Monday, February 8, 2010

meals with friends

I've pretty much got a handle on everything that gets eaten in this house, everything that goes on the skin, and even all the medicine, candy and gum that could be chewed, swallowed or otherwise ingested. I pack the lunches and take alternate snacks to school for parties. There's just one last area I haven't quite conquered: going to friend's houses. My 10 year old has become much more social this year, getting invited to friends houses almost weekly. He had better Friday night plans than me for almost the past month straight!

Parties haven't been much of a problem since he passes on birthday cakes. The kid honestly doesn't have much of a sweet tooth. The other day he ate dinner at a friend's house after finishing up their science project and came home to say he had macaroni and cheese. Uhg! I'm still not sure it had food dye in it, but I'm trying to figure out how to make sure he doesn't eat anything without being a total "pain in the butt" kind of mom. I'm usually pretty direct and just tell parents, "My son can't eat anything with food coloring, He gets a bad reaction." I specify the main ones: red 40, yellow 5 & 6, and blue 1, and leave it at that. They don't need to know the gory details of how he turns into a half crazed angry maniac on food dye. Sometimes I think they take it a little more seriously if they think it's more like the allergies where kids have immediate symptoms.

This past weekend, we arranged the play date last minute and I was trying to have a little bit of a life and go on a date with my hubby, so when the other mom offered to have my son stay for dinner, all I cared about was whether she could bring him home when the sitter was there. I forgot to even ask what they were having for dinner, so it was to be expected it would come down to some sort of food with dye. Guess you can't win them all.

Feel free to comment on ways you mange the food at friends' houses issue.

3 comments:

Kathy said...

I too was just thinking of this.My son got intived to a friends house and at last minute the time frame got moved up and he was going to be there for lunch,and has not been there before.I started stressing on what to do, and decided to make a lunch for him to bring.When the mom showed up to pick him up I said he had a sensitivity to food dye and what your having doesn't contain any he can have it, but here is a lunch just in case so its not a problem for you.She was fine about that,but my son was embarassed.So I thought he was okay with this but I guess he's not completly.Any thoughts on creative ways to make this easier for our kids?I feel like this is only going to get more challenging as they become more social.Thanks Kathy

kathy said...

I have my sons possible first sleepover this weekend and its a birthday party.It is at a friends house that I really trust the parents, they have been friends since pre-school.I'm nervous because he has never slept over anyones house and its a party and there may be food he shouldn't eat and I don't want to single him out,but I also don't want him eating anything that will be an issue for the parents when they are all trying to go to sleep.Does anyone have any advice on this?Also does anyone if the popcorn at the theaters without the butter is dye free? Thanks Kathy

food dye diaries said...

I usually try to explain to the parent what things my children can eat rather than what they can't so they know what to serve. As for the movie popcorn, it is safest to ask at the theatre. Sometimes the color is in the butter that gets added and sometimes it's in the mix with the kernels. It's worth it to ask before you eat. If they can't tell me for sure, then we don't eat it.