Food shopping...with the kids?

"Mom. Can we get gummies?"

Whenever my kids want to tag along with me to the grocery store, it's inevitable there will be requests that will make me cringe. It's not at total nightmare; things are great when we shop the perimeter. Picking out favorite "Banilla" yogurt, cheese sticks, hummus, fruits ("Don't forget the green apples Mom!) and veggies.  It's when we enter the middle of the store. The place where boxes covered in characters of T.V. shows or movies live. This is where things go bad pretty fast! 

"Mom, can we get gummies?" My son asks picking up a box with Spider-Man's big head plastered on the front. (Insert cringe here)

My first reaction is to say "Good grief, No!" For I know what's in these things....but my son doesn't! So instead of my knee-jerk reaction of No, I decide to make this trip into a little learning lesson. 

"Well, let's read the label and see what's inside the box." 

Ingredients : Corn Syrup, Sugar, Apple Puree Concentrate, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Gelatin, contains two percent or less of Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural and Artificial Flavor , Coconut Oil*, Carnauba Wax, Red #40, Yellow #5, Sodium Citrate, Blue #1.
*Adds a Trivial Amount of Fat.

I explained to him that corn syrup and the food dye is unhealthy for him; "Yucky Stuff".  This was met with a groan. "Let's find a healthier alternative."  I tell him. Not only do I not want to be the No Monster, but I realize that if I meet him half way, getting a gummy I'm ok with him having as a treat only, we both leave the store happy. So we settled on an organic brand that uses fruit juices, cane sugar and turmeric and other veggies for color. It's still a gummy, but I can be ok with this particular one. 

We read many more labels during our shopping trip, because he's 9. And I'm a mom and want what's best for him. It's not uncommon for me to hear "Mom, I really wish you weren't a health coach!" To this I reply, "One day you will thank me. It won't be today but someday you will."

Someday my kids will understand why I'm so stricked about the food they nourish themselves with. My hopes are that when they have their own kids they will do the same thing as me. I have a feeling they will and that makes me smile!

Until we get home and I hear him tell his sister; "Mom won't buy Gatorade because there's too much "sugar" in it!" (Enter air quotes and groaning voice here.)

To this I laugh! 😆