. Back in the old days, it used to be someone near you had a cow and after it calved, they would milk it after the calf had its fill. Now the calves are taken away immediately, and either left to die or slaughtered for the veal trade. Very few are allowed to live, and the ones that do are to replace the adults that are already in the system. The adults are killed when only through half their life cycle, because production goes down after that. Since we are all attachment parents, looking at cow's milk in this way should be a life changing thought. I do not want to be any part of creating such a horrible aching and unhappiness for any living creature. If you have your own cow and respect it, or get milk from a family that does, and it is grass fed and the milk is raw, letting the baby feed first, then that is completely different. On to the next subject. Why should the animals be fed grass? Because in the US and other countries ALL of the animal feed is GMO. GMO is beginning to debilitate the food cycle already. When we vote with our dollars buy not buying less than healthy foods, we change the system. Chickens fed GMO corn knew it, they would not eat it- http://current.com/news/90598094_afr...ified-corn.htm GMO has been shown to cause organ failure in many studies, a few very recently. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...95.html?fbwall These GMO crops are in all the candies on the shelves in America and some in other countries also. All the HFCS is GMO, all cereals contain GMO grains, unless they are organic. Hershey's contains GMO ingredients now. When I was a kid, junk food was still just bad because of the sugar, but now it is so much more. Now we get to food colorings. The food colorings which are being used so widespread today are so dangerous, there is a group of medical professionals trying for years to get them banned. There are safer alternatives that can be gotten just as cheaply. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109838.php People go around saying children act the way they do because they are children... and most of the time it is something they ingested... we are what we eat. I am sure I could write more, but I read the OP and I could have said the same things 5 years ago. Then I learned more. There is a reason not to give GMO foods and dyes and cow's milk (and gluten and soy, but that is another post I am sure). It is not optimal for humans to consume these things. They are toxins (in my and many others opinion and much is documented as such in medical and scientific studies). My children still eat sweets, I have not quit using sugar (yet). I use organic, fair trade cane sugar in my baked goods which I make weekly and freeze some. dd1 still enjoys candy, just not with toxic ingredients ( http://www.naturalcandystore.com ) I don't shop from there personally, but those are the brands I buy at the natural store when I go. I have a way of being blunt, and sure hope this post is taken the way I mean it, to shed light on why those of us that do as the OP said, do what we do, not to pass judgment an anyone else, just to explain why we are zealous. I do it because the food in mainstream America is the same as poison *to me*. I ate it for most of my life too though.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Megan73* 
Yeah, I don't get what's so bad about a microwave, either. It saves SO much energy to cook a sweet potato in the microwave instead of the oven. That's also how I reheat much of my big-batch Sunday cooking over the week.
And anyway, HOW would a parent get a hot cup of coffee without a microwave? I swear I rehead the same cup of coffee two or three times.

I love them for re-heating coffee. If there were *one* reason to keep a microwave, that might be it.

In our case, we just found we were using it a lot, were less and less sure of the wisdom of using them (and dh grew up with one, and we got our first one when I was 8).

I never used them to cook potatoes or sweet potatoes. I hate the taste and texture of almost anything cooked in a microwave (oatmeal being the only exception I can think of right now)....except for pre-packaged, "microwaveable meals". Without a microwave, there is absolutely no temptation to buy them. We didn't buy them very often, anyway - but now we _never_ do.

Oh - and we have very limited counter space, so getting rid of the microwave was very helpful. We're probably going to put my bread maker there, instead.


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## mambera (Sep 29, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karika* 
http://www.beyondhealth.com/site/art...wavedFoods.pdf

I eat organic and healthy and would not want to waste money by eliminating so much of the nutrition by microwaving it.

AFAIK, conventional methods are typically MORE damaging than microwaves to most micronutrients in food.

Bol Asoc Med P R. 1989 Jul;81(7):277-9.
Retention of nutrients in microwave-cooked foods., Klein BP.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2775405

Especially if you're boiling or baking instead, a lot of the good stuff leaches into the water or is destroyed by the extended heating time. Steaming is a little better in terms of nutrient preservation but I think microwaving still comes out slightly ahead.

Microwaves also offer a huge energy savings bc you don't have to waste energy heating all the air in the oven; you just heat the food directly.

That said, _microwaved coffee???_ Where are your taste buds mamas?! I find microwaving makes coffee undrinkable.

I love my microwave though. We mostly use it to reheat home-cooked food the next day so I don't have to deal with cooking on the days I WOH.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karika*
They take cows, get them pregnant, then take their babies away, screaming for their mother as their mother screams for them, usually on the day of birth.

That is so horrible. It's incentive to rethink our milk usage. Thanks for the kick in the pants.









The GMO thing though, I cringe whenever I hear about 'GMO food' like it's all the same thing. GMO foods can be good or ill like any other technology. It depends what gene you are inserting and how the resulting hybrid organism interacts with its environment. Obviously if you put a pesticidal protein in your food like the links you posted, a little testing is probably in order before widespread use. But there's no way we can feed the world on traditional agricultural techniques alone so unless you prefer chemical-laden big agribusiness or global starvation I think GMO (carefully researched and regulated) is our only other option going forward.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mambera* 
That said, _microwaved coffee???_ Where are your taste buds mamas?! I find microwaving makes coffee undrinkable.
I love my microwave though. We mostly use it to reheat home-cooked food the next day so I don't have to deal with cooking on the days I WOH.

Yup. I'd be sunk without reheating food I cooked on Sunday.
Clearly I'm a coffee PHILISTINE, though! I'm afraid these days it's more about getting and staying awake than the love of the bean.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I love them for re-heating coffee. If there were *one* reason to keep a microwave, that might be it.

I get you now. It's true, too, that the SP texture isn't as good in the microwave. And thanks for backing me on the microwaved coffee


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

I just thought about this thread last night. For dinner, we had: homemade butternut squash soup (made with white beans, miso, and watercress), along with brown rice bread, and organic apple slices. Then dh and I were still hungry after dd went to bed...

...so he went out and got us a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza.


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## gcgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
I just thought about this thread last night. For dinner, we had: homemade butternut squash soup (made with white beans, miso, and watercress), along with brown rice bread, and organic apple slices. Then dh and I were still hungry after dd went to bed...

...so he went out and got us a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza.



















This sounds so familiar.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

My ds has to eat healthy b/c of tones of allergies.

If he didnt have them, I'd be ok with a treat once in a while at a b-day party or whatever. But with his issues its something like 'you can have a handfull or organic non-food coloring jellybeans for easter' I cant afford to buy him the non-allergy 'junk' food so its cheeper/easier to just feed him healthy stuff instead!

Also, we are vegetarian so that elminates even more junk options right there.


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## Ldavis24 (Feb 19, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Megan73* 
Yeah, I don't get what's so bad about a microwave, either. It saves SO much energy to cook a sweet potato in the microwave instead of the oven. That's also how I reheat much of my big-batch Sunday cooking over the week.
And anyway, HOW would a parent get a hot cup of coffee without a microwave? I swear I rehead the same cup of coffee two or three times.

I certainly wouldn't say a microwave is bad for anyone else. For my family it was more a matter of an easy way to make a snack that wasn't really all that healthy (think microwave popcorn etc...). By getting rid of it my DH and I must actually think about what we want to eat and if we are really hungry and ready to put the effort into making something or just grabbing a piece of cheese or something like that.

As far as coffee goes I can't say I understand that having never ever had a cup in my life









Each to his own, I was just commenting on how not having one has helped us improve how we eat and what we eat...As a SAHM I feel really lucky that I have the time (most days) to make stuff from scratch and bake during the day. My mom was a single mother and I certainly know that when you are working a lot of hours just to provide for your family, sometimes there isn't time to make meals and just about anything else!


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## DariusMom (May 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
I just thought about this thread last night. For dinner, we had: homemade butternut squash soup (made with white beans, miso, and watercress), along with brown rice bread, and organic apple slices. Then dh and I were still hungry after dd went to bed...

...so he went out and got us a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza.









hee hee. sounds very familiar!


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

"But there's no way we can feed the world on traditional agricultural techniques alone so unless you prefer chemical-laden big agribusiness or global starvation I think GMO (carefully researched and regulated) is our only other option going forward."

I really believe this is a false dichotomy. Traditional agricultural techniques fed the world for a loooooong time, and global starvation has remained a significant problem even with the double-pronged "solution" of agribusiness and genetic tinkering.

Our best option going forward, IMO, is to stop geometrically increasing the expense and fuel consumption of making food by processing the heck out of it. Our planet probably can't actually support 10 billion people eating Doritos and drinking Coke, even with maximum GMO and agribusiness "efficiency." 10 billion people eating the grains, veggies and fruits that grow in their regions, along with a modest intake of animal protein from the animals that live wild or can be raised on pasture there? That could probably work. It certainly worked in poor and population-dense regions as China, before they glommed onto to our megaprocessed unsustainable Western diet and started wrecking their land with factory farms.

I don't think GMO is inherently evil. I don't think that kind of research should be outlawed or anything. But I don't care to be forced to eat it myself, and I sure as heck do not like it when rich nations coerce poor, hungry nations into supplanting their traditional crops with GMO by handing out with "gifts" like Monsanto's golden rice seed, instead of offering the help that may be needed to improve agricultural production in a sustainable way that maintains the balance of the traditional diet. Sometimes it seems like we are not going to be happy until EVERYBODY has made the nutrition transition and is struggling with obesity and diabetes.

So... as you have probably gleaned from my rant above, my worries about food are more big-picture, and my focus with my family to is to try and reduce the intake of uberprocessed foods we consume, because at the end of the day the degree of processing I'm totally comfortable with is basically milled-into-flour, made-into-pasta, made-into-chocolate, made-into-cheese, etc. Stuff that's probably not even more energy-efficient to do on an individual level.

We eat a lot of stuff that doesn't meet this criteria, obviously, but that's the value that guides my shopping, and when I look for places to make changes in our food lifestyle, I usually attempt to add another go-to meal to our rotation that didn't suck up a really piggish amount of energy to get onto our plates. As it so happens, this outlook sort of naturally leads to a grocery list with no HFCS-containing or dyed or factory farmed products on it.


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## Just1More (Jun 19, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karika* 
I haven't read the whole thread because this is a train wreck waiting to happen, lol... but here is my take on things. I am like one of the mothers the OP wrote about. We do not eat out, I take food everywhere, and we do not ingest dairy or gluten. i am currently working on removing the last of soy and I strongly avoid corn (since it is all now GMO or GMO compromised, same with soy). Once you begin to view a substance as a toxin, everything changes. As background, I drank soda constantly, ate fast food daily, worked in a pizza place... so I have not always been this 'weird' (according to most of the posts I did read) person. Did anyone see Jamie Oliver's food show where he showed the kids what is in a nugget? Why would a person want to eat that or give it to a child? Also, the meat in the burgers is not 100% meat even. It is skin, bone pieces, entrails, all the bits not sold as use for meat (just like the chicken bits in jamie's experiment). After they chop it all up, they soak it in ammonia. That is that familiar taste and smell I could never put my finger on when I worked in a McD. (also, what goes on behind the scenes at fast food and sit down restaurants, is appalling) Here is a link to the NY Times article that exposed this truth to the world. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us...2&pagewanted=1 Now about why we choose to eat GFCFSFCF.... I do it for mostly (for lack of a better word) moral reasons. Dairy is an easy one for me. They take cows, get them pregnant, then take their babies away, screaming for their mother as their mother screams for them, usually on the day of birth. I think it is a horrible practice and I refuse to be any part of it. Even organic milk is produced this way. Back in the old days, it used to be someone near you had a cow and after it calved, they would milk it after the calf had its fill. Now the calves are taken away immediately, and either left to die or slaughtered for the veal trade. Very few are allowed to live, and the ones that do are to replace the adults that are already in the system. The adults are killed when only through half their life cycle, because production goes down after that. Since we are all attachment parents, looking at cow's milk in this way should be a life changing thought. I do not want to be any part of creating such a horrible aching and unhappiness for any living creature. If you have your own cow and respect it, or get milk from a family that does, and it is grass fed and the milk is raw, letting the baby feed first, then that is completely different. On to the next subject. Why should the animals be fed grass? Because in the US and other countries ALL of the animal feed is GMO. GMO is beginning to debilitate the food cycle already. When we vote with our dollars buy not buying less than healthy foods, we change the system. Chickens fed GMO corn knew it, they would not eat it- http://current.com/news/90598094_afr...ified-corn.htm GMO has been shown to cause organ failure in many studies, a few very recently. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...95.html?fbwall These GMO crops are in all the candies on the shelves in America and some in other countries also. All the HFCS is GMO, all cereals contain GMO grains, unless they are organic. Hershey's contains GMO ingredients now. When I was a kid, junk food was still just bad because of the sugar, but now it is so much more. Now we get to food colorings. The food colorings which are being used so widespread today are so dangerous, there is a group of medical professionals trying for years to get them banned. There are safer alternatives that can be gotten just as cheaply. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109838.php People go around saying children act the way they do because they are children... and most of the time it is something they ingested... we are what we eat. I am sure I could write more, but I read the OP and I could have said the same things 5 years ago. Then I learned more. There is a reason not to give GMO foods and dyes and cow's milk (and gluten and soy, but that is another post I am sure). It is not optimal for humans to consume these things. They are toxins (in my and many others opinion and much is documented as such in medical and scientific studies). My children still eat sweets, I have not quit using sugar (yet). I use organic, fair trade cane sugar in my baked goods which I make weekly and freeze some. dd1 still enjoys candy, just not with toxic ingredients ( http://www.naturalcandystore.com ) I don't shop from there personally, but those are the brands I buy at the natural store when I go. I have a way of being blunt, and sure hope this post is taken the way I mean it, to shed light on why those of us that do as the OP said, do what we do, not to pass judgment an anyone else, just to explain why we are zealous. I do it because the food in mainstream America is the same as poison *to me*. I ate it for most of my life too though.

uke

Anybody ever watch King Corn? It's an instant play on netflix.

I always try not to remember this stuff, but it really is awful. And just can't be good for us. Sigh...but once you know you know, and that's why we make our choices carefully. Yeah, we eat junk sometimes, as I mentioned already, but...it isn't what's in our cabinets on a regular basis.

That stuff isn't food. You know, we eat it in a "we stayed up all night and got a horrible sunburn today." Stupid, yes. Not good for us, yes. But, you gotta die sometime, and a little living is okay.

So, I teach my kids that it isn't food, and we talk a lot about stuff, but we make bad choices about other stuff in the name of fun/socialization/convience, and we do in the realm of junk food, too.

I also agree that junk food is not faster than healthy food. It used to be hard for me to feed my kids stuff I had around the house because it felt like it wasn't balanced or whatever. So, I'd get into the trap of getting a "meal" somewhere. One day it finally clicked: 2 scrambled eggs and a slice of cheese with a handful of grapes is WAY better than anything I could buy at a restuarant. And it doesn't take any time at all. Quick eating from limited healthy choice is a far cry better than quick eating from unhealthy choices.







.

My kids had Burger King for lunch today. We were out with a friend. But, I brought cheese, and apples, and grapes, and almonds. The line was long, and they ate those while they waited for their food. They got a lot of good stuff in and ate less of the bad, and I had three excuses that made it not weird. (Ds can't have wheat...I have to bring something for him, Dd2 is too litle to eat enough to be full there...so I had to have something for her, too, and all three of them were so hungry from playing at the ocean all morning that something RIGHT NOW was in order.) So, we had junk in the name of socialization, we weren't overly weird, and my kids still mostly ate the good stuff for lunch.


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## freestylemama (Apr 8, 2009)

I'm totally with you. We eat healthier than most Americans, but we also like treats and the occasional junk.







My 2 year old loves hot dogs and gets 1 or 2 a week. She gets crackers and things like that. We gave her Easter candy and she loves jelly beans. She's also known to beg for kale smoothies, mushrooms and avocados. It really is all about moderation. I also think with a girl that being too strict and obsessive about food (and labeling some foods "bad" rather than "sometimes") has the potential to set them up for some major eating issues and possible disorders later in life. Moderation's the key baby!


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