Parenting in an age of Pinterest/FB/etc

[ringstrue]

OMG WHY AM I JUST NOW LEARNING ABOUT SUNBUTTER!!!!

[mominatrix]

Aug 21, 2012 13:24:38 GMT -5 emmybean said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:07:25 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Kinda.
The people where B goes to preschool sent out a memo about how to do lunches...And I do try to comply. So her lunches have been:

a protein + a grain; an additional snack (but only 1 grain per meal); a veggie; and a fruit. They're really anti yogurt.

So, a meal for her would be:

A sunbutter sandwich (on store bought bread)
A cheese stick
Some frozen peas, or fresh green beans
A peach or a plum or some grapes

I don't send them in ziplock bags, because we're trying to be green and reuse as much as possible.


...but, yeah. I'm so over the "everything has to look good and be perfect" stage of parenting.

This made me make the most ridiculous wtf face. I can't hang.

Yeah, I know. For a school that's all mellow and hippie dippie, they're weirdly controlling about food. You should see the list of "nos" on stuff we're expected to bring for shared classroom snacks.

...but, wednesday is her last day, then it's on to the free wheeling world of public school, where I can actually send her with peanut butter.

Problem is, I've gotten in the habit of her lunches being like this. And, they're good and healthy. And, most importantly, she pretty much eats them.

[wawa]

Aug 21, 2012 13:22:59 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:19:49 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

do you get judged if you use nutella instead of sunbutter?

...at least at B's current school, no nut products are allowed in lunches at all. So, no nutella either.


One of my mom-friends forgot and showed up with peanut butter cookies for a bake sale there once. A bunch of moms noshed them in the kitchen before anybody knew about them. It was like we were smoking weed, the illicit secrecy of it.

ooooohhh...you bad...ohhhhhh

Curious - Is there a kid in the school with a nut allergy, or is it just a regular policy?

Nut free schools as just a matter of full time policy confuse me. Why just that one allergen? Is it really that much more common of an allergy than other typical anaphalacticantspell triggers? (dairy, eggs, seafood, etc) I'm actually asking. I don't know.

[mominatrix]

Aug 21, 2012 13:29:17 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I just learned they make this

You've had Speculoos, right?

Tell me you've had Speculoos.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2012 13:29:17 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I just learned they make this

OMFG. I must have this. Like, now. ::off to Amazon::

[ringstrue]

Aug 21, 2012 13:22:59 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:19:49 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

do you get judged if you use nutella instead of sunbutter?

...at least at B's current school, no nut products are allowed in lunches at all. So, no nutella either.


One of my mom-friends forgot and showed up with peanut butter cookies for a bake sale there once. A bunch of moms noshed them in the kitchen before anybody knew about them. It was like we were smoking weed, the illicit secrecy of it.

duuude - this is so us. PB is like the forbidden fruit now. Whenever I'm at the store alone I'm like "EAT ALL THE REESE'S PB CUPS!"

One day we'll have a liquor cabinet full of PB products. DD will find it when she is 12 and be like "WHY DO YOU HAVE PB IN THE HOUSE YOU KNOW I'M ALLERGIC" and we'll be all "We know but we love it!!! ::sob, sob::"

[wawa]

Aug 21, 2012 13:31:24 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:29:17 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I just learned they make this

Have you seen the one with honey in it? We have some in our cupboard right now. The honey kind of crystallizes and gets crunchy. It's delicious.

but is it part of a nutritious breakfast???

[wawa]

Aug 21, 2012 13:34:20 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

what is this Speculoos that you speak of?

is this the stuff that tastes like those delicious airplane cookies all mashed up?

[IIOY]

Aug 21, 2012 13:30:58 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:22:59 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

...at least at B's current school, no nut products are allowed in lunches at all. So, no nutella either.


One of my mom-friends forgot and showed up with peanut butter cookies for a bake sale there once. A bunch of moms noshed them in the kitchen before anybody knew about them. It was like we were smoking weed, the illicit secrecy of it.

ooooohhh...you bad...ohhhhhh

Curious - Is there a kid in the school with a nut allergy, or is it just a regular policy?

Nut free schools as just a matter of full time policy confuse me. Why just that one allergen? Is it really that much more common of an allergy than other typical anaphalacticantspell triggers? (dairy, eggs, seafood, etc) I'm actually asking. I don't know.

I'm no expert on all food allergies, but some kids are so sensitive that merely having peanuts or anything made with peanuts in the vicinity can trigger a reaction. As for my son, he can eat eggs or tree nuts and not die. If he eats peanuts, we're in the ER and praying.

[statlerwaldorf]

DD is going to the public preschool and they have a big thing about what you can and can't bring. She's not even going full day, so she only have a snack.

There is a snack time each day. Parents will need to provide a nutritious
snack and a drink for their child each day. Our licensing guidelines require
the snack to contain foods from at least two food groups. These groups are:
• fruit/vegetable,
• grain,
• milk/dairy, and
• meat.
(PLEASE NOTE that only 100% fruit juice can count for the fruit group.)
The minimum portion size for a 3-6 year old are protein – 1 ½ oz.; grain – 1
slice of bread or ¼ cup of crackers, cereal or pasta; fruit/veg. – ½ cup; dairy – ½
cup or serving size of cheese. Some suggestions are raisins, fruit cup, graham
crackers, animal crackers, cheese crackers, yogurt, cheese, and applesauce.
PLEASE NOTE that fruit snacks, yogos or processed cheese spread does not
count as food group. A juice box or juice in a sippy cup is fine.

[mominatrix]

Aug 21, 2012 13:30:58 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:22:59 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

...at least at B's current school, no nut products are allowed in lunches at all. So, no nutella either.


One of my mom-friends forgot and showed up with peanut butter cookies for a bake sale there once. A bunch of moms noshed them in the kitchen before anybody knew about them. It was like we were smoking weed, the illicit secrecy of it.

ooooohhh...you bad...ohhhhhh

Curious - Is there a kid in the school with a nut allergy, or is it just a regular policy?

Nut free schools as just a matter of full time policy confuse me. Why just that one allergen? Is it really that much more common of an allergy than other typical anaphalacticantspell triggers? (dairy, eggs, seafood, etc) I'm actually asking. I don't know.

It's not that it's more common, but my understanding is that peanut allergies are more likely to cause these dramatic, life-threatening reactions than other allergies. Couple that with how common peanuts are in the lives of kids, and you have problems.

So... eggs and dairy might make kids sick, but they'll survive.

Shellfish might make for that anaphalactic, death's door reaction, but how many kids are packing shrimp in their lunches?

But peanuts can cause these terrible deathly reactions, even in miniscule quantities... and peanut butter is everywhere in kid-land... therefore, lots of no-peanut policies.



My understanding is that it's pretty much a constant policy there. There's a sheet up in the kitchen that lists all the kids with allergies (and food preferences, like religious restrictions and vegetarianism). There are a couple with nut allergies.

But even if there wasn't one enrolled, you just never know with siblings and friends and etc around.

I'm actually OK with the policy... and a little weirded out because the public school where B will be in Kinder doesn't have one, and I know already of one very-allergic-to-peanuts kid in the Kinder.

[Michelle]

Aug 21, 2012 13:15:49 GMT -5 aw said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:12:19 GMT -5 NitaX said:

This! I'm like What is this sunbutter that you speak of.

A PB alternative made from sunflower seeds instead of peanuts. It tastes horrible, but since my kids have never had peanut butter (due to allergies) they don't know the difference.

Dude - I usually appreciate your perspective on most things but you are off your rocker with this one.

Sunbutter is like heaven melting in one's mouth. It's God's rays of sunshine on my palette.


Almond butter is a close second.

[wawa]

Aug 21, 2012 13:36:09 GMT -5 IIOY said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:30:58 GMT -5 wawa said:

ooooohhh...you bad...ohhhhhh

Curious - Is there a kid in the school with a nut allergy, or is it just a regular policy?

Nut free schools as just a matter of full time policy confuse me. Why just that one allergen? Is it really that much more common of an allergy than other typical anaphalacticantspell triggers? (dairy, eggs, seafood, etc) I'm actually asking. I don't know.

I'm no expert on all food allergies, but some kids are so sensitive that merely having peanuts or anything made with peanuts in the vicinity can trigger a reaction. As for my son, he can eat eggs or tree nuts and not die. If he eats peanuts, we're in the ER and praying.

right, I TOTALLY understand having a nut free policy when you have a student who is allergic. i just don't understand why just that one allergen is often under a standing ban even if nobody in the class is allergic.

is it an age thing? when do nut allergies tend to show up?

ETA: just saw momin's response.

siblings and such hadn't occured to me. And I guess peanuts and everything are just everywhere.

[earlgreyhot]

Aug 21, 2012 13:32:17 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:29:17 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I just learned they make this

You've had Speculoos, right?

Tell me you've had Speculoos.

Speculoos is a recent discovery for me...and OMFG!! CRACK!! That and any chocolate-butter is banned from my house. I can't control myself.

As for my kid's lunches...I spread spinach dip on a sandwich and use a large animal cookie cutter I have. He gets the animal and I eat the "offal." That's about as fancy as I get.

[epphd]

Haven't read the rest of the thread, but you are not alone. More, I helped wrangle a class trip for Sam's DC and of the 12 kids there, the lunches ranged from fancy (Sam's on this occasion was - it was leftover roast chicken, panzanella salad and fresh blueberries) to squeeze yogurt and sammie, to an eclectic assortment of chopped tofu, chilled shrimp, string cheese and packaged appelsauce. From what I can tell, most parents put together that which they had handy and any possible leftover. And all the kids ate and seemed happy. Hooray!

I will say this - Sam's lunches at DC have to have a fruit, a veggie, grains and a protein. I sent him to school with grilled salmon, strawberry and spinach salad and blueberries and got a nastygram that he was lacking grains. So now I send some crackers :/

[mominatrix]

Aug 21, 2012 13:35:27 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:34:20 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

what is this Speculoos that you speak of?

is this the stuff that tastes like those delicious airplane cookies all mashed up?

Yes. Yes it is.

It's cookie butter. Like, imagine if peanut butter was made not of peanuts, but of COOKIES. Delicious cookies.

It's a Danish thing, available in the kind of markets where they sell euro stuff, and there's also a Trader Joe's version.

[frlcb]

Aug 21, 2012 13:39:08 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:36:09 GMT -5 IIOY said:

I'm no expert on all food allergies, but some kids are so sensitive that merely having peanuts or anything made with peanuts in the vicinity can trigger a reaction. As for my son, he can eat eggs or tree nuts and not die. If he eats peanuts, we're in the ER and praying.

right, I TOTALLY understand having a nut free policy when you have a student who is allergic. i just don't understand why just that one allergen is often under a standing ban even if nobody in the class is allergic.

is it an age thing? when do nut allergies tend to show up?

ETA: just saw momin's response.

siblings and such hadn't occured to me. And I guess peanuts and everything are just everywhere.

Our school has a firm no peanuts ever anywhere in the school policy, all the time. But we go to a super hippy school and find that there are TONS of allergies in the school, much more than my son's new school which is not a hippy school. This is a correlation purely in my head but it seems like children of hippies have lots of food allergies.

(I am joking by the way, but it is weird)

[Melissa W.]

I send leftovers from the night before all the time. Sometime Madilyn will ask for them or make a point to say that she doesn't want them. I've also been letting her pack her own lunch under supervision. I'm big on the "I am not your servant" thing lately.

[Michelle]

Oh, and Septimus, flame away, but I totally plan to spoil the ridiculousness out of my daughter with her lunches until she tells me to stop because I'm embarrassing her.

Get ready to +o(
(and I'm sorry for huge images - I don't know how to make them smaller here)

To prepare for Kindergarten, I have used a lot of Pinterest inspiration to:

Create this get-ready-for-mornings and nights door hanger:



These butterfly clothes hangers to pinch down the middle of her cracker/fruit ziplock snack bags:


and I bought castle, butterfly, heart, etc. sandwich slicers because she hates wheat bread crust but will eat the sandwich without the crusts... if I have to cut them off to get her to eat wheat bread I might as well use something like a cookie cutter to make her sammich cute too. :-)

Oh yeah and to rotate with butterflies I discovered I can toss in fruit in fish shapes using the same idea and a pipe cleaner... I made this as a little token thank you to her swim teacher (and we have tons of googly eyes and crafty stuff to whip up all kinds of creations in less time than it takes me to drink my coffee in the morning).



She won't get this every single day but I'll toss in some fun a few times a week.

And I also got start-shaped and heart-shaped post-its to write my daily love note on.

Go ahead. Barf away. ;D

[aw]

So I am the only one who thinks sunbutter tastes like +o( ?

Are you guys buying the sweetened kind or the plain? We buy the plain, so maybe that's the difference? Someone school me on what type actually tastes good, because I want to buy that one.

[Michelle]

AW, I'm sure the kind I buy is sweetened.

ETA - but if you make it tolerable with lots of jam, you may not be able to cut back on the jam without a revolt, lol.

[ringstrue]

Re: Daycares - I can see having food guidelines. A handful of DDs friends can be found sitting at the table eating something their parents gave them for breakfast (they get a snack from daycare at 9am so this is optional) either cereal or graham crackers in the morning - one girl came in each morning with mcdonalds - every time. There is something especially PITA-worthy about having to pack something for your kid that they will actually eat and IDK that if I had to provide food for DD for daycare that my choices would be any healthier.

Re: PB in schools. I think this issue with PB is that its SOOOOOO common in kid's foods AND its a sticky spread. Fish and eggs are both decidedly unsticky and also uncommon in kids lunches. Seriously, my version of hell is entering a room with DD where some young kids have been eating PB crackers. You'll find PB streaks ev.er.y.whe.re. And I dunno that elementary-school aged kids are the model for wiping their faces and hands after eating, kwim?

[terpsfan]

Aug 21, 2012 13:32:51 GMT -5 ringstrue said:

One day we'll have a liquor cabinet full of PB products. DD will find it when she is 12 and be like "WHY DO YOU HAVE PB IN THE HOUSE YOU KNOW I'M ALLERGIC" and we'll be all "We know but we love it!!! ::sob, sob::"

My DD has a tree nut allergy, I'm like this with pesto. If we go out to eat on a kid free date or something I'm ALL about the pesto. And nutella. And almond anything... It's liberating eating without guidelines!

[pixy0stix]

I want to buy an egg mold. For me. Cause... hi! Cute!

[firedancer10288]

Aug 21, 2012 13:14:14 GMT -5 ttt said:

I don't know what sunbutter is, exactly, but I know that's what you're supposed to use instead of peanut butter because of allergies. Whatever sunbutter is made of, apparently you can't be allergic to it? I don't know.

I hope that's not their reasoning. I'm deathly allergic to tree nuts AND seeds (including sunflower)...but I can have peanuts.

[meshaliuknits]

Aug 21, 2012 13:37:40 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Almond butter is a close second.

Almond butter is a sad, dry, sad substitute to peanut butter. I hate that it even lives in my house.

If you're going to get exotic, cashew butter is where it's at. I hear good things about pistachio butter, but I'm not throwing down $25 on a jar, even if it is the most delightful shade of green.

[copzgirl1171]

I would have to give my kids up if I had to abide by all these rules and shit.

It makes me sad to think of them not with me but fuck it all if I am spreading nut substitute on a card board applique of wheat bread and calling it lunch.

[cjeanette]

I stopped packing them altogether. School lunch for my kid. He's still alive so far.

[Michelle]

Aug 21, 2012 14:23:45 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Aug 21, 2012 13:37:40 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Almond butter is a close second.

Almond butter is a sad, dry, sad substitute to peanut butter. I hate that it even lives in my house.

If you're going to get exotic, cashew butter is where it's at. I hear good things about pistachio butter, but I'm not throwing down $25 on a jar, even if it is the most delightful shade of green.

Mmmm I like it.

But I don't buy it regularly so it may not be as versatile.

[Deleted]

I am just going back to work in September and I was super nervous what kind of guidelines would be sent home for lunches. Luckily, the daycare we chose feeds them lunch plus two snacks and even breakfast if we pay extra. I am safe from this cute lunch hell until K (daycare goes until Pre-K, phew).

FTR, the daycare lunch menu also excludes peanut products as a general precaution.

Lastly, I <3 Speculoos. Have you guys tried the Trader Joe's chocolate bar named that? Nom nom nom.