The Man on the Bus

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Dear Olive,
On the bus today, a man offered you a tim tam, which I politely declined. He insisted, I insisted. Things got a little awkward when he said it's just a little bit of chocolate and tossed it into my lap.
We left the tim tam on the bus when we got off at our stop. We walked home and cooked pumpkin soup for lunch. We ate it with kamut toast with avocado and pink salt and it was delicious. 
People say I'm lucky that you're so healthy. I say good health is a choice. We choose it.






(I don't mean to say you don't have treats -  because you do, probably plenty of them. Honey sandwiches, dates, the occasional ice-cream, fruit buns, birthday cake. Right now you're eating a home made mango smoothie icy pole. But we try to make smarter, healthier decisions when it comes to treats.)

28 comments:

Ruby Hoppen said...

Not to mention smarter, healthier choices when it comes to stranger danger :)

Accidental Lentil... said...

You're setting a great example. Personally i think it's rude to offer something like that to a little kid without first checking with mama/papa.

That lunch looks and sounds AMAZING.

Astred*designcherry said...

Oh that get's by goat! People thinking they're being kind and offering crap to stranger's kids.
Gah!
What's more he doesn't sound very pleasant with the whole tossing of the biscuit.

I am completely with you, I say thanks but no thanks to sweets and chocolates and try to make sure my bub eats the best he can.

Unfortunately I have no imagination when it comes to cooking so the best I can come up with is nice meat, a big of veg and yummy berries to follow (lucky his dad is the cook in this house!).

Lila Wolff said...

That food looks great, as much as I used to like TimTams what Olive is eating is far more appealing.

I don't look forward to the day when people offer things to Eve without checking first.

Modern Day Mummying said...

Good on you for standing your ground! I agree with Ruby too! Accepting from strangers is just a no-no... We must teach our children that it's not OK. Your pumpkin soup looks full of goodness :) and judging by that smile it must taste pretty darn good!

Sophie xo

Kristina said...

Such yummy treats - who needs timtam anyway? and how weird is that man for almost insisting on handing over the timtam?? lovely pictures!!
Kristina x

Steph @ this brown wren said...

You're spot on about choice. People think our children are deprived because we don't buy Wiggles yoghurt. If they're happy to eat organic natural yoghurt then why would we?! If it's what they've always known...
Yay for you creating such a wonderful relationship with food for your baby girl. :) x

CASPER said...

Ah yes, it's tricky. Good job on the bus! But you know the old man probably has no idea about nutrient dead food. I find it tricky with older people. Every Saturday is lunch at grandma's, and every Saturday is Icecream Fest. I do my best to make sure she buys the kid-sized ones with natural colourings. And limits the chocolate to one! She just doesn't get it, as long as the kid is smiling she thinks it's all good. Sometimes she sneaks him sugar cubes while I am not looking. Drives me CRAZY!

Cat said...

Oh yum can I come over to your house for lunch it sounds good to me. I'd rather have that delicious food over processed gunk. It is so frustrating that people insist on taking things you would rather not have, good on you for leaving it behind. xx

Alex Sunday said...

The man on the bus sounds like a complete tosser. Hey, that pun was unintentional! You know, tosser? Because he tossed the Tim Tam. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes at me too.

Iliska Dreams said...

I so agree! I am trying to make at least 70% of Jarvis's food. No additive, no colours, just homemade goodness. Yet at every birthday party I go to, people try to put junk food into his mouth. Which results in me saying the same things over and over, Jarvis does not eat chips, lollies...umm junk food in general. I try not to either, though I cannot give up on good dark chocolate and icecream.
This leaves me thinking two things...1 the man on the bus was creepy, people have no right to feed or give food to other children
2 why is it so hard to explain to people you don't want your child eating junk food. (They seem to take it personally)

Cory said...

I'm glad you brought this up! Our society has become vastly unhealthy. And it's no wonder with all the fast food, sweets, and etc. There's nothing wrong with treating yourself but, moderation is the key ; )

Unknown said...

Good on you. What a rude person to not respect your choices as a mother. I completely agree with you.. healthy people are people that look after themselves and provide their body with what it needs. Mind you some health problems you just cant avoid.

Unknown said...

Good on you. What a rude person to not respect your choices as a mother. I completely agree with you.. healthy people are people that look after themselves and provide their body with what it needs. Mind you some health problems you just cant avoid.

Small Catalogue said...

How good does that avo look! I've not had an avo for aeons. Will remedy at lunch. Yum.

Lindsey said...

Looks delicious! xx

Nell said...

That looks so yummy - and so does Olive! Good work standing your ground on the bus - how freaky that he was so insistent. You're an awesome Mama xx

Michelle said...

I agree with you that you shouldn't have taken the Tim Tam.

But at the same time YOU'VE shown no consideration for the next person who might have used bus and had a child with a serious food allergy - like my son who has Coeliac Disease. Let's imagine that my son picked up the Tim Tam and had taken a bite of it before I realised. What usually follows are complaints of tummy pains and alternating diarrhea and vomiting for days at a time.

Also if I had seen it before him how do I dispose of it? I carry food containers for him that are Gluten Free, that means I have to hold onto a Tim Tam of unknown origins until *I* can dispose of it responsibly.

It is one thing to stand up for YOUR beliefs but also realise that others are affected by YOUR actions.

Michelle

dear molly said...

Oh it is definitely a choice Kel and while our little ones are too young to make wise decisions for themselves they need us to be advocates for them. Good on you for sticking to your guns.
x

ashley said...

Kel- firstly- ewww to the creepy chocolate man. Secondly- couldn't agree more with health being a choice. I couldn't get piper to eat most classic junk foods if I tried (she did get stuck in to some cheezels recently) but as a whole eats veggies and whole foods like they are going out of style and turns her nose up at anything from a package. Can't say I blame her. Xx

Ally said...

Oh those 'on the bus treat' dilemmas by well meaning people. Its a hard one ... I admire your confidence & belief in good health for your little one - well done!

barbara said...

I'm trying to chose the right thing for my little one too, but grannies are strong to fight! I know that they are just too in love with her to say "no" but i can and have to!!
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I'm your newest GFC follower!

Desire Empire said...

Lovely blog. Following now.
Carolyn

Laura said...

What is it with people insisting on your child eating crap? If I had a dollar for every lolly, chocolate, cheerio that my boy has been offered... well you get the idea.

What is Kamut toast/bread? I'm intrigued.

Lil Muse Lily said...

candy from strangers is scary but the elderly never seem to get this concept. healthy choices is the way to go. although i am very guilty of chocolate.

Unknown said...

Oh yes, home made icy poles...they are Sienna's fav. Something about seeing her sitting on the garden step in the sunshine with rivulets of berry juice down her tummy makes me feel all is right with the world:) Our favourite recipe so far is greek yogurt with berries.

Nikki Fisher said...

I love this post Kellie. Definitely not because you and Olive had a tim tam forced upon you but because of the way you told the story and the delicious food you had waiting to eat at home. It feels like such a huge job to turn this tide of unhealthy eating that is so prevalent in so many countries. Sigh. I try not to feel overwhelmed and just keep on keeping on my wholefood way. I am going to link to this post on my friday link list. Hope you are having a good week xx

Sara Jakobs said...

I just found your blog and was enjoying it until i came across this post...i do agree with making healthy choises and good on you for not accepting an unwanted gift. But for you to litter the bus? Leaving chocolate on a summer day in a bus? And write about it so arrogantly? This just rubbs me the wrong way...

 

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