OT: promoting meat....was Vores NOW kids & healthy eating

[Guest guest]

It's not as hard for me to eat high raw in restaurants or at friends

homes as it is for me to get my kids healthy options in social

situations.

 

I am disgusted that the cutesy kids menus in restaurants promote

fried foods with pictures and are served up with ketchup that

contains HFCS or that the Carl's Jr. sirloin burger has additives

where the famous star does not. (just making a point about lack of

information for mainstream consumers, not promoting hamburger meat

as a " healthy " option)

 

This week we'll be going to a playgroup where the " fun " activity is

making pancakes with our favorite toppings (fruit, choc. chips,

etc). Out of respect, the host called to ask what brand of pancake

mix we use and to tell me she had maple syrup for us. I told her my

son (6) makes his own mix (sprouted dehydrated wheatberries and flax

seeds ground together with added water). I also asked her to read

the ingredients on the maple syrup for HFCS. She replied it did

contain it. Here's a mom who has created what she thought was a

healthy, fun activity, but the food processing companies contaminate

our food supply.

 

Then, I, an informed mother, am stuck in the sometimes awkward

position of ensuring my kids get healthy alternatives, thereby

making them look " different " by supplying our own food, or informing

others how to take steps to increase the nutrition of the food they

offer or just look the other way in the name of a positive social

experience.

 

It's a balancing act between educating my kids and providing them a

balanced social life. One could argue to just not go to the party

and go to the park instead, or only hang out with people who

eat/parent as we do but I see that as just avoiding the situation.

Sometimes we'll do this, but some situations are harder to just

avoid. Not to mention part of me feels that if these moms never see

any other way then what the popular media tells them, they are

missing out on great opportunities for their families as well.

 

I'd love to hear thoughts from other parents who have one foot in

the raw world and one in the mainstream?

 

Jane

 

 

rawfood , Bill-Schoolcraft <Bill wrote:

>

> At Fri, 21 Sep 2007 it looks like Janet FitzGerald composed:

>

> > Joe,

> >

> > This kind of thinking says it's ok to let your kid eat birthday

cake and cupcakes at every birthday party. I struggle with that

often with my soon to be 4yo, and so do many health conscious

parents. Eating less of anything that isn't optimal is always

beneficial. So, why advocate eating anything that isn't optimal,

especially when it involves death?

> >

> > Janet

> >

>

> Hello Janet,

>

> I'm going to share my 5+ years on the list and what I " think " Joe

is getting at here.

>

> So, I think for a child the above may not apply, maybe just feeling

> other emotional feelings of not being like the rest of the kids and

> that's another issue better left to a parent to decide as to

whether to let the kid go to the party at all then.

 

> Jeez, you may end up having a bigger beef (excuse the pun) with the

> parents that threw the party and not your child!

>

> Keep the kid at home or take him to the park.

>