Wow... so i have a bit to say. Firstly, on the baking trail I am still going strong simply adapting most recipes with a straight swap of dextrose in place of sugar. No dramas to this point so will keep going until something doesn't work well. I made a really yummy batch of gluten free hot cross buns today, but forgot to put the Xanthan Gum in, so they crumbled as soon as we tried to butter them. Will try one more time, with the Xanthan Gum and then I will post the recipe and some pics here. I also have continued experimenting with some dextrose based chocolate. It is taking a while to get it right, and even longer to eat it because I am seriously not craving sweet food, so will be taking them to the in-laws on Sunday in the hope they don't find them too grainy (i think they are a bit grainy, but we will see...)
From the title you can see there is a story. I had someone say something that I find really ignorant. I was a bit stunned at first that they would even think it, let alone say it.... but that is the way life goes sometimes. I was talking with a group of people about what we were all doing for Easter in terms of egg hunts etc and someone commented that they supposed I wouldn't be doing anything with chocolate this year. I explained that "No, our decision was that the boys would get one or two eggs - enough to keep them happy but not so much that they are overindulging for the next six months to finish it all." I also explained that our plan is to get them some toys or something a little different so that the focus of Easter is not just about chocolate. Being a Catholic, I also have been talking to them about the true meaning around the weekend and they have a decent understanding (we go to mass most weekends). One of the group asked how I could justify this given that I was on a "No sugar diet". I explained that it is not a "no sugar diet" rather a lifestyle where I choose to limit the amount of fructose in the form of sucrose that I and my family eat. I see no reason why the kids can't have a lolly or two at a birthday party (party food is for parties) because they don't get them any other time (rarely ever anyway) and therefore they can have a couple of eggs at Easter. This satisfied that person. Didn't satisfy someone else. They decided to let me know that just because I choose to eat this way doesn't give me the right to impose my choice on other people. I asked this person to clarify - which people? - to the best of my knowledge I have not taken my opinions and shoved them down anyone's throat with a healthy dose of dextrose to wash it down! She (yes, a female.... AND a mother) said that it is not right (or fair to my kids) that I should choose to stop my children eating the "yummy good food that they love" just because I am going through "a phase".... If only she had eaten mum's carrot pie when my parents were following the Pritikin Diet in the 80s.....:
I asked her what rights I might have as a parent, if not to choose what food my 5 year old and 4 year old do or do not stick in their mouths? Seems to me that it is actually an abuse of my position as parent if I do not make this choice for them now. I also choose what religion they are, for the most part what clothes they wear, what tv shows they watch and how much, what time they go to bed. Why can't I choose what they eat? As a parent I was horrified that this person would say such a thing, given that I have a decent knowledge of some of the choices they as a parent make. I do not think anyone could honestly think I am abusing my children by limiting their sugar intake. Surely it is more abusive to feed them something you know is going to harm them?
So, that's my little story. Unfortunately, there are people out there who do not see the sense in what I am doing. That is ok. But don't tell me I am abusing my children when they are healthy, well-adjusted kids who know it is ok at a party to have a bit of party food, but also know that they won't be getting that food at home (even when we do have a party...).
Incidentally, we went to a birthday party on Thursday. There were a few bowls of lollies, a couple of bowls with strawberries, some little cakes and some packets of chips. Both boys went straight for the lollies, had about 3 or 4 and didn't want anymore. Mr 5 had 1 little cupcake and a couple of strawberries. Mr 4 had half a cupcake and a heap of strawberries and grapes. They both had a little packet of chips. They both drank water out of their water bottles. I don't think they even knew there was soft drink there. They played, and had fun and were on a slight sugar high last night, but it didn't last long. And they were back to normal today.
So, I will continue to make choices for my children, until they are old enough to cook for themselves and buy their own groceries.... or until they are rich enough to pay someone to cook for them and buy their groceries for them (and that won't be me!). And one of those choices will be that, wherever possible, there is a limited amount of fructose (in the form of sucrose and its variants) that will pass their lips.
Ha! How dare you abuse your children so?! Next you'll be limiting their rights to juvenile obesity, stuffing themselves with McD's end KFC! How dare you impose a healthy diet on your kids. Shame on you :)
ReplyDeleteGood on you Liz
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, sounds like that person perhaps has some issues of her own. It's odd that a mother would think choosing to feed your children a healthy diet, and actually caring what they eat and putting a lot of thought and consideration into it is not a good thing.
ReplyDeleteSound like your kids are lucky to have a mother who puts so much care into what they eat :-)
My mother put a lot of care and thought into what we ate growing up and it was a real blessing :-)