6 yo sneaking food

SarahAFerguson

My 6 year old daughter has some food issues. She is intollerant to corn and milk and a picky eather to boot. The allergest says she is not actually allergic to anything but that we should stick with the exclusion diet that helped clear up her extreme exema (think so itchy she scratched her whole body raw in her sleep even). Due to these issues our family's diet is radically different from other kids her age in that it contains almost no packed or processed foods. This kid is thin, but not an unhealthy weight and I have reviewed her diet with a nutritionist to make sure she is getting what she needs. There are plenty of healty foods (fruits, veggies, PB, home made muffins, etc.) to eat around our house and the older kids are generally free to snack as long as it not right before a meal. We do let the kids have an occasional treat as well.

Getting to my point, the issue is that I have been finding candy wrappers stashed in various places around the house, including a pile of them stuffed down into the air vent in my daughters' bedroom. Now you should know that candy is absolutely not allowed into our house. It is filled with corn and corn derivatives and just not fair for a 6 year old to watch other family members eating stuff she can't have. In my search to find out where this stuff was coming from I've been surprised to find that there are multiple sources including people who should know better. I have told various people off for comprimising my child's health and been labeled as a bit of a fanatic and accused of depriving my children of fun (insert rolling eyes here). Since my 9 year old daughter was one of the sources of contaband she will now be banned from candy as well. Unfortunately since she does not have dietary restrictions it is more difficult to get people to stop giving it to her.

Since my kids are at school all day and I be in control all the time, I think my best option is to educate my kids regarding healthy eating while providing them with better alternatives to the super sweet junk food. So, I'm looking for some more yummy, corn and milk free snack ideas that will reassure my kids that they are getting "the good stuff", without sneaking candy. Suggestions are welcome.

ritoosh

there are some vegan snacks that are yummy. like the vegan chocolate chip cookies or some other healthier snacks

steadk

have you tried making your own fruit rollups?? i'm not sure if there is corn in it, but i found the recipe on pintrest... looks good.. good luck in your search

deedee303z

There is a blog that you might find helpful, ChocolateCoveredKatie.com She specializes in vegan healthy desserts (and other things too). At least if they are going to have a sweet treat, it might as well be somewhat healthy, right? She provides nutritional info along with most of the recipes.

vim_n_vigor

Well, at 6, your daughter is old enough to learn that life isn't always going to be fair or equal. My 6 yo is learning that lesson now. Your other children shouldn't face dietary restrictions 24/7 because another child can't have it. That isn't fair. Yet, you are the parent and do have the right/responsibility to make the decisions you feel are in the best interest of your family. You can make your own home-made pop-tarts with much better ingredients and much tastier at home. You can make sweets for your kids without using corn products, there are plenty of recipes online. If you want absolutely no sweets for your kids, I'd have plenty of fruit available for them.

jeddy3mcc

Your right Educating them is the best thing that you can do!!!!

katcunock

hi.

as someone who used to do this as a child, and who spoke to a nutritionist about it as an adult, here is my advice.

Making a food banned makes it a million times more appetising. You should allow your daughter choice over her diet. Think of three meals you'd be happy for her to have and then offer her a choice between them. Allow her the occaisional piece of candy in moderation. Give her ways to control her food intake that are healthy.

kennielod

if you restrict your kids too much theyre eventually gonna rebel and eat junk every possibly time they can
you cant just tell them that they cant have sweets or cookies or whatever
just have healthier alternatives in the house, and if they taste good they'll go for them instead

ironanimal

Now you should know that candy is absolutely not allowed into our house.

Well there's your problem. Maybe she wants to eat like the other more 'normal' kids at school. You are not compromising your childs health by allowing them a piece of candy or chocolate if their diet is otherwise in order.

SoDamnHungry

I would let your kid have some candy. It's good to be healthy, but you're making her the weird kid at school who can't eat anything. Plus, she's not allergic to it, so why isn't she allowed to have it?

MouseFood

hi.

as someone who used to do this as a child, and who spoke to a nutritionist about it as an adult, here is my advice.

Making a food banned makes it a million times more appetising. You should allow your daughter choice over her diet. Think of three meals you'd be happy for her to have and then offer her a choice between them. Allow her the occaisional piece of candy in moderation. Give her ways to control her food intake that are healthy.

SO true ... my mother tried to keep candy out of our house except at Christmas for the most part. She would be upset if a sunday school teacher gave us chocolate, etc, even tho we had no allergy issues ... she didn't want our teeth to rot or for us to get fat ... I GUESS ...

However, this for me led to pretty much a sugar addiction. I would attribute 90% of my overweightness to sugar ... thanks to my mother constantly making such a big issue out of it.

mill1295

You can make your own popsicles with 100% fruit juice.. just need to buy the molds.. Also maybe chocolate chips? They exist without milk and corn but you'll have to look for the right brand. They might be a good treat as to kids it seems like they're getting a lot because they're small..

Don't listen to the other people about 'no candy' being your problem or the kids rebelling.. my husband wasn't allowed sweets and he turned out just fine, just doesn't even like them now.

jensweighingin

Former very restricted eater. I ate everything in sight when I was out of the house and snuck food in there. I'm owning the choices that I make now, but forbidden food was always my passion. If you have treats that both children can enjoy and allow the older child to have an unrestricted diet, you may find the sneaking gone. There's room in every healthy diet for treats in moderation. The cr*p I used to sneak isn't as good as the homemade treats I make and I realize that now!

vim_n_vigor

Now you should know that candy is absolutely not allowed into our house.

Well there's your problem. Maybe she wants to eat like the other more 'normal' kids at school. You are not compromising your childs health by allowing them a piece of candy or chocolate if their diet is otherwise in order.

This too. A total ban of something makes it so much more desirable. My kids don't get a lot of candy. It certainly isn't banned. You find what fits in health constraints and go from there.

MouseFood

Yup.
I used to eat spoons of powered iced tea because i wanted sugar so badly.
As a teen/early 20's, when I got a job, I bought tons of candy and chocolate since i had my own income and could more easily hide what I ate.

Erienneb

I had a serious binge eating problem and I still can't eat in front of my mom because of how she was when I was growing up. She NEVER let me have anything unhealthy even once and if I took a bite of anything at a family party or anything I got yelled at and embarrased in front of anyone. I hid things in my room if friends would give me something...Fast forward to when I start driving and I had my own car and I made frequent stops to fast food and candy stores and would eat in the car. Before I started driving I was 170 lbs and quite fit. I've gotten as high as 307lbs (I'm almost six feet tall) because of the secret eating. I would eat before dinner because my mom wouldn't give me enough or any dessert ever. (she still doesn't want me eating badly even though I'm doing well on the weight loss front)
Now I'm not saying to have unhealthy food all the time, but to be so restrictive with young children is difficult, especially when they have to watch all their friends have everything. Nowadays there are so many alternatives to corn based candies that to find a sweet for a special treat or reward once a week I would think would be a good way to go. Then again, I don't have children of my own, I just am speaking based on my own relationship with my mother and food.

zyxst

Now you should know that candy is absolutely not allowed into our house.

Well there's your problem. Maybe she wants to eat like the other more 'normal' kids at school. You are not compromising your childs health by allowing them a piece of candy or chocolate if their diet is otherwise in order.

Yep.

My daughter hid candy and was very secretive about it (playing Barbies = eating candy). It was very hard for her because candy was okay in my house, but her dad didn't allow it.

I'm sure there are plenty of candies out there that aren't made from corn. If nothing else, learn to make your own so you can let your daughter have candy that you know won't cause her to break out.

MouseFood

Do you know what I see when I go for walks in the afternoon as school is letting out?

TONS of kids going into McDonald's and coming out with burgers in hand, kids coming out of the grocery stores with bags of candy and crisps, munching all the way home ... why? probably because they aren't allowed to have it .

Erienneb

Yup.
I used to eat spoons of powered iced tea because i wanted sugar so badly.
As a teen/early 20's, when I got a job, I bought tons of candy and chocolate since i had my own income and could more easily hide what I ate.

This is how I was! My brother and I would wait till our mom was at work and would literally eat sugar. Our parents used to hide the candy they kept for themselves place so we would raid the house top to bottom and then sneak it.

beckajw

When you make things "absolutely not allowed", children and adults both tend to rebel. You should focus more on teaching her to have a healthy relationship with food. That means teaching her to eat a small piece of candy once in a while. Showing her that candy can be part of a healthy diet.

Pashta

Denying a child something will only make them want it more. Stop doing that to your kids. Let them have some candy once in a while. MODERATION is everything.

hellohappylisa

You gotta learn how to make candy! Or find one that is okay for her to eat, because really, kids have to eat candy. It's what they do.

Val_from_OH

So you restricted the foods to keep your daughter's eczema in check, but she is sneaking them anyway... how is the eczema? If she's not flared up, maybe you could consider loosening the restrictions a little? If/when she does have another flare up and she is itching like mad, that would be a great time to explain to her how her food choices affect her body.

katcunock

equally though i feel i should put put there that too much choice is also not a good thing. You cannot allow a child to eat what they want 24/7, but you can control it by offering them healthy choices which also include things like candy in moderation.

On another note, please do not allow candy to become a 'treat'. find other ways to treat your child other than reinforcing food as positive and loving.

Melolicious

That's a tough one and if being like normal kids means being obese like other kids, feel free. At the end of the day, you are the parent and it's your responsibiity and I think it's totally fair that if one kid can't have it, it doesn't need to be in the house. Forbidding it does unfortunately make it more tempting for some people. Education is what you need and not just from you. She is old enough to visit the nutritionist with you and ask questions herself. I have a trainer who as a busy mom herself believes that you have fit families. They talk about what in candy isn't good - like the sugar is hard on your teeth, the artificial colouring and preservatives, how sugar makes you hyper and then crash, how some foods make your brain foggy. Associate undersirable behaviors or feelings with the food triggers. If she gets itchy, has a tummy ache, a headache, lethargy, grumpyness... ask what did you eat, do you think anything made you feel that way? She's old enough to start making connections that way. Make a list of all the good stuff she likes and promise to keep her favourite fruits and veggies in stock. There are lots of kids programs and resources with healthy eating, like eating a rainbow. She isn't the only kid with food issues, maybe she'll feel better knowing that? Good luck

deedee303z

Not to beat up on you (because, really, I am sure you are doing your best!), but they have a point: My husband grew up with a mother who was fanatical about food. No salt, no sugar, no fat, no processed foods. When he went into the military, they thought he was nuts--as far as he was concerned the food was FANTASTIC. He had never had real whole milk (powdered non-fat milk was what he was used to), bread that tasted like something other than sand, etc. He flat refuses to do any type of restrictive diet to this day and I have to be careful about introducing certain foods--anything that reminds him of his mother's cooking is pretty much a no-go. He still avoids salt and he does eat fairly healthy now...but he'd rather eat less than not have full fat, real sugar type of foods.

daisiemae123

So you restricted the foods to keep your daughter's eczema in check, but she is sneaking them anyway... how is the eczema? If she's not flared up, maybe you could consider loosening the restrictions a little? If/when she does have another flare up and she is itching like mad, that would be a great time to explain to her how her food choices affect her body.

^^ This. As a child with eczema I just really didn't "get it" or the connection when it wasn't bothering me. Fortunately I outgrew it until my 30's. Now I make the decision to still eat certain foods knowing that I will pay for it but I do it in moderation. Perhaps you could also try something like the Unreal candies that are made with out corn syrup etc.

jeme3

I bet, with a little research, you can find some candy or treats that don't contain her triggers.

Allow her to have a reasonable amount as a treat. She needs to learn self control, and that have a restricted diet due to health concerns does not mean being deprived.

jrbb03092

This is a brand available in Canada that does not use corn products in their candies - they make lollipops, gummy bears, gummy worms and candy drops.

http://www.yummyearth.ca/cgi-bin/yummyearth/index.html

You can order and have them ship to you.

I found them on Chowhound and they were recommended by someone who is severely allergic to corn products.

I think you have to let your child have some candy (unless you want her to develop serious eating issues) and I think you could have a small stash for her of corn-free products and then her siblings can have their own small stashes of other candy.

She's old enough to understand that if she eats what they eat it will make her itchy and uncomfortable and that while one or two pieces may be okay, more than that and her body is going to start reacting again. Can you find a book about allergies (I know she's not officially allergic but same difference really if she has such a bad reaction) and read it together so that she has a better understanding that other kids have these issues too and that maybe that you and she are in this together.

There should be a compromise. If she's at a birthday party, let her have a small piece of cake. If she wants something the other kids are having, let her have a piece. Maybe even two. Monitor how she's feeling, how her skin is doing and talk to her about it. If it really makes her feel crummy and she makes the connection, it may be her decision eventually to forgo certain things.

SaraBrown12

Be greatful your not in the UK. My kids are not allowed peanutbutter of anything with nuts in at school. This is due to a small minoritys allergy. Yet in the summer they still have all the windows open and allow the children to play out even tho some suffer from hayfever and allergy to bee and wasp stings. I don't believe children should be deprived of anything unless they are allergic themselves. Stopping them from being exposed from an early age sets them up for a fall as these measures are not made for them in later life.. i e work canteens, shops etc...

alanlmarshall

The dietary needs of a 6 yo are very different than ours. Growing brains need sugar. And food restriction just doesn't work. If it did. this site would not exist, would it?

there is a good video with some sceintific evidence at this address:

http://youtu.be/CNA3zltptmk