Just a spoonful of sugar

It may help the medicine go down... but it's a hard pill to swallow when a regional dietitian shows you how much is getting into your kids in the sneakiest ways.

I recently read a fantastic article in Todays Parent magazine by a mother trying to cut down on the sugar her kids consumed and she found it a great struggle indeed, considering there is sugar in some form in almost every food that comes from a grocery store. So, I knew this already; this problem with sugar, but when it's put into concrete visual means... well, that get's you started really thinking about how to change it.
I always want to tell myself MY kids are getting that much sugar. I am a responsible mother who prepares whole foods lovingly served up with a smile while my children gobble every bite of all the recommended fruits and vegetables anyone could ever need.... Ya right. While I am proud that we haven't bought packaged cookies in almost 2 years, there are PLENTY of other ways my little precious ones are addicted to the sweet stuff.

I don't know where my newest convictions will lead at this point or how ruthless I will be able to be. But diabetes is a very scary thing, and glucose fructose is pure evil. :) I think I may start by taking down all the boxes of cereal that I bought on a good sale that have been sitting up on the unopened shelf and put those in the food donation bin and start clearing out the pantry. (which kinda needs to be done anyway)

When it comes to food, my dream has always been to cook more like my Mennonite ancestors. My Great Aunts and Great Grandmothers who knew how to resourcefully (and organically) use all parts of their food. I inherited a Mennonite cookbook from my grandmother several years ago, and while some of the recipes border on absurd, the whole thing was very inspiring. Sure, it takes a lot more work, but perhaps it's worth the effort. I can't say I'm gonna start whipping up borscht any time soon or wiener water gravy (I tell you no lies, my aunts used to make this)but next year, hopefully there will be a garden of produce that I can put into canning (which I'll blog about at another time because canning actually THRILLS me)and move forward with my eventual plans to rid ourselves of cans, boxes and plastic wrapped food.

This year we already took a big step ordering a quarter of a cow raised, grazed, butchered and wrapped locally. Not only was it very economical but the difference is very noticeable with the first bite.

Really it's not so hard to eat locally and eco-friendly here in our small town, which kind of makes me shake my finger at myself a little. Without being too hard on myself at the same time, because for the past 3 years my push has been to see how low can that budget go. But I think the next step is to incorporate BETTER food into the already thrifty way we dine.

It's a goal and adds an extra challenge to the kitchen which I will gladly accept, but I still don't know if I can train myself to enjoy my coffee black...