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Recognizing my own bias or prejudice .....
Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Oct 15, 2019 | Replies (173)Comment receiving replies
@lioness
I agree that educating children and providing good examples is the key. But we are an instant gratification society and we are surrounded by fast food places wherever we go. Children are bombarded with tv ads. They get use to the salt and sugar at an early age.
I also think that those fast food chains that are advertising “healthier” options are just doing so as a marketing ploy to sucker you in. They don’t want to lose your business so they try to convince you that you are making a good choice when you should not even be in there in the first place. They read the signs of the times just like any other industry. Even the organic stores and whole food stores carry junk...making it organic or gluten free doesn’t always mean it’s healthier. It’s hard for young people not to succumb to what is around them and the influence of their peers. It’s hard for adults too.
People don’t want to be educated or learn about food...they want a quick fix. We are all busy with jobs and raising families. That’s no excuse.
We have to do so much better in this country.
We talk about this all the time in our family and with our friends. It’s hard for me to get off the soapbox at times but hopefully some of my rants didn’t fall on deaf ears.
FL Mary back from the gym and a healthy lunch...yes I’m proud of me lol.
Replies to "@lioness I agree that educating children and providing good examples is the key. But we are..."
@imallears : stay on your soapbox. I was a stay-at-home mom to 3 kids most of my life... not necessarily by choice. When I came to the US, smack into the middle of a booming textile industry, I was elated. With a BS in textile engineering I thought I had it made. Nope, even though I had had relevant employment in Austria and Switzerland, the new South wasn’t quite ready for the female engineer at the time.
Anyway, with a single earner household there was pretty much no eating out, especially not fast food. Cooking from scratch, a good bit of vegetables raised in my garden, meat sparingly, home-baked bread, etc. - you get the idea. So my kids grew up fairly healthy, and they also always participated in school athletics. Fast forward: oldest son has married a very health conscious wife, and he himself takes great care of his body. Second son is the main cook in his house because he enjoys it, is good at it, and also keeps it on the healthy side. At age 44 he still sports a 32” waist. Daughter has some spare pounds (about 10), single mom, working highly paid, but highly stressful job with frequent 12 hour workdays. When she can, she cooks, and does it well, but sometimes good intentions fall by the wayside because of time pressure.
All in all, I think I laid a good foundation. For example, whenever I had to take the kids along to the grocery store, I was able for years to convince them that the candy displays near the checkout counters were just advertising samples for the big bags found in the candy isle. I NEVER had any whining for treats because the kids just assumed that the individual sweets were not for sale. Mean? It worked, until the kids were old enough to know they would not get any, no matter what, and never any of the tantrums i often see with children today.
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@imallers I agree with everything you said . I know it is hard I don't really know what the answer is since the fast foods and ads are everywhere . Wonder how the other countries did it like India. My daughter in law her parents are from India an she is a vegan son is vegetarian so they are watching what my grandson eats but he is now going into the teen age years so I'm sure things will change . But I hope not , will see.