S/O - Diet/Nutrition
I think that melsie hit it on the head when she said she has a hard time finding non-nonfat/lowfat items. I think I vented here one day about how I had picked up a "high fiber" oatmeal because they didn't have any other maple & brown sugar oatmeal left... I didn't see any "low calorie/low sugar" label on it but as soon as I ate it, I could taste splenda. Sure enough, I reviewed the ingredients and "Sucralose" was listed as an ingredient.
Artificial sweeteners are in EVERYthing. I would much rather eat a little of something with real sugar in it than be able to eat a lot of something with no calories but with chemicals. Or whatever happened to Yogurt? I can't find Yogurt with Fruit in it that doesn't contain a ***-ton of sugar (Yoplait) or artificial sugars.
I am not claiming to be the healthiest eater, but I can say that our household eats "WHOLE FOODS" - when I cook, it's not just opening a box or a can (not that I NEVER do that) but when possible I use the fresh (or close to it) in my cooking.
One recipe source that I LOVE is Cooking Light magazine - because it is not healthy rabbit food but it is HealthFUL food made with mostly whole ingredients.
Since A. is startign solids, my focus on feeding her whole foods is even more intense. I stress about her nutrition because it seems as though children's food has turned into unrecognizable puffs of food and processed chicken shaped like the latest disney character. (whatever happened to cheerios and table foods?)
Maybe I'm in a world of hurt because I am so naive but I fully plan on giving Avery table food as soon as she is able to eat by herself. Yes, I will omit a ton of spices but whatever we're eating should be good enough for her too. She'll get balanced meals and occassionally dessert and treats, but she won't depend on the pre-package, preservative and ad-filled "kid" food they have on the market these days.
Re: S/O - Diet/Nutrition
::applause::
I wholeheartedly agree. The Splenda ad campaign gets me so angry b/c they totally pitch it as a "healthier" alternative than sugar for kids. Sucralose is a scary thing. If I have even a tiny bit I get a migraine!
I hate how everything nowadays needs to be sugar free and fat free. I wish Whole Foods wasn't so pricey b/c I love stuff sweetened with wholesome natural sweeteners like honey, cane sugar and so forth. And healthy fats are so important.
I really, really hope I can keep Leo on a vegetarian, organic diet until he goes to school and gets tempted by all the crap the other kids are eating!
I agree 100%. Ben & Kate will not be getting any of that pre-packaged "kid" dinners and whatnot. If they want fish sticks they will get real fish cooked at home and cut into little strips not the frozen stuff.
My goal is to give them healthy eating habits and yes I agree a treat is a treat and should be given sparingly and not in reward to something.
I love to cook from scratch and w/fresh ingredients. I made sloppy joe's last night and my MIL was like "I love manwich" ummmm no I actually made them myself and didn't pour sauce over meat. She was blown away at this...mental note that Ben & Kate will not eat dinner at her house.
Bravo!
I don't know what it is but anytime I eat anything with those fake sugars in them I end up with a migraine so I avoid them as best I can. But like you said its hard to find foods that don't have a lot of sugar that isn't replaced by fake sugar. So like you I cook most of my own meals using fresh or close to fresh ingredients and I plan to give Michael the same meals when he is ready for table food.
I'm not saying that I am perfect, I have nights where I grab McDonalds on my way home because I can't stand the thought of cooking again and I am sure that on more than one occasion in his life Michael is going to eat dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets. Again, everything in moderation is the key. I think the greatest gift we can give our children are parents who are happy and enjoy being parents without constantly stressing over what is the "best" way of doing everything.
i could not agree w/ you ladies more! i am by no means a perfect cook, we have our share of boxed/canned/processed foods. but i really strive for balance. and i really work at giving ben as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible. now i have to start working on that for the rest of us. too bad this pg is kicking my butt right now! but all the more reason that i am making this my mission for the pg.
fake sugar is a whole 'nother soapbox for me. i cant imagine why people would think its a good idea to sit and drink chemicals all day long! and the whole "kid food" industry makes me sick. sure, ben eat mum mums for a while and i m sure he ll get some "toddler meals" when we travel. but as a steady diet? its too bad that the image of wholesome meals is a)difficult to prepare/ time consuming - there are too many working families w/ busy kids who just dont think they can manage. b) can get so expensive! or so people think. for the most part though, as long as you are making good choices buying and cooking from scratch is not more expensive than a box, just involves more start up cost (or so i tell myself.)
i know a woman who cut all fat out of her diet (or basically all) and did not understand when her hair started to fall out! her dr tried to tell her but she wouldnt listen! we are not meant to eat like that! it makes me so sad.
"Artificial sweeteners are in EVERYthing. I would much rather eat a little of something with real sugar in it than be able to eat a lot of something with no calories but with chemicals. "
Well, you know I agree with you. ;-D