Continuing with yesterday’s theme of healthy foods for kids, today I have another video to share with you from Jane Hersey at the Feingold Association. They help families eliminate foods with artificial additives, colors and preservatives, in hopes that kids can be healed of ADHD and other disorders.
Note: eliminating these triggers are just one way to try and heal ADHD, if your child needs the “big guns”, be sure to learn more about the GAPS Diet.
Jane starts by asking how many cherries it takes to make a box of cherry jello. Can you guess?
Only one side note to add before you watch the video:
She shows in the second video how she would choose certain foods over others to avoid the artificial colorings. For example, she would choose the “white cheddar” Kraft mac & cheese over the regular macaroni and cheese to avoid the bright orange color. And this is better than the regular stuff for sure! However, if you're going to buy a boxed food for your kids now and then (hopefully not often!) get what I call, “organic junk food” — so just buy organic to avoid all the scary stuff. Keep in mind though that it’s not that tricky to make homemade macaroni & cheese, honest!
The video is in two parts and runs a total of 14 minutes. Please let me know what you think!
More you might like:
- More on kids’ school lunches & artificial additives.
- Did you see yesterday’s post with the letter I sent to our school superintendent?
- Concerned about kids diets?
- Do you know any overweight kids? OVERWEIGHT KIDS – 16 Ways to Help.
- This post is part of the Get the Junk Out carnival!
Lenetta @ Nettacow says
Thanks for linking up! And thanks also for getting me connected with Jane. That CD was really interesting! When I shared my post on FB, a friend noted that they’d taken their family off additives and it was like night and day for their son. I continue to be amazed (horrified?) at the effect this stuff has on us!
KitchenKop says
Yay! My kids will love you!
Karen C. says
my understanding is that it’s just gelatin. it is on the SCD as approved and one of the first foods you are allowed to eat on the SCD, so I assumed it is ok.
KitchenKop says
Thanks, Karen! (I’m curious what’s in Knox gelatin, though…? I’ve never checked it out.)
KitchenKop says
Hmmmm, jello is just a rare treat my kids get when we’re visiting somewhere, too. I don’t know of a healthier version, instead we just have different treats at home.
Kelly
Karen C. says
Jello is a super easy one. Just by the Knox gelatin and make it with 100% fruit juice. The directions are on the back of the Knox box. Knox gelatin is available everywhere and is usually above the Jello-brand gelatin in the baking aisle. HTH. It is super easy and my kids think it is a big treat.
Meggan says
Hi! I found this post looking for “jello” on your site…We are on vacation at my parents, doing something similar to the 80/20 rule. My mom gave my daughter jello last night and she lOVED it. Not something she has had before, and if I can’t find an alternative, probably won’t have for another year until we visit Grandma again. Do you know of a healthy alternative to jello? My mom does make it with fruit juice and fruit in it, so that is a LITTLE better…but not the healthy make over I’m looking for. Any suggestions??
Thanks!
Kelly says
You guys are SO good! (Do you get sick of me saying it?) I’ve been gone for 3 days (no computer or internet access – it felt great for a change!) and come back and once again see that you’ve all already answered each other with great advice. 🙂
Raine, one more thing I’d add, have you seen this post? https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/02/do-your-kids-eat-junk-food-when-visiting-friends-family-new-random-reader-question.html
Although if you visit with junk-food-family a LOT that would make handling it even trickier.
Good luck Cynthia – I agree with the advice above, except if my only choices were the two you mentioned, I wouldn’t be able to choose either one. I’d have to avoid milk all together OR just get on the phone and start calling everywhere you can think of and ask questions. Also, go to your local WAP chapter meetings and ask them where they get their dairy: https://www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html.
Kelly
karen c. says
to the PP in Ohio, have you tried searching the realmilk.com database or the localharvest.org for alternative sources of dairy? aren’t their a lot of amish farmers in Ohio?
Raine Saunders says
Our worst problems with feeding our son healthy are the times when he is either at my parent’s house or with friends, and of course when we go out to eat (which is very rare). My parents find that there should be no issue feeding him all kinds of garbage, as is also true with some of our close friends who feed their children even worse items. Because he spends so much time with both of these sets of people, I have found that his diet is getting away too far away from (at least for my comfort level) what we typically serve at home which is absolutely no processed foods, grass-fed meats, and organic fruits and vegetables. Does anyone encounter this problem and what do you do about it? Perhaps there is nothing to do except continue to maintain good eating habits and choices at home. I worry that my son will begin to experience failing health from eating unhealthy food at our friends’ homes and his grandparents! I don’t see how anyone can control that much of their children’s food when they are not always at home.
Raine Saunders
Jeanne says
Cynthia– check the ingredient list at Aldi’s for your half and half. I don’t have any in the fridge now, but that is where I bought it when I lived in Ohio. I would go with ultra pastuerized over the one with all the junk added. Or try going to a local small dairy farm and seeing if you can by directly from there.
Lori Sue talk to your preschool director. Does your school provide all the snacks or do parents take turns bring in food to be served? Preschools if licensed by the state have to follow strict guidelines set down by the state, of course mandates vary from state to state. And of course you have schools that do not follow the quidelines every day and just hope that the licensing agent doesn’t pop in that day.
In Ohio the licensed school I taught at could only serve 100% fruit juice, whole milk, or water as beverages. Snack had to contain a dairy (usually cheese), a fruit or vegetable(usually the juice, raisins, grapes,carrot sticks, etc.), and a grain (usually popcorn, grahams, pretzels, cheerios). Ask that your daughters get water instead of the “-ade” drinks. And children at that age will not feel set apart by having a packed from home snack. I would allow them to have special snacks on special days i.e. parties or birthdays. Remember the 80% (eating healthy)-20% (times we can’t control our children’s food– school, family gatherings, visits to friends) rule.
Sassy says
I use milk that is not ultra-pastaurized or homogenized from Whole Foods; Spellmens Dairy I think is the farm. When I run out I put organic, non-sweetened coconut in my Vita-mix for 2 or 3 minutes. It’s a great alternative to milk and after 3 minutes it is hot and great in coffee with a bit of cinnamon for an extra special treat.
Beth says
Cynthia,
Oops, I see you’re in Ohio so ignore my Braums suggestion!
Kelly,
Thanks. I showed these videos to our children. Our oldest has felt bad all day (tired and moody) from some things she ate yesterday, so the timing of your post was perfect.
Beth
Henny says
cynthia, if you use only a small amount of dairy (milk) you could always consider using coconut milk. it’s very high in nutrition and though it sadly does come in a can, it’s still in my opinion better than pasteurized dairy. you can also get it shipped from far from some good companies and organic. granted it’s not a perfect ideal – as it’s canned and shipped (not nearly as healthy as raw and fresh!) but it’s an opinion. (I use it b/c we’re cf/gf due to allergies and celiac)
Henny
Catherine says
Wow! I did not know how much these chemicals could effect the children’s work so much. What a difference.
Catherine
Sabine says
Cynthia,
ever thought about goat or sheep milk?
These milks are mostly sold raw on the farm and are really delicious.
We have an organic goat farmer and a lady with organic sheep milk on our farmers market and my town is really tiny (30,000)
Heather says
Great Great post! I new artifical colors and flavorings are bad I just never new they come from petrolium.
Beth says
Cynthia,
Don’t know about your location, but if you are near Oklahoma and surrounding states and have a Braum’s it may be an alternative for now. They do not use hormones, do not ‘routinely’ give antibiotics, and use low-heat pasteurization. Still conventional but I use their milk to make yogurt and fill in the gaps that we need whenever possible.
Beth
Cynthia says
Kelly and all,
In search of real dairy at our local stores (raw milk cannot be bought in Ohio, and we don’t currently have the option of getting our own cow), I have a dilemma. WalMart sells only ULTRA-pasteurized half and half, cream, etc., both organic and non-organic. I had read your posts about avoiding ULTRA-pasteurization, so I didn’t buy any there. Kroger (our only other store), sells “regular” pasteurized half and half, but imagine my surprise when I read the ingredients to discover corn syrup and titanium dioxide in their half and half! And their organic offerings are all ULTRA-pasteurized! Agh! What’s a person to do? Which would be the lesser of two evils? Ultra-pasteurized/organic cream, etc., that has no additives, or “regular” pasteurized with additives? Pray for our family as we navigate these choices in a tiny town with few options. We are actually surrounded by “agribusiness.” I can get fresh eggs, but no fresh dairy (that I’ve found yet). What’s better for my family (money notwithstanding–can get all these for decent prices with sales and such)? We use a lot of dairy, so I want it to be good for them.
Sabine says
Hi, Kelly,
thank you so much for this post!
Recently I had a hot discussion in a forum about ADHD (and other symtoms) and unhealthy food, and was called nuts for my believe of a connection between them.
But I’m a living example for what real food can do for people.
I don’t suffer anymore from severe PMS and don’t need any painkillers – what a relief!
And “the fog in my head” lifted too, it’s incredible to read the testimonials on the Feingold HP and feel the same.
I wouldn’t believe what real food can effect if I didn’t experienced it.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Beth says
Lorisue,
Is there any way you could provide at least real juice to your child’s class? It would be an added expense. Or maybe send juice just for her and let her eat the snacks – tough choice, I feel for you. And then go from there to tackle the snacks? If your child had an allergy they would accommodate her. You could sell it from that point of view.
Beth
Soli says
LoriSue, you reminded me of when I was recently in Florida visiting my best friend. Her two daughters were in preschool/daycare and one day when picking them up I saw the week’s lunch menu. I was agog, there was fast food on there for about three days of the week. Gross! They go with their own lunch though, because it’s more economical and mom can give them better food.
Soli
Cara says
Avoiding artificial colors and flavors in my new baby (2 years ago) was how we got started on this whole natural foods thing. I was amazed at just what they were in, and kept finding out more ‘nonfood’ items that were marketed as food and kept eliminating them. We’ve still got a way to go. And we’ll homeschool. I’m not thrilled with the education institution anyway, so that’s an easy enough choice for us.
Cara
LoriSue says
I find the most overwhelming part of nutritiously feeding my children to be their going to preschool where they are served “lemonade drink,” “orange ade” drink and a variety of snacks that I would never serve at home. It is difficult for me to decide whether to set my children apart from the others and say I find these foods unacceptable and they may not eat them (and send a packed snack) or to let them have these foods the 3 mornings a week they are in preschool. Making decisions at home are easier and easier, but when at school, friends’ houses, or even relatives it is challenging.