Come on.
We may not have weight or health issues in my house but three out of four of us have peanut allergies. Reading labels is part of my everyday life- so it isn't as though I am completely oblivious about nutritional content. Having my kids return from school every day healthy is a blessing. Not getting a call from the school nurse after a field trip is a relief.
I am the mom who makes a three layer cake to serve for Valentine's Day breakfast...the one who will make queso dip and call it dinner...
You don't want to send your kid to my house because I'll teach them the art of spraying squeezie cheese on a Ritz cracker.
(We have fun in our house and we like to have parties. Lots of themed parties actually...)
In the grand scheme of life, we want our children to be empowered to make good decisions- to find their passions...to be brave and kind.
So in the mother lode of pantries stocked with all the junk food I can fit in my oversized cart (purchased at the remote grocery store so no one would judge), the seven varieties of chips, chocolate pudding, Pop Tarts, chocolate frosted flakes, Oreos, Cheez Its, beef jerky and other staples from my youth sit temptingly every time the door opens.
We may have a box of Krispy Kremes on the counter, but my 6'2" 15 year old will want two eggs for breakfast. Every morning.
We may have a shelf of a dozen fun cereals, but my 13 year old football player insists on making a smoothie with his new Pom juice.
We may have pizza Lunchables in the fridge, but my 10 year old wants to chop green onions and spinach to pack a salad for her middle school lunch.
Who are these people?
These are the same kids who glide by the nutty granola bars and pizza bagels at Trader Joes and fill the cart with seaweed and snap pea snacks.
We can't protect our children forever. Eventually, they do grow up and leave the house. If we want them to make good, smart choices after we drop them at their dorm rooms, we have to let them do this at home first.
In the meantime, I fall asleep to the smell of freshly baked banana bread and the Swede in me will serve my kids strong coffee in the morning because that's what we're supposed to do, right?