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PART 1 - MOMMA SAID
A decade ago, lunch for this junk food junkie would have consisted of Chick-Fil-A nuggets, cole slaw and an enormous sweet tea, or a tuna fish sandwich on whole wheat bread, some pretzels, and half of a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll to top it off.
Both choices once fit my definition of healthy — notice no fries, no bun, something greenish — but that was before I had a toddler in the new age of Whole Foods and mercury-laden fish.
And then there’s the influence of my husband, a born-again health nut (if there is such a thing), who calls the manager over at Whole Foods to question why my childhood favorite chocolate syrup, Bosco, is being sold there since it contains high-fructose corn syrup.
Not to mention, this is the same guy who recently researched the MSG content of those chicken nuggets thinking he’ll steer me - and therefore our daughter - away from my other childhood love.
Despite his conclusions and approach, in the end I do appreciate his undercover work. If he were a superhero, he’d be the Organic Lifestyle Avenger — like an organic health food and lifestyle detective.
My husband and I do agree on one thing when it comes to food and parenting: neither of us wanted to raise a mac and cheese, mystery meat eating, white flour kid. But the thought of my daughter missing out on the great foodie experiences of my youth, Bosco, Swiss Cake Rolls, Krispy Kreme donuts; it just seems wrong.
After all, for my sister and me, the act of eating a Swiss Cake Roll is an art form in itself. It just wouldn’t be right to deny my baby such an experience. Or would it?
Balancing healthy eating choices for my kid, and occasionally incorporating the nostalgic treats of my own youth, is a delicate balance. But it makes me ponder…Is the conversion to healthy eating like the transformation of an alcoholic?
Are we not allowed the occasional cream filled dessert once we agree to be healthy eaters? You decide. But here’s how I found the equilibrium between the rare indulgence and healthy eating:
• Mix healthy food choices with healthy treats, like homemade pudding made from organic milk, frozen yogurt. fresh fruit, homemade Popsicles made of pureed fruit or juice, snow cones made with fresh fruit purees.
• Fresh and Dried fruit - like fruit rolls and our favorite, Brothers-All-Natural freeze dried fruit snacks- as yummy as candy, but a whole lot healthier.
• For finicky eaters, try mixing whole wheat and white breads or pastas to even out the taste until they don’t notice the taste difference as much. This is especially useful for family meals when one parent is less likely to convert to whole grains.
• Eat “Nostalgia treats” in moderation. But first, check out the ingredients list of those treats. It can be surprising to see the list of preservatives and other things you can’t pronounce on that content list nowadays. And I admit, I’m still learning, the treats from the 70s aren’t the same as the treats now. So just be educated about your ole time faves before strolling down memory lane with your kid in tow.
• Use our Food Detective Guide to do your own research about healthy foods
The Food Detective’s Guide to Safer Food for Your Family:
Use these great resources to make sure the food you’re serving your kids fits the bill…
1) Check the FDA and the USDA sites for food recalls.
Who knew the Nestle Toll House cookie cake I made to celebrate the first day of summer would be recalled the very day I cooked it and shared it with my daughter and her friend. Thanks Nestle.
A quick note: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has jurisdiction over food and pet & farm animal feed, while USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates meat, poultry products and eggs.
http://www.recalls.gov/food.html
2) Know the Food Safety Basics: Clean, separate, cook and chill.
For anything that comes into contact with food, whether it’s hands, utensils, cutting boards, etc, wash it with soap and water. Separate raw meats and seafood from produce and cooked ingredients. Use separate marked cutting boards to avoid contamination. Know the safe temperatures for the foods you are refrigerating and cooking. Be sure they are cooked sufficiently.
Refer to the FDA link for a list of food safety facts and food-borne disease causing organisms that frequently cause illness in the U.S.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm103263.htm
3) Examine that Fish. Pregnant or not, research the fish you eat. Check multiple sources to confirm safety, like these three:
Use the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector to check the safety of that fish. Rated as “eco-best,” like dungeness crab, farmed oysters and Alaska wild salmon, while the “eco-worst” list includes farmed Atlantic salmon, Chilean sea bass, shark and others.
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1521
Search CleanFish for recommendations of local clean fish.
http://www.Cleanfish.com
Check out the Food and Water Watch’s Smart Seafood Guide for information about safe seafood, mercury in fish, and other resources
http://www.fwwatch.org
4) Do a Background Check on that Fast Food Joint
Find out the scoop on your favorite fast food restaurant. Research online and you too can easily discover that your favorite joint does indeed add MSG to their nuggets.
5) Don’t be Paranoid; Be Proactive. Research information about food ingredients to make you a better consumer. Start by examining the list of ingredients on the back of products you buy. Research the ingredients you are unfamiliar with and educate yourself. Stay informed, but don’t be paranoid. Be sure to consider the sources of the information, and always use multiple sources to confirm information.
Here are some good places to start your food investigation:
A recommended book:
The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It,
It’s a great inside look at the food industry and the chemicals in our food. Get started making changes with Robyn O’Brien’s “Do One Thing” suggestions:
http://robynobrien.com/do-onething.html
Center for Food Safety
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org
Food and Water Watch
http://www.fwwatch.org
Environmental Working Group
http://www.ewg.org/health
Food Politics
http://www.foodpolitics.com
Healthy Child, Healthy World
http://healthychild.org
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I subscribe to the same belief that Angelique addresses in this article. We must balance a healthy lifestyle with life’s great indulgences-Little Debbie’s, Hostess Ding Dong’s and Chick-fil-A nuggets.
In the morning, I’ll eat my Kashi cereal for breakfast and start my healthy eating habits again tomorrow!
san diego yoga classes…
The purpose of the classes is to help you establish or deepen your daily meditation and yoga practice and help you achieve your highest potential. I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to learn the wonderful arts or meditation, yoga and pranaya…