Saturday, March 29, 2008

A glimmer of hope via...yogurt?

It all started back when they were infants, and I was making all the boys' baby food. B-man didn't really like any of it. Okay, I'm fine with that...it's great for kids to develop their own palates. Well, one day I gave them a jar of baby food instead of homemade. It was peas. B-man loved it.

And so the stage was set for the past two years. Anything delicious, B-man (and often N-man, too) turn their noses up. Inferior versions of the same food, they chow down.

But now I finally see a glimmer of hope. And oddly, yogurt is the cause of this happiness. See, the other day I got some neat Horizon yogurt tubes. I wanted B-man to eat some yogurt to help counteract the effects of the antibiotics he is taking, and this seemed like a fun treat. Well, boy oh boy, did it go over great! They ate the whole box as quick as I would let them, along with a little help from TK.

The next time I went shopping, I had to go to Stop and Shop to pick up some prescriptions. Anyone who shops at S & S knows it's not great source of organic choices. I mean, you do okay if you search, but needless to say, they didn't have the Horizon yogurt tubes. But I really wanted the yogurt, as I was there picking up yet another antibiotic prescription. My only choice was something by Yoplait, with Scooby Doo plastered on the front. At least they had the good graces not to call it yogurt. It was "Rogurt". And the flavors? Again, we got some nondescript names that at least didn't pretend to be actual fruit flavors. Shaggy's Like Cool Punch and 'Rawberry. I guess "Red-dyed High Fructose Corn Syrup and Artificial Flavoring" was too long a name to fit on the tube.

I was betting the boys would love it. And when I saw the day-glo colors after opening the first tube, I figured my days of them eating the healthier, more appetizing Horizon brand with flavors like blueberry and strawberry were coming to a screeching halt.

But then, wonder of wonders, they both took a bite or two and put it aside. B-man asked for the other kind of yogurt. It was my proudest moment. They made a food choice with which I can agree! Hurrah!

Maybe one day they'll be eating bagels with hummus, instead of "plain, Mommy!" Or pizza covered in veggies, instead of just pizza crusts. Or any kind of veggie. Wait, let's not get crazy...

Random unrelated thought: I finish The Omnivore's Dilemma and really loved it. I found it incredibly interesting and very readable as well as informative. I don't think I'll be foraging for wild mushrooms, or salt, or yeast anytime soon, but it was a book I very much enjoyed.

I'm now reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (a zillion thanks to Gio for letting me borrow hers, dropping it off at my house on the crazy day I last blogged about). It's odd reading it in such close succession to The Omnivore's Dilemma, as there is a lot of content overlap. I know many of my book group members are not enjoying the book, but I'm really finding it interesting, and a quick read. I'm skimming some of the more over-the-top parts, and forgiving some of the "she didn't just say something that sanctimonious, did she?" parts. I think it's really helping this book that I am reading it in succession with The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's a book I look forward to picking up, and really, that's all I ask of my books.

2 comments:

Snickollet said...

Isn't it gratifying when your kids make a healthy food choice on their own? The other day I offered the twins a choice between a (store-bought generic) chocolate-chip cookie or a slice of (homemade, whole-wheat, low-sugar) banana bread, and they chose the bread. Yeah!!

I'm liking Animal, Vegetable more as I get into it. Either B.K. is getting less preachy or I'm getting used to her tone, but either way, my enjoyment level is up. Glad you liked Omnivore's Dilemma--it's one of my all-time nonfiction faves.

Unknown said...

I'm on antibiotics now and am terrified of E and I getting thrush again (5 months total has been enough). I take probiotic caplets 3 times a day and sprinkle some on her food. She eats yogurt fine, but I want her to get more of the probiotic. Ya can't taste it and it works like a charm...just in case B man decides not to eat yogurt in the future!