I could hardly believe it. I went to Kroger to pick up a few basics and saw in the produce section a huge display of holiday items. It was the typical stuff you use for baking. Then I realized there were boxes upon boxes of Organic Candy Canes! That means no dyes! They are the same kind I went to the health food store to get last week. I checked out their web site http://www.purefun.ca. They even have dye free COTTON CANDY. Do you know how long it's been since my kids have eaten cotton candy?!
My 4 year old probably does not remember eating candy canes since we banned red #40 from the house 3 years ago. I haven't had a candy cane in years. I have to say, it was nice to enjoy a normal holiday treat without the mood problems (mine or my kids'). Maybe the "dye free" choice is finally catching on. It's about time it got a little easier. Feel free to comment on your own dye free discoveries this holiday season.
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Yesterday, my 8 yr old's class had the gingerbread house holiday project complete with every nasty bit of candy imaginable. Some of the children's mothers made their own buttercream instead of using the canned Betty Crocker and sent along safe candies, including those yummy candy canes. They do seem to be more widely available here in the DC area, too. I just told my daughter her house would just be for decoration (truly in the past, it has sat so long as decoration that the thing was to icky to eat anyway).
Separately, I had told the third grade teacher about fake food colors and flavors last week. at this week's student conferences, another mother expressed frustration and concern about her son's behavior and the teacher passed on my name and story. The child probably has salicylate issues plus the dyes/flavors and unfortunately the mother seems daunted. Alas. You can only do what you can to spread the word. I wish them luck.
I'm still in area where not too many see or make the connect between the behavior and the food dyes they still think its a sugar high!I have seen the diference and some people think I'm weird and I'm just looking for things to be wrong with my son.But we live it and see it.We were at a birthday party and he had some of the cake with the dye and was crazy so were most of the kids but I saw the difference in my son between a sugar high and the dye effects.I wish more people were aware of these things its very hard because its in everything.
I wanted to ask one more thing and maybe its not true, but I was wondering how many kids that have food dye sensitivties also have sensory issues?My son has sensory issues and sees an OT and she thought maybe because their central nervous system is already confused that the dyes affect them more.I was just wondering how many kids on theis blog have or don't have sensory issues as well?
Hi Laurie,
This great about he Candy Canes and Cotton Candy. I sent the URL for your blog to a coworker named Jesse who has eight children... he like a lot of people was quite surprised when I mentioned Pretrol products in food coloring...keep spreading hte word!
I'm so sorry to have read about your dad.
Thanks for the candy cane tip, I went to our local health food store and picked some up to send into my son's school for the holiday party.
We're about four weeks in with completely dye-free living and I can't believe what a difference it's made with my kids. It's evident whenever even the littlest bit of dye sneaks into their diet. Thanks for putting this info out there for everyone to find.
BTW, I read and reread your previous posts on your favorite dye-free foods (and even pointed friends here as well). I wanted to let you know that I found a dye-free icing at Walmart, the 5lb jug of Wilton's decorator's icing in the crafts section. I used that with India Tree Natural Food Coloring and Sprinkles to pull off my son's birthday cupcakes.
Wow! I think this is the most comments I've ever gotten on a post. Thanks for all the great ideas and comments. A friend of mine also likes the India Tree coloring for frosting (from Amazon) but also warned me to watch the dye free verses the fake dye closely. Happy Holidays.
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