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The Wrong Kind of Green Food

March 14, 2013   30 Comments

Your doctor has been telling you to eat more green things, right? How do these look?

Saint Patrick's Day

Snack Girl is a bit, well, grumpy. Seems Sunday is Saint Patrick's Day and green beer is going to be running down the streets of New York City. All you have to do is lean down and sip some from the gutters.

And, I am stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Actually, that isn't the reason why I am grumpy. I am SICK and TIRED of these holidays that promote crappy food. I know that you are going to tell me to relax, that St. Patty's day is just once a year, etc. But, there are SO many of them.

Here is an inebriated list (ahem) - I mean ABBREVIATED list of Junk Food Holidays:

  • Super Bowl - Doritos
  • Valentine's Day - Candy
  • Fourth of July - Hot dogs
  • Kid's Birthdays - Candy, cake, ice cream, chips
  • Easter - Candy
  • Halloween - Candy, Candy, Candy

ETC. I think I attend about 2 junk food celebrations a week. Bake sales, knitting groups (with cookies of course), banks and their lollipops, college basketball games.....

ARGH.

Every trip to the store is fraught with the latest seasonal junk food that I have to avoid. And, I LOVE this stuff. I am an absolute push-over when it comes to cute green donuts or heart shaped cookies. It takes work to resist it all.

So, I am coming up with some new green ideas for Saint Patrick's Day and sending my svelte husband to go to the grocery store.

How about this:

roastedasparagusb

Green Thing...You Make My Heart Sing

or this?

roastedbroccolib

My Friends Use To Laugh At Me...And THEN I Made This Broccoli Recipe

Don't these look so much more delicious than the fake green stuff above?

Please share your thoughts on celebrations.


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First 20 Comments: ( See all 30 )

As I read this, I am eating a handful of mint M&M's. They're green! So sorry, I couldn't help myself, but seriously I ate a green salad earlier with garlic salt and a little of oil&vinegar. I didn't do too bad?

Snackgirl, What can you tell me about 2 drinks I like. I think they are on the healthy side. Apple & Eve Fruitables and

FRS Healthy Energy

I have a Fruitable every morning. I like the fact it has vegetables in it too. And I enjoy the FRS in the afternoons.

Totally agree with you. Thank you for getting people to think about what they eat and suggesting some great ideas.

You are right! There are wayyyyyy too many "special" days throughout the year! My daughters and I are baking a pie today because it is "pi" day (3.14)! Just like with screen time, the whole monitoring/moderation thing seems to fall on the moms. I guess it's our lot in life!

I gave up sweets before Christmas. I figured if I could make it through the holidays without sweets I could go year round. I've cheated once. Couldn't resist a cruller one day, but it wasn't good enough to fall of the wagon.

That said, giving up sweets makes it much easier to resist a lot of the unhealthy green stuff. ;-)

What about eating some healthy (green) cabbage along with a small piece of lean corned beef? Great traditional way to celebrate.....and my Publix is carrying cabbage for only 29 cents a pound!

I absolutely agree also! I can't even count how many times people say to me "Oh come on, it's only one (fill in treat here)" with the alternate comment of, "It's only one day". The reality is that it's a string of sweets or days or celebrations and they all add up. I'm all for an occasional splurge but the constant stream is just not healthy.

Exactly, Pat, and my problem was I was making too many exceptions using the "it's only one" excuse. I'll be drinking a green smoothie on St. Patty's day though. :-)

Oh Snack Girl, You are singing my song!!!! It seems that society wants to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate with garbage food!!! Not sure why we can't use celebration s an opportunity to introduce delicious healthful food to children. Green is a beautiful color- let's celebrate the glory of brussel sprouts, brocolli, asparagus, cabbage, snap peas, romaine, cucumbers, and celery this St. Patricks Day!!! Thanks for all you do!!!

Oh boy I'm so glad I'm not alone in being frustrated with the holiday food celebrations. My pet peeve are the friends that bring me "treats" when they visit. At Christmas a dear fiend (who has lost 35 lbs. on WW!) brought me pounds of homemade treats, expensive fruit cakes, MooseMunch, etc. It all went into the trash the minute she left.There are very few times that I allow this stuff in the house. I don;t like wasting food but this stuff is not good for anyone!

A way I deal with the barrage of sweet treats is when I allow myself to indulge, is exercising my '2 and I'm done' rule. Which means 2 bites (which are always the most savored) and I am finished. I push the rest away, or throw it out, but I am done with the treat. Usually works!

In Whole Foods last night and they were giving samples of Irish Potatoes out, I had that thing in my mouth before I even thought about it. Oh well, at least I stopped buying a cookie to go with my coffee everytime I go.

I had my (if I'm lucky) large Shamrock Shack from Mickey D's the other day. I savored every spoonful to the tune of well over 700 calories! I burnt it off with 70 minutes on the treadmill the next day though... no worries. :)

I'll try to stick to a green apple to satisfy my sweet tooth in honor of St.

Patricks (with a green tea):)

Wow, well said! Food can't always be the way the we celebrate things. So many other options.

You and your followers have shared many healthy substitutes for almost everything on your list. For occasional slips think moderation, just a bite, then back to a healthy path. It becomes easier with time and empowering :) Just recognizing that our culture promotes empty food celebrations alot and staying aware of what we are deciding to eat in the face of all this social pressure helps one make healthy choices too.

You could make your own snacks and treats and use natural green food coloring. My secret is liquid chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what makes plants green. It just takes a few drops to make a pretty color, it is tasteless, and it is all-natural. You can find liquid chlorophyll in the supplement section of most health food stores (it also comes in a powder).

I have been on a mission to find holiday friendly ideas that are not CRAP food. welcome pinterest! Take a rectangle platter...celery on the left, cauliflower in the middle, carrots on the right. HEALTHY yet festive irish flag! It doesnt have to be green to still be festive for a party!

Cristina, thanks, good to know about the coloring!

Yum. Both of those (good) green pictures make me drool. Unfortunately, so do the donuts, ice cream, and beer. :P

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