The good old (dirty and smelly) days
Every modern parent knows that sending your kid to school with a peanut butter sandwich or a nut bar could get your kid sent home. I lament the days when I used to be able to trade up my PB&J sandwiches at the school cafeteria. And while I sympathize with parents whose kids are living with potentially deadly reactions to basic food items in our less tolerant food society, I think we have come to a tipping point. I had heard, and was confirmed by a Google search that a parent was campaigning to have the school yard’s oak trees removed citing an acorn threat to kids with allergies. Not sure how this ended, but this example certainly demonstrates very polar and visceral views of the topic.
Our child was born to two parents whose families have no allergies or food reactions. And while we were told by the pediatrician to introduce foods gradually to our infant daughter, the purpose wasn’t solely to discover innate metabolic reactions; for us, it was an approach to finding out likes and dislikes. At the end of the day, nutrition was the primary reason for introducing any foods to her. She is very lucky as we have discovered that she has no food allergies. She doesn’t like eggs, until I discovered that she like my friend’s scrambled eggs better than mine — personally slighted — but still no food allergies.
Although my daughter has no allergy to peanut butter, she hates it. But once a year, I make her a peanut butter (the real kind that you have to stir the oil which pools on top) sandwich to eat. She takes a bite and hands me the rest. This way, her body never forgets the exposure and hopefully never loses her tolerance. Me thinks.
As many of you know from reading my parenting experiences, I try not to raise my daughter in a bubble. Even from the days of daycare, it used to bring a smile to my face when I would pick her up and collect her mud-caked rain gear and soggy boots. She had a great day outside! Contrast that with a comment I had heard at the time from a mom, “Oh, Johnny, these clothes were brand new and now they are dirty!” I bit my lip and moved on. I think worse things can happened to kids eating dirt. I also feel that there is a movement to put away the disinfectant and bring back the dirtiness!
I’m no doctor and please do not take my advice as an approach to deal with your child’s allergies to the environment, but I am glad to see that pockets of society is realizing that sterile, prepackaged goodness is not exactly that at all. The one thing my mother did when I was growing up with my siblings was she cooked from scratch. I have learned to do the same. Not because I want to be a great chef, but I find home cooking to be far superior nutritionally and economically.
Prior to a 3 hour hike my daughter and I was planning, we went to a grocery store and purchased 2 bananas, 2 apples, 2 oranges and some grapes as snacks. This entire grocery bill cost me $2.75. We brought our own water. Her energy throughout the hike was good; she didn’t feel hungry and by the time we finished around 5pm, she was ready for dinner. It was a far better alternative to packaged cheese/crackers and chips and low calorie food with high sugar drink that would have spoiled her dinner. Go scratch if you can. Even now, a lot of theme parks allow picnic areas so you don’t need to buy low nutrient, nitrate infused foods at captive prices. Buying cold cuts and croissants and a small head of lettuce could make 6 sandwiches for the cost of one at most venues. In the long run eating natural foods is better for your body and wallet.
Although my daughter has no allergy to peanut butter, she hates it. But once a year, I make her a peanut butter (the real kind that you have to stir the oil which pools on top) sandwich to eat. She takes a bite and hands me the rest. This way, her body never forgets the exposure and hopefully never loses her tolerance. Me thinks.