Location: When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.
Posts: 9,502
To stop bringing it in... what do you do?
I always have a strange feeling about posting that I do occasionally go to these places online. So I will just post it. On Wed evening, between Cyan's soccer practice and Alex's Boy Scouts, we eat fast food. There, I said it. When we started this a few weeks back, my first thought was of the clutter of these little crazy toys all over my house. "Can't have that" I say... so I decided that I would talk to the kids about giving up their Kids Meal toys. I will always trade them in for another applesauce (yes they do this at Jack in the Box) or the cinnamon twist things (at Taco Bell) so the kids are not totally jipped, but you should see the looks on these poor attendents faces. LOL..... they really don't know what to do with kids who want to give the toys back for food.
It got me thinking... what else could I do to stop bringing garbage and clutter into the house? What do you do to cut back on the clutter coming in?
Val
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Val; Living the dream we have been working towards for over 5 years.
Mama to Alex, Cyan, and Logan. Wife to my very best friend.
That's a really good idea. The toys are getting pretty junky, not really even that entertaining for leaving in the car for future roadtrips.
I used to leave shoeboxes with the store, but I take home lightwght ones for shipping boxes. If the shoes we walked in with were outgrown and poor shape, we'd leave those with the salesperson too. lol. If they were just outgrown, we'd drop them in the goodwill box on the way home.
Come to think of it, I'm wishing I kept the keen box for dd's shoes because the fit wasn't quite right and she won't wear them. The box would help the resale. Small detail I suppose, just a reminder that I have a pair of shoes to get out of the house.
Bring your own food. It will not only cut down on junk (fast food trash and junkie toys) but it will save you money and be better for your health (fast food is so high in salt and fat- your heart and waistline will be better off without it). At first it is hard to think ahead and pack your own food but after a few times it becomes a good habit!
I keep the Happy Meal type toys and do one of three things with them...
1. Donate them to our school to use in their "prize box"
2. Donate them to our local homeless shelter once I get a bag full, usually once a year or every two years. They told me they LOVE the still wrapped meal toys as you'd be amazed how long it can entertain a child in a bad situation...
3. We use them in shoeboxes for homeless or overseas
__________________ "Custom will reconcile people to any atrocity."
George Bernard Shaw
We also sometimes eat out due to schedules. The rule is - no happy meals (or whatever they are called, wherever we are). The kids are happier since they can order exactly what they want - i.e. one kid doesn't like french fries, one kid will only eat a plain cheeseburger, one kid will only eat salad, etc. Two of us usually gets combos and then we share the drinks that come with it. It would normally cost us $40 and now for our family of six, it costs us no more than $25 max. (still too much....but better....) and we actually have more food.
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Jeni - wife to a great guy and mama to 3 at home plus one adult child who is expecting Feb -09!
Madison, Jeni, and Mickey in Temagami on the Dream Catcher Express
Pack food. it's so easy once you are used to it. We are also on the road a lot with music lessons and hsing things.
I have non- perishables in the car (apples, water, crackers, pretzles etc), and I throw cheese, yogurt, and other things in the little mini -mate cooler as we run out the door. I've even grabbed WF deli turkey from the fridge & a full loaf of bread as we're running out. It's a simple thing to slap it all together in the car when we stop.
My kids don't ever argue about fast food. Fast food has always been my line in the sand. They have never developed a taste for it. I'd rather buy bubbles or gum, even, if they need a little pick-me-up 'bribe'.
Oh, they've had fast food, some of them, but not from me. They don't see it as forbidden fruit and they don't eat it even when they can. It's not food. Kids will get that.
I know an exhaused mother of 3, pregnant with her 4th, who has *never* taken any of her kids through the drive -though. None iof the kids (oldest is 7) has ever even had a happy meal. She is *no* saint, either. In many ways she's less crunchy than I am. But she draws the line at garbage. Think about what is in a chicken nugget...in a hamburger. It's the worst. Not to mention it's $$$$$$ for what you get.
For treats, think kiwis, playdough, drawing paper--consumables that are not harmful to a growing immune system.
I always have a strange feeling about posting that I do occasionally go to these places online. So I will just post it. On Wed evening, between Cyan's soccer practice and Alex's Boy Scouts, we eat fast food. There, I said it.
Val
let me tell you...i appreciate you being real. it's so tempting to want people on this board to perceive us in a certain way and to not talk about what we *really* do or think. and i mean even when we really don't care what other people think, we still all have our moments when we actually do care. sure you open yourself up to get some gentle rebuking or correction or whatever, but it's important to be real! thanks for that.
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Stephanie, wife to Tim (almost 9 years) and mama to Isaac (3) and Kendall (13 months)
I just chuck them out as soon as they go to sleep that night. They've never cottoned onto this yet. As they are mostly plastic I just throw them in the recycle can.
You know, Laurie IS right. However it's not always that easy. Though I agree with all she said, and I admit that 90% of the time, we could have prepared better and grabbed food from home, there is the once in a while....
Seriously, we eat fast food too much. I am going to say on a good month we eat it every 2 weeks. On a bad one? 1-3 times a week. Blech, I know....
I DO sometimes get the cravings, and nothing beats a french fry and milkshake craving better than McD's fries and a milkshake from there...lol....but once in a while is key.
Not as a meal, I agree. I do it, but shouldn't....I know....
I DO sometimes get the cravings, and nothing beats a french fry and milkshake craving better than McD's fries and a milkshake from there...lol....but once in a while is key.
I gotta COMPLETELY disagree on this one Since starting to WOH, the other ladies I work with grab a McD's meal occasionally when they are starving and in a rush. I hate McD's on principle, but when you are starving, you are willing to suspend things occasionally, lol. Anyway, so I TRIED to eat from there a few times. EEEEWWWWWWWW. Never again!! I point blank refuse to eat anything from there ever again. I go hungry, or take the extra time to find something better...yuck yuck yuck!!!
Not trying to be all holier than thou here!!! I have just been seriously puked out by McDonald's food, and canNOT understand the appeal AT ALL!!!!! What is up with it??
The only kids meals ds eats are the subway ones (he loves BK veggie burgers, fries and milkshakes though, but there is no "meal" for that) or Baja Fresh (which doesn't come with toys) so he doesn't have too many of the kids meal toys but he does love those machines that are at the exit of grocery stores. He has a tiny drawer in his nightstand which I consider his "junk drawer" and whatever he can fit in there he can keep. When I notice is it starting to get hard to close, I take some of the things out and get rid of them.
I agree with marjen about not liking kids meals though. They aren't a very good value for your money. There isn't a whole lot of food in most of them. I don't understand how kids can be filled up by them really. Even the subway ones (which are a little more substantial imo) aren't enough for my ds. He eats his and then eats some of my sub too.
__________________ ~Karen
Mom to Evan so happy to be 8
and a new little one due at the end of Jan 2009
Location: When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.
Posts: 9,502
That would be my addiction to Taco bell and Jack in the Box.... both of those places have A LOT of food in them. With the kids meal from Taco bell, Alex eats the whole thing and is full when he is done, Cyan gets hers and she and I split her potato thingys and then Don and I split her drink. She splits Alex's with him. We never get more than two drinks. At Jack in the Box, she trades her toy for an applesauce for Alex (her meal already comes with one so she gets one and he gets one this way) and they split the drink. Alex gets an adult burger and there you go. Meal for both with a very small overhead price.
I get what ya'll are saying about fast food. We don't eat at McD's, and we don't eat at Burger King. (Aside from about two trips per winter just to get out of the dam*ed house and play in a playland) But at the same time, it is once a week... the kids enjoy it, and I don't really care quite that much anymore. There are things I can worry about, like my caffine intake (which I don't have one... I don't drink the stuff... you wanna talk poision?) and then things I can't. lol... We all have our own issues.
We did however, make dinner tonight. It wasn't as hard as last week... But after nearly puking it up this morning (I woke at 3 with terrible morning sickness) I am not so convinced it is a better choice. LOL! (Just kidding... I just feel like dirt).
I get what ya'll are saying about fast food. We don't eat at McD's, and we don't eat at Burger King. (Aside from about two trips per winter just to get out of the dam*ed house and play in a playland) But at the same time, it is once a week... the kids enjoy it, and I don't really care quite that much anymore. There are things I can worry about, like my caffine intake (which I don't have one... I don't drink the stuff... you wanna talk poision?) and then things I can't. lol... We all have our own issues.
Yeah. I am terrible about preparing food ahead to bring with us in the car. I seem to have some sort of mental block against it. So many times I forget to bring anything and one of us gets hungry at some point and we end up stopping for something, sometimes it's fast food sometimes just a bag of pretzels from the store. But when we eat at home I cook great (usually!! lol) meals. It all balances out. Eating fast food once a week is not horrible and your kids probably think of it as a treat, so enjoy!
If were out and about and have forgotten to pack a snack, which is rare, we stop into a grocery store. Generally I don't leave the house without a few pieces of fruit, some baked goods or sandwiches. On the occasion that we're all hungry and there's nothing in the behicle, we'll stop into the grocery store and pick up some fruit or Veggie Booty or something.
It may not be as quick as the drive through, but I'd say it's probably cheaper and definately healthier.
The meat that ends up in fast food is some of the nastiest you will ever eat. It comes from animals who suffer their whole lives, basically, and has all of that suffering ingrained in every bite.
We have a small cooler that we bring if we have perishables, otherwise I just stuff a few things into a canvas bag right before we head out the door.
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How Time Flies ~ Luna Blue is Two!
Tree hugging, vegetarian, breastfeeding, cloth-diapering, home schooling, drum playing Step-Mama to my sweet Nico Sage and Mama to my curly Kaya Jade and wee Luna Blue. Lovin my hottie ~ J. Blogging From the Boonies My Etsy Shop
I have just been seriously puked out by McDonald's food, and canNOT understand the appeal AT ALL!!!!! 
so happy to be 8
So many times I forget to bring anything and one of us gets hungry at some point and we end up stopping for something, sometimes it's fast food sometimes just a bag of pretzels from the store. But when we eat at home I cook great (usually!! lol) meals. It all balances out. Eating fast food once a week is not horrible and your kids probably think of it as a treat, so enjoy!
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