saying No to Grandma's food.

[Phteven]

What do you do when you take your children to see family and friends and they offer them food that you don't want them to eat?
MIL does most of her shopping at Aldi which is a pretty bad offender when it comes to the nasty additives.
I'm trying to cut this stuff out of my families' meals but at the ILs my boys get it offered to them by the bucket.
Yasin has only had nightmares a few times in his life and every time it has been after a night at the ILs. I can only put it down to the chemicals in the food.

I try to feed the boys before we go but she still offers them snacks.

I'm not sure what to do. Should I ask for the packet so I can check the label or is that too rude (she takes offence easily)
I used to just say we don't let them eat those foods but then DH pointed out that I have given them crisps etc so that excuse went out the window.

How strict are you about dietary guidelines when you visit?

[Trillian]

My mums a shocker just for letting them eat too much junk food in general - I can't even trust her to make then a sandwich for lunch as she will have given them a packet of chips at noon and she thinks thats enough for them to get by

Maybe you could tell her that they don't really like that brand and offer to buy some to keep there for when you visit, so she isn't wasting her money and make it look like you are thinking of her

[Lulu]

OMG - I am sooo lucky and I didn't even realise it till now! My mum will only ever offer great foods - no alternatives.
I was such a horrible and picky eater that I think she is determined to have another go with her grandchildren.

I used to make quite a fuss - 'oh you grown up girl, you tried onions', that dd started making a point of knocking back crappy foods if offered because she loved the praise so much. However she was a little older (about 5-6) when she made these decisions, and if she felt ill after some foods (I hear you on the nightmare issue Dach) I pointed out that it may well be the chemicals in the chips that could have done it even when she was little. Her tummy was pretty sensitive and she noticed the effects and put two and two together.

With your mum, maybe you can mention the nightmares to her - "I really think it might be the xxxx they had the other day", we are going to cut that out of their diet and see how it goes".

Nannas tend to go by the "well it didn't hurt you/me/your sister" etc, but they seem to forget they/we weren't eating half the crud on offer these days.

Aldi eeewwww.

[Fi]

I tried to put it in my court. I would say to IL's - OMG I gave Jenna *this* the other day, and you should have seen the tantrums!!! Or she broke out in a really bad nappy rash.

I turned it on myself giving them the *bad* things, and they tok notice that way and made some minor alterations. Not alot, but at least there was a gesture.

The only other thing to do is to take your own food when you visit, and I suspect that will cause more offence than simply saying something.

[Rach75]

I am really strick and up till 4mths agao nobody was allowed to feed Jack except us..........so they have grown used to the fact they have finally learnt if they ask I may say yes most of the time I dont but I also have a habit of packing my own snacks that he can have then when their snacks come out I put jacks out and say here Nanny jack might like some of this works a treat

[Jennifer13]

How strict are you about dietary guidelines when you visit?

VERY strict. Especially with my monster-in-law, who thinks food is love and therefore crap junk food must be extra love (heavens knows why). Actually I make it quite clear I don't like DD having processed foods, I'd prefer fresh and healthy.

But it's easier for me, we just don't go over there for meals. We schedule morning/afternoon tea instead and I take along a plate of fruit. When DD is offered the various little cakes she has made I limit her to one and then ask if the plate can be put up out of her reach (any excuse works here, it's too close to her lunch time and I don't want her to spoil her appetite, last time she ate too much cake she threw up, whatever works... not necessarily true).

Another tip might be to hunt down some of the packaging when she's not around, find a particular additive that seems to be in everything you're concerned with and blame it on a negative side effect in your kids. Then just say they can't have that additive and can you check it isn't in the food being offered. Better still, have DH say that and then you're not the bad guy.

[Kitt3n]

Tell them the boys have had some reactions to MSG - pretty much writes off everything !!

[krysalyss]

We aren't too strict - not that DS is old enough to worry yet.
But we are vegetarian so of course are very strict about that and we often get people offering meat to DS - in front of us!! So I hate to think what will happen if he is babysat by them. My mum wouldn't give it to him but not sure about DH's side. I think if you are clear about the reasons why then they should have to accept that. Whether they actually do or not is unfortunately different. I think let them know that your kids have certain allergies to preservatives and if they still resist then maybe you could find some easy reading literature. It is after all, quite a common problem these days.
HTh

[Patooties]

I had the same problem with my mil a while ago. I had them over for dinner at our place one night and talked to them about trying to give the girls food without additives ( that way she didn't feel like i was having a 'go' at her ) because she likes to give them treats, i gave her a bag of treats that i would be happy for her to give the girls, and she keeps them at her place.