DH is an almond dad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

What OP discribed is NOT normal eating behavior.

It is not healthy eating.

It is an eating disorder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

His flipping out over food and cutting out grandparents from their lives because of a few cookies is an irrational, unhealthy, emotional response to good and is just as harmful as someone becoming 300 lbs because sugar is the only thing that made them feel loved as a kid, or an anorexic starving themselves because eating just 5 almonds a day gives them an emotional high because they think it makes them diciplined.

An irrational, emotional, strong negsitive response to food is far more damaging to the kid than giving them a poptart for breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH cooks normal, home cooked meals for our family: chicken parmesan, stuffed peppers, shredded chicken meals, homemade pizza, even burgers. There is always, always a vegetable and maybe a hidden vegetable too (he likes to hide lentils) and the kids drink water or milk. He has zero issue with bread, butter or even dessert once a week. Carbs are okay, as are fats and calories; sugar and processed foods are not okay. Our kids are very adventurous eaters and even like spicy foods. We let them have pizza, juice, and cupcakes at birthday parties.

But DH basically has a heart attack anyone else tries to feed our kids. He goes berserk over anything but water and milk. He goes berserk over things like french fries, garlic bread (the kind you buy in the frozen food section), fast food, tater tots, dessert after every meal. Kids can't order off the kids menu at restaurants if it comes with a free drink. In fact, we rarely eat out because of the food quality being sub par. Both sets of our parents drive us crazy, especially with the juice and dessert, but so does the school meals. Even if we feed our kids breakfast, school is always giving them a free honey bun on their way in the door. On road trips or all day excursions (like to the zoo), DH packs sandwiches for everyone and passes those out. He's also famous for giving our kids nuts when they're hungry (hence the almond dad moniker) or carrot sticks.

WHY is he like this?!? He's been thin his entire life and was a college athlete, even while he eats multiple dinners a night. I'm actually the one who semi had an eating disorder and who has always had to struggle to stay thin. Logically I understand why our kids need the best nutrition that they can and I also agree with him on the importance of kids being in normal body weights to set them up for health later in life. But man, I'm tired you guys. I either have to constantly be yelling at my kids not to eat my parents' food, or dh is constantly upset with the kids and I. We're around my parents a lot and they eat trash food constantly and want to "treat" the kids with trash food too. It's my fault for my parents sneaking my kids a 2nd ice cream bar or letting them drink juice and root beer.

Anyone else have an almond dh?

I think your DH is totally in line! I respect his honesty and healthy choices #teamalmonddad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I kind of agree with him. Homemade food is great. Processed stuff is bad.

He should lighten up a bit about others, but his general philosophy about food is good.

Agree. If more American parents were like this, Americans would be healthier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

What OP discribed is NOT normal eating behavior.

It is not healthy eating.

It is an eating disorder.

And I'm sure you are the vision of health! Quick to the defense. *giggles*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It's interesting how divided the responses seem to be. Half the respondents think DH is reasonable and half think he's insane and we should give the kids junk food.

DH isn't actually rigid or controlling. He just doesn't buy junk food or processed food, but it's not like you have to try really hard to avoid that. Our kids aren't super interested in soda or junk food either, it's the grandparents who are really pushing it. A lot of DH's concerns stem from the health problems that my family has.

He also thinks it's important for kids to be active, but the kids think that's super fun how he goes out and throws balls, hikes, bikes, plays tag with them (they don't see it as a drill sergeant forcing pushups or making them run laps, which he doesn't do). I guess it's the same as me making sure I read to them all for 30 min a day.

Don't get me wrong, our kids have treats. Ice cream and chocolate mostly.

I think it's me with the anxiety knowing that my parents are sneaking my kids stuff behind our backs and then dh will be annoyed again. They've done it so many times, which is when dh goes berserk. Sometimes I think they do it on purpose just to piss us off. My parents won't stop. They also don't listen to us. For instance, they'll say "oh it's sugar free juice- see?" When dh and I think regular juice is better than some weird artificial sweeteners. They think we care about calories.

The people who think your husband is reasonable have eating disorders and controlling personalities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

What OP discribed is NOT normal eating behavior.

It is not healthy eating.

It is an eating disorder.

And I'm sure you are the vision of health! Quick to the defense. *giggles*

Nope.

Skinny from a healthy culture country.

Yelling about food, having "heart attacks"and "going beserk" over treats and wanting to cut grandparents out of their lives, as well as making the wife walk on eggshells over food is NOT healthy or normal.

Healthy people don't act like this over food.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the husband would benefit from scheduling an appointment with a licensed nutritionist, so he can discuss ways to het healthier habits and improve his relationship with food.

[Anonymous]

He even makes burgers!!!! Wowza

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I kind of agree with him. Homemade food is great. Processed stuff is bad.

He should lighten up a bit about others, but his general philosophy about food is good.

Agree. If more American parents were like this, Americans would be healthier.

And more in therapy. The DH is uber controlling in a horrible way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

What OP discribed is NOT normal eating behavior.

It is not healthy eating.

It is an eating disorder.

And I'm sure you are the vision of health! Quick to the defense. *giggles*

We know a couple families like this. Their kids go crazy when there is an opportunity for junk food. It’s not as big of a deal to the kids who get it once in a while. Good luck when they go to college and have full control!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s not actually about the food. It’s about control.

Disagree. It is about the food. There is so much garbage food being bombarded at kids from all directions- including school. It’s insane and makes normal parents wanting their kids to eat reasonable homemade foods seem insane. And it is never “just this once.” In our current society, kids are given garbage processed foods daily by everyone around them them- even if their parents dont

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems extreme to me. I would be worried about giving my kids a complex.

Oh goodness. I'd rather my children have a "complex" about healthy eating habits than be obese any day.

Most adults who are obese do so because, in part, they have an unhealthy relationship with food (aka a complex).

Being hyper controlling of your kids’ food so they don’t end up obese is like sending them to play in traffic so they don’t get hit by cars.

75% of adults are overweight. I’m pretty sure the majority of those people aren’t overweight because Mom and Dad fed them heathy home cooked meals as kids and limited their junk food.

The truth is we live in a society where is is very hard for just about everyone to not overeat junk food. You have to be making conscious efforts to eat well and exercise. And that is what you need to teach your kids. But odds are they will grow up and eat too much junk anyway regardless

[Anonymous]

Soooo many orthorexics on this thread -- it's troubling.

These kids are getting healthful, whole foods at home. They know what it tastes like, they like how it tastes, they like how it makes them feel. At least, I assume they do. As they get older, they'll be increasingly inclined to eat the stuff that's better for them because that's what healthy people do: they listen to their bodied.

That is, unless someone sets up Cap'n Crunch and Tater Tots as forbidden fruit. Then all bets are off.

How many of you doomsayers are constantly fighting the lure of Ho-Hos and hot dogs *for yourseles*? And how many of you would rather have something OP's spouse would approve of, even though you might not want to eat it with him, because yuck?

[Anonymous]

we all had kids we grew up with that came over just for the snacks that they weren’t allowed to have at home. And then they go to college. 2/3 kids I knew growing up like this are significantly overweight now. Making anything forbidden usually backfires. It’s the same thing with ipad/video game/technology free households. Those kids go over a friends house and just binge when the host kid just actually wants to physically play outside.