Why do Parents BUY this stuff for their kids!!!

We've all seen the statistics.   "Obesity and type 2 Diabetes is on the rise!"... or "High Fructose Corn Syrup is awful for you and one of the main reasons for childhood obesity!" And you know what??? THEY ARE RIGHT... but what gets me, all the time, is that PARENTS ARE STILL BUYING THE CONVENIENCE JUNK!!!  WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY!

I know people work... I know they are tired.  I have a job now, and I'm gone all day long too... and I'm tired... but am I too tired to MAKE SOMETHING HEALTHY FOR MY CHILDREN TO EAT??? Really? Ya have to ask!!!!! 

Is it really that much easier to buy a bag of chips and some fake cheese from a can than it is to buy a bag of grapes or apples?  REALLY???  So... parents, you can't find the time to buy oranges, bananas, granola bars, fresh cheese, yogurts or green tea... but you can find the time to buy Fruit Roll ups, Cap'n Crunch Cereal, M & M's and Juice Squeezes?  I AM APPALLED!  I was as the grocery store the other day... and in this ladies cart, it was filled to the brim with processed, fake, plastic, sugary, convenience foods.  Her daughters were each about 50lbs overweight, and they didn't look to be older than 10 or 11.

I know I should have held my tongue... I know I should have... but I didn't.  One of her daughters was CRYING because she couldn't have the peanut butter flavor of a chewy granola bar... LITERALLY CRYING... The poor child could barely breathe, her clothes were 2 sizes too small for her, and she was throwing a temper tantrum OVER FOOD... BAD food.  Her sister wanted the Chocolate Chip kind, and won the battle.  Mom was trying to entice the crying kid with a sugary cereal across the aisle so she would shut up. It worked, and Cookie Crisp was her food battle to win.  Yipee.

I know... I know... I shouldn't have... but I did... I tapped Mama on the shoulder, and I said... "Mom, look at me. You don't want your daughters to have a weight problem like me when they are older, do you?  I've lost 100 lbs and it's taken me a long time to do it... you have lovely daughters, and they deserve good, healthy, REAL food.  For your daughters sake, won't you consider buying some fresh fruit and Cheerios for them, so they can be strong?"  LIKE I SAID... I know I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID A WORD... it's really none of my business... I know... I know...

Here's what she said to me... "Who are YOU to talk! Miss Overweight HERSELF! Mind your own business, and you feed your kids the way you want, and I'll feed mine the way I want!"

THE BEST PART??? The absolute BEST part... the girls both said to Mom... "Yeah Mom, can we have those grapes you wouldn't let us buy?" 

Mom turned the appropriate shade of red, snarled at me, pushed her cart down the aisle, and looked back over her shoulder at me with one more snarl for good measure.  The entire time, the girls were begging her to buy them fruit. Juicy, sweet, fresh, preservative free, healthy, healing FRUIT... and MOM WOULDN'T DO IT!

Look, I'm a Mom... I know buying fresh produce is expensive and there may be a lot of waste involved... but there would be a lot less waste is FRESH FRUIT WAS THEIR ONLY CHOICE! Catch my drift?

I feel soooo blessed that I NEVER have to throw any produce away... to the contrary... there is never enough for me when i want some. I have to make 3 fruit runs a week sometimes... BUT THAT COMES FROM TRAINING... NOT GIVING OPTIONS... AND INSISTING THAT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES are the ONLY snacks in the house! It's hard.  It's time consuming. It's expensive... but it's NECESSARY!!! I want my kids to live a long, long, long time, with no intestinal problems and no kidney problems... and fresh produce is the way to do it..

There... rant over... I wish all junk food was legally banned for one year, just to see how much healthier and how much less money would be spent on Doctor's Visits...

What do you think?