I, just like most other mom's I know; try to do my best with what I have. So there are certain things I never eat (or try my hardest not to) unless they are organic. I don't let my kids eat HFCs (high fructose corn syrup), artificial sweeteners, or things that have ingredients I can't pronounce. I make our own granola, bread, jam and lots of other things from scratch at home. I am not able to do it 100% of the time.
Many people simply think I'm a food snob, or that I think their food isn't good enough for my family and I. However, this all started with my now 8 year old having major gastrointestinal problems around age 2.5-3. She was medivacced to a larger hospital (Tripler, in Hawaii) for endoscopy/colonoscopy and a large array of other test. They were concerned about everything from Celiacs to Cancer. Thankfully, all test were clear.... but we still had no answers. On the doctors orders, we had to eliminate everything from her diet (which is when we went while food vegan) and really watch what we gave her. Taking out everything, and slowly adding it in - we should be able to see what she is sensitive to. She still eats no dairy or soy, and the only eat she eats is fish. She gets sick easily from greasy or processed foods. My needing to learn about food, and how to help her feel the best she could was important to me. That is why I make food choices I do - like corn is ONLY organic, eggs only organic/vegetarian fed and preferably local/free range. This isn't from me being a food snob, but because if she eats eggs that were fed a high corn/soy diet - she gets sick! 95% of the feed given to commercial egg producing chickens is gmo's and not good stuff. If it makes my daughter sick, we don't buy it anymore.
With all this being said, we are not deprived in the food department. We also don't mind bringing our own food many places with us. It's not that we don't think yours is good, we just don't want our daughter getting sick. Don't be afraid to invite us over for dinner, or a BBQ. I am used to adapting and bringing stuff. As long as you are not offended we bring some of our own, it is not hard at all!
Now, there are some times - you have to bend the rules a little. S'mores! My 5 & 8 year old had NEVER HAD ONE!!! We were in Oregon at grandma and grandpa's, and they have a fire pit in backyard. We decided to bend the rules, and let them experience s'mores. (If you know of organic marshmallows, please let me know in comments below) we picked out organic, dark chocolate, graham crackers, and regular marshmallows with corn syrup (eek!).
We didn't let them eat too much, but they loved it!! Eating this "bad" food once Ina VERY but moon won't kill them!
My words of wisdom to you - do your best. Make the choices that are best for your family. Do what you can. Bend the rules on occasion. You are an awesome mom/dad. Be a food police if you have to, but bend the rules very rarely, the fun on their faces was worth it (and no one got sick from the one marshmallow!)
Don't their faces just say it all!!
Do you have problems with people understanding your families food issues? Comment below how you deal with it.
