I wish

I wish more people understood the negative effects of food dyes on children. I wish my kids were not the only kids in their classes who are not allowed to have food coloring. I wish food companies would stop putting chemicals in everything. And I really wish I could make a meal for my son that didn't need to be free of wheat, dairy, and sugar. Sigh, it's only temporary.

OK, that said, I can move on to the good cooperation from teachers. The 3rd grade teacher sent an email asking for Trix and a few other things for a math project. I emailed her and offered to send in an organic equivalent, Barbara's Wild Puffs that are dye free but still colorful and good tasting. They even come in fruit shapes. My son spotted them at Kroger a few months ago and read the ingredients to check for the forbidden stuff. I sent a whole box in to the teacher so this time around everyone eats the same thing.

I also got an email from the 1st grade teacher. Their class is doing a fun map activity decorating sugar cookies with blue frosting and green M&Ms to make little edible earths. Poor Alex, being on the "no sugar, kill the yeast" diet is going to get a rice cake with blue berries and Snap Pea crisps. The Snapeas sound strange, but are surprisingly salty, crunchy and tasty like a potato chip. Then he'll get a few Xylitol candies to round it off. Not quite the same, but it's about the best I can come up with.