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That's right- we are in for quite the ride! We (I, with John's support) have decided that we are going to remove as much processed white sugar from our diet as much as possible. While we aren't going through the cupboards like mad, throwing out everything that has sugar in it (which is oddly, just about everything!) we are going to use up what we have & then it's adios to the (delicious) white stuff (addictive chemical).

While there are tons of substitutes for sugar, we are going to try & stick with local honey, 100% maple syrup, & taking advantage of other sweet things like bananas & applesauce in place of sugar because, really, like I'm going to give up baking?!

I have a few reasons for this craziness. First of all, it's all Ruby's fault. Seriously. I have especially been thinking about how I want her to grow up actually enjoying real foods that aren't processed & looking forward to fresh fruits & seasonal vegetables because she likes them. I don't want them to be a torture device. And although John & I enjoy our share of vegetables (kind of), we aren't really "fruit people," so we've got some expanding to do. I want to be a good role model for our daughter & if I'm not eating my fruits & veggies, she probably won't either.

There is this statement I cut out of an article from Clean Eating (a superb magazine, by the way) & I have it taped up on our cupboard. It says, "Like Mother, Like Child. The most important influence on toddlers' eating habits may well be what & how their mother eats, says researcher Mildred Horodynski from Michigan State University's College of Nursing. Her study of 400 women found that their children- aged one to three- were far less likely to consume vegetables & fruits if their mother avoided these essential foods. Plus, the study noted that when mothers viewed their kids as 'picky eaters,' there was also a decrease in the consumption of fruits & veggies on the part of the children."

It's pretty much common sense. Your kids will eat what you eat, but I need that reminder when I am rummaging through our cupboards when I'm bored, lonely, & occasionally hungry. I want Ruby to have a healthy relationship with food, filling her ever-growing belly with foods that can fuel her, not just fill her up or satisfy a craving. And I'm totally convinced that healthy foods can be delicious, so I don't think she'll be deprived by any means.

Another reason for giving up sugar is the simple fact that we're addicted, I don't like that, & I'd like us to be healthier. Having a history of migraines, I know how important it is to be really mindful of a healthy diet. I always, always find that when I suffer from a migraine, that I can trace it back to something I ate, which was usually highly processed. It's been amazing that I haven't had one migraine since giving birth & only had 2 when I was pregnant (so really, only 2 in about 14 months!) which compared to my 1 or 2 a week in college, is a vast improvement & I completely attribute that to my diet.

There isn't any nutritional value to sugar. And I don't want any artificial sweeteners in our diets, either (ew!) But the emotional "value" is what gets me, so we'll see how this goes. I'm not being completely crazy, though, because I won't give up chocolate. Ever. But we are committing to eat real chocolate, which isn't really a sacrifice because it's sooo much better than a kitkat anyway.

On top of all this, we're trying to implement more clean/raw foods in our diet & focus more on getting whole grains in, which I enjoy, so that shouldn't be as hard. We welcome your successful whole grain & vegetable sides recipes, though! Here are two sites that I've been reading a lot lately:

Mama Natural (a ton of natural-inspired recipes, conversations, & parenting fun)
100 Days of Real Food (so many great recipes!)

In other news, Ruby is amazing... rolling over consistently, talking like a wild woman, melting our hearts any chance she can. We are some pretty lucky parents!