re: kids & healthy eating

[Guest guest]

Hi Jane,

 

It's been a huge struggle with my daughter. Before we started eating

raw foods, she would not eat ANY fruit or ANY vegetables. A lot has

changed in a year's time and she eats plenty of fruit now and gets her

greens through smoothies (working on that one).

 

Then came preschool, and I felt like everything I had accomplished was

being undone by the school. With Elchanan's help over the phone, my

husband and I had a meeting with the school's executive board

committee and addressed some food issues regarding snacktime. We were

well received by most of the board, though one person made the

comment, " We can't change everything for five or six kids! "

 

Since the school is a parent co-op, two parents come in every day with

different snacks for the kids. By our suggestion, food is now

separated out. For instance, instead of serving yogurt with fruit,

yogurt is now served with the fruit separate. This gives more choices

and does not single out (as much) kids that are eating vegan.

However, I've noticed that much less dairy is being served, as if word

is getting around. I don't know.

 

I want to tell you that I empathize with everything you have written.

I don't want to jeopardize my daughter's health and future, so it's

really much easier not to compromise at all when possible. We bring

food for her to eat every day. This way I can assure it is organic,

too.

 

Janet

 

rawfood , " allensapmom " <imalwayslearning

wrote:

 

 

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.

[Guest guest]

> Then came preschool, and I felt like everything I had accomplished

was

> being undone by the school...

 

Janet, I so feel for you and every other parent out there trying to

raise healthy vegan and/or raw vegan children.

 

It is an outrage, I agree. We make them perfect candidates for cancer!

When kids LOVE fruit. So many of my friends (I am kidless) have kids

who will not touch a fruit or vegetable. At all. Isn't that scary?

And I KNOW it's because it is not part of their daily reality, etc,

and their buds were contaminated at like birth (or before) with so

many poisons, etc. I do not know why these parents then feel they have

no choice but to keep feeding them hamburger helper and oreos every

day " just because it's all they will eat " .

 

Anyways, kudos to you for getting involved with the school. I know a

few different moms in Oregon who are battling their kid's schools'

free hot lunch program---to make it meatless and/or vegan. The schools

insist it's not possible, but it totally IS, they just make it harder

for you (like vaccines). But it is NECESSARY for parents to make deals

about this very important issue, and so few will do so. My friend

talked to her child's teacher like 3x, and they still gave her cheese

the next day. HER TEACHER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DAIRY WAS. THAT IS AMAZING

TO ME.

 

Another big problem is other family members, especially grandparents---

who think kids who don't get sugar are literally being abused!! Sick

but true!

 

Have you tried making these pancakes for your little one? They are

supposed to be THE BOMB:

 

Banana Nut Pancakes

http://therawtable.com/

 

Makes roughly 12-15 pancakes

 

Ingredients:

1 C Brazil Nuts

1 C pecans

4 large bananas

1/2 C almond milk

1 date, pitted and soaked

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. sea salt

 

Cream:

1 1/2 C Cashews

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 C almond milk

3 orange segments

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 dates

1/4 C agave nectar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of sea salt

1 mint leaf (optional)

 

Preparation for Pancakes

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth.

Pour onto teflex sheets into circle shapes and spread to about 1/4-

3/8 " . Allow to dehydrate for about 9 hours @115 degrees. Flip onto

mesh screen and dehydrate another 2-3 hours. Serve with cream or agave

nectar.

 

Preparation for Cream

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and process until

smooth and creamy. Pour over pancakes and enjoy!

 

Serve with cream or agave nectar.

[Guest guest]

ERica,

Molly has a very good friend who spent lots of time at our house. I

was SHOCKED to hear that she had NEVER tasted an orange, a banana, or a

mango. There were other fruits that she had never tasted, but I just

couldn't believe that a 9 year old could go through life without tasting

so many delicious fruits! How could her mom not have any of these

things in the kitchen? Molly and EMily are big fruit eaters.

In a new ruling by the school district here, we are no longer able to

bring in cupcakes or candy or empty caloric treats to celebrate

birthdays or any other holiday or celebration. Although this new ruling

has made me very happy, many of my friends from my MOMS club are going

to the Board of Education meeting tonight to express their negative

feelings about this new school rule!!

It's difficult living in a world where I am the minority all of

the time!!! Even my husband thinks that parents should be allowed to

bring in cupcakes or doughnuts to celebrate their child's birthday!!

Lynne

>

> > Then came preschool, and I felt like everything I had accomplished

> was

> > being undone by the school...

>

> Janet, I so feel for you and every other parent out there trying to

> raise healthy vegan and/or raw vegan children.

>

> It is an outrage, I agree. We make them perfect candidates for cancer!

> When kids LOVE fruit. So many of my friends (I am kidless) have kids

> who will not touch a fruit or vegetable. At all. Isn't that scary?

> And I KNOW it's because it is not part of their daily reality, etc,

> and their buds were contaminated at like birth (or before) with so

> many poisons, etc. I do not know why these parents then feel they have

> no choice but to keep feeding them hamburger helper and oreos every

> day " just because it's all they will eat " .

>

> Anyways, kudos to you for getting involved with the school. I know a

> few different moms in Oregon who are battling their kid's schools'

> free hot lunch program---to make it meatless and/or vegan. The schools

> insist it's not possible, but it totally IS, they just make it harder

> for you (like vaccines). But it is NECESSARY for parents to make deals

> about this very important issue, and so few will do so. My friend

> talked to her child's teacher like 3x, and they still gave her cheese

> the next day. HER TEACHER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DAIRY WAS. THAT IS AMAZING

> TO ME.

>

> Another big problem is other family members, especially grandparents---

> who think kids who don't get sugar are literally being abused!! Sick

> but true!

>

> Have you tried making these pancakes for your little one? They are

> supposed to be THE BOMB:

>

> Banana Nut Pancakes

> http://therawtable.com/ <http://therawtable.com/>

>

> Makes roughly 12-15 pancakes

>

> Ingredients:

> 1 C Brazil Nuts

> 1 C pecans

> 4 large bananas

> 1/2 C almond milk

> 1 date, pitted and soaked

> 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

> 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

> 1/2 tsp. sea salt

>

> Cream:

> 1 1/2 C Cashews

> 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 C almond milk

> 3 orange segments

> 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

> 2 dates

> 1/4 C agave nectar

> 1/2 tsp. vanilla

> pinch of sea salt

> 1 mint leaf (optional)

>

> Preparation for Pancakes

> Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth.

> Pour onto teflex sheets into circle shapes and spread to about 1/4-

> 3/8 " . Allow to dehydrate for about 9 hours @115 degrees. Flip onto

> mesh screen and dehydrate another 2-3 hours. Serve with cream or agave

> nectar.

>

> Preparation for Cream

> Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and process until

> smooth and creamy. Pour over pancakes and enjoy!

>

> Serve with cream or agave nectar.

>

>

[Guest guest]

>I do not know why these parents then feel they have

> no choice but to keep feeding them hamburger helper and oreos every

> day " just because it's all they will eat " .

>

 

I had a lady say to me once, about her weak sickly 5 yo, " I have to

feed him Kraft Dinner because it's all I can get him to eat, and he

needs the protein because he is so weak...if he's good then he can

have TWO!!! grapes for dessert " . Well I watched him eat...he liked

the 2 grapes more than he did the KD.

 

I was blown away. But, that is literally the level of nutritional

awareness most people have. The poor kid had chronically swollen

tonsils, no doubt from the poison food they were feeding him. But,

they had them cut out and now the boy " is so much better, it was the

tonsils that were the problem " .

 

It wasn't my place to tell the woman how to feed her child...I didn't

feel comfortable opening the subject. I tried talking to her husband

who I work with about it, but most people are too overwhelmed at the

thought of a better, rational way of eating.

 

 

 

Joe

[Guest guest]

In a new ruling by the school district here, we are no longer able to

> bring in cupcakes or candy or empty caloric treats to celebrate

> birthdays or any other holiday or celebration. Although this new

ruling

> has made me very happy, many of my friends from my MOMS club are

going

> to the Board of Education meeting tonight to express their negative

> feelings about this new school rule!!

 

OMG, WHERE is this? What is their reasoning? That is phenomenal. These

kids get jacked up on sugar so that they need their " ritalin "

(cocaine!) treatments administered... it's so sick. I would have a

hard time biting my tongue around such friends who argue the school

board for their right to give their children diseases, at least in

honor of special occasions! That is great news, though. How was that

passed? Inquiring school districts want to know. :-P Erica

[Guest guest]

Hi Erica,

We live in a small town in Central New Jersey, called

Robbinsville, and the school district is called Washington Township

Schools. From what I understand, it's a national ruling that the

schools are supposed to cut down on empty calorie foods, and different

districts are interpreting the ruling in different ways. From what I

gather, New Jersey is now the strictest state in this regard, and

according to my friends at lunch the other day, " OUR school district has

gone too far!! "

The sad part is that the children can still purchase ice

cream, cookies, and unhealthful desserts in the school lunch room, so we

still have a LONG way to go in our schools!

Hope that helps explain.

Lynne

>

> In a new ruling by the school district here, we are no longer able to

> > bring in cupcakes or candy or empty caloric treats to celebrate

> > birthdays or any other holiday or celebration. Although this new

> ruling

> > has made me very happy, many of my friends from my MOMS club are

> going

> > to the Board of Education meeting tonight to express their negative

> > feelings about this new school rule!!

>

> OMG, WHERE is this? What is their reasoning? That is phenomenal. These

> kids get jacked up on sugar so that they need their " ritalin "

> (cocaine!) treatments administered... it's so sick. I would have a

> hard time biting my tongue around such friends who argue the school

> board for their right to give their children diseases, at least in

> honor of special occasions! That is great news, though. How was that

> passed? Inquiring school districts want to know. :-P Erica

>

>

[Guest guest]

rawfood , Lynne Moore <fountayn wrote:

>

> Hi Erica,

> We live in a small town in Central New Jersey, called

> Robbinsville, and the school district is called Washington Township

> Schools. From what I understand, it's a national ruling that the

> schools are supposed to cut down on empty calorie foods, and

different

> districts are interpreting the ruling in different ways.

 

Wow. Yeah, the govt subsidizes those school lunches (and breakfasts)

that are full of animal products, so it's hardly a concern for health,

really. but still interesting. Sounds like most parents need some

educatin', too! ;-)

[Guest guest]

I was just at a MOMS member meeting for our chapter where we were

discussing our participation in the zoo boo (trick or treating at

the zoo). I asked if we were required to provide 2000 pieces of

candy or if we could pass out a non food item such as spider rings.

The immediate concern among the members was that the zoo probably

wouldn't allow non candy in an effort to protect the animals. They

also thought the rings might pose a choking hazard for the kids so

we should go ahead and purchase the Tootsie Rolls. huh?

 

 

I hear you on being in the minority!

 

Jane

 

 

rawfood , Lynne Moore <fountayn wrote:

>

.. Although this new ruling

> has made me very happy, many of my friends from my MOMS club are

going to the Board of Education meeting tonight to express their

negative feelings about this new school rule!!

> It's difficult living in a world where I am the minority all

of the time!!! Even my husband thinks that parents should be

allowed to bring in cupcakes or doughnuts to celebrate their child's

birthday!!

> Lynne

[Guest guest]

Hi Erica,

 

Thanks for the recipe, Erica. My daughter is about to turn 4 and for

her birthday party, she has asked for a " salad cake " . Since she

turned three, she's been saying, " When I turn 4, I'm going to eat

salad! " Somehow, that morphed into " salad cake " . Really, in her

mind, it's putting off the inevitable. She currently won't eat any

greens, so we give them to her via smoothies. I've been getting her

to eat ONE bite of my salad every night before she eats the rest of

her meal. I know she doesn't like it, but at least she's trying it.

So, I guess what this all amounts to is that I'm looking for ideas to

celebrate her birthday. We're thinking of making mango torts, or

something, and having a watermelon/pineapple " cake " .

 

I do have an Excaliber collecting dust in the garage. I really should

get it out and try some things. However, our main emphasis has been

to keep very simple. We peel the banana, we eat the banana. We

aspire to follow the path of natural hygiene. And then there are

birthdays...

 

Janet PS Your recipe is tempting...

 

rawfood , " Erica " <schoolofrawk wrote:

 

Then came preschool, and I felt like everything I had accomplished was

being undone by the school...

 

Janet, I so feel for you and every other parent out there trying to

raise healthy vegan and/or raw vegan children.

 

It is an outrage, I agree. We make them perfect candidates for cancer!

When kids LOVE fruit. So many of my friends (I am kidless) have kids

who will not touch a fruit or vegetable. At all. Isn't that scary?

And I KNOW it's because it is not part of their daily reality, etc,

and their buds were contaminated at like birth (or before) with so

many poisons, etc. I do not know why these parents then feel they

have no choice but to keep feeding them hamburger helper and oreos

every day " just because it's all they will eat " .

 

Anyways, kudos to you for getting involved with the school. I know a

few different moms in Oregon who are battling their kid's schools'

free hot lunch program---to make it meatless and/or vegan. The

schools insist it's not possible, but it totally IS, they just make it

harder for you (like vaccines). But it is NECESSARY for parents to

make deals about this very important issue, and so few will do so. My

friend talked to her child's teacher like 3x, and they still gave her

cheese the next day. HER TEACHER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DAIRY WAS. THAT IS

AMAZING TO ME.

 

Another big problem is other family members, especially

grandparents--- who think kids who don't get sugar are literally being

abused!! Sick but true!

 

Have you tried making these pancakes for your little one? They are

supposed to be THE BOMB:

 

Banana Nut Pancakes http://therawtable.com/ Makes roughly 12-15

pancakes Ingredients:

1 C Brazil Nuts

1 C pecans

4 large bananas

1/2 C almond milk

1 date, pitted and soaked

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. sea salt Cream:

1 1/2 C Cashews

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 C almond milk

3 orange segments

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 dates

1/4 C agave nectar

1/2 tsp. vanilla pinch of sea salt

1 mint leaf (optional)

 

Preparation for Pancakes Place all ingredients in a food processor and

blend until very smooth.

Pour onto teflex sheets into circle shapes and spread to about 1/4-

3/8 " . Allow to dehydrate for about 9 hours @115 degrees. Flip onto

mesh screen and dehydrate another 2-3 hours. Serve with cream or

agave nectar.

 

Preparation for Cream Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender

and process until smooth and creamy. Pour over pancakes and enjoy!

 

Serve with cream or agave nectar.

[Guest guest]

Janet,

I know you do the Natural Hygiene thing - I just posted that since I

believe you had listed you do pancakes with buckwheat, etc., for your

little one? I thought it was in your post - and that seemed it

required dehydration (no?) Either way, for birthdays or something,

maybe even a pudding (still not dehydrated) wouldn't be so bad. Then

you get into the whole idea of culture versus health, and compromise,

blah blah blah, it's all so crazy. I have a great custard recipe, but

it's young coconut meat and I know 8/1/1 doesn't believe in

coconuts.... Still, it'll all work out. :-) Maybe do the whole carving

fruit into fun shapes and neat stuff deal. Jazz up plain fruit! :-)

 

Erica

[Guest guest]

" the zoo boo "

 

 

~ too cute!

[Guest guest]

I've successfully (and secretively) added wheat grass, barley grass,

and spirulina to a carob/cocoa sauce and served it over rainbow (foods

of every color of the rainbow) sorbet. My kids gobble it up and I

smile away. You want ice cream with chocolate sauce for breakfast?

Sure! Who's the best mommy on the block now???

 

Jane

 

 

rawfood , " Janet FitzGerald " <waxplanet

wrote:

She currently won't eat any

> greens, so we give them to her via smoothies.