Fundie Kids and Sneaking Food

[Sumeri]

I had terrible food insecurity as a child, and have never gotten over the effects from that.

So, we have no "off limits" food in the house, the kids (or anyone) can eat whatever they want, whenever they're hungry. Now, that doesn't mean kids eat nothing but candy, because I don't have it in the house all the time. I try to stay pretty healthy with what's there, but do usually buy something "bad" once a week or so, when I go to the store. A bag of fun sized candy, or chips or whatever.

The only kid that snuck food did it when he was a teenager, because I generally have food around that needs to be prepared - not real big on lots of convenience food - and honestly he was just too lazy to be bothered. So he'd buy his own Ramen and those gross styrofoam cups of easy mac. He'd sneak that stuff, probably because he knew we'd make fun of him for liking that mess. :lol:

I think I've taken all the fun of lots of stuff away from my kids because I don't really care that much about micromanaging so I'm all "Eh, whatever" when it comes to things like snacking and weird haircuts and tattoos. So far nobody has really gotten into any of the above.

[maybeizfundie]

meh. I think it's a pretty normal thing. I don't restrict food heavily, my kids are very well fed, plenty on the table, plenty available for snacks. And they have still snuck food. Not regularly. But still, they've done it.

I do think that there are times when it may be related to control and hunger. When I was a child and we were in a cult, where food was heavily restricted and *every* aspect of life controlled, my response was an obsession with food. I didn't just sneak it from the family cupboard. I stole it. And I angled for food related chores when they were distributed, so that I'd have the opportunity to sneak into the kitchen's big walk in fridge and sneak bites of desserts that were kept there, or scarf down chicken patties left over from the kindergarteners lunch time as I returned the dishes and leftovers to the kitchen. I would go to the communal pantry during off hours and just eat lumps of brown sugar. That was definitely not normal occasional sneaking food stuff. And it was definitely tied to the control that i was under. (and it screwed up my metabolism for life) It's taken me years to develop any kind of mindfulness regarding food, and it's still a struggle. My immediate reaction to any sense of being controlled is...stuff food down my gullet.

[Almost]

I think it's a combination of control and age appropriate behavior. Every kid sneaks things at some point. But in the fundie world the control and often the lack of appropriate amounts of food likely make the habit reoccurring. I know my family had food for the head of household (fresh produce, deli meats, cookies, ice cream), the "keeper of the house"(she was permitted some inexepensive produce that was on her diet, had to look good for Jesus!) and the rest of us. We got bologna and canned veggies. You bet your ass I snuck food, and it was always the good stuff.

[Conuly]

The nieces do, and they sure aren't starved. There's only one serving size in this house and it's "cook for an army!"

They aren't terribly restricted in what they can spend their allowance on either, so long as it doesn't have food coloring (migraines and asthma are both triggered by it) and they don't eat it right before dinner.

And if there is always plenty of food to snack on as well, fruit and vegetables and they can cook a little too.

But still, they often prefer to sneak into the pantry and steal maple syrup (which IS restricted, it's damn pricy) or chocolate chips than to eat anything they can get legitimately.

When I was a kid, I hid food. We had plenty in the house, and I wasn't an unhappy child - the parts of my life that didn't involve school were damn near idyllic - but I was constantly buying chips and shoving them under the bed or in a hidden shelf on the porch, tucking milk or orange juice in the closet (bad idea), shoving fruit in my coat pockets. I have no idea why, to this day. My dad was big on not giving us food issues, we could always take as much or as little as we liked of everything, my parents were neither particularly controlling nor especially neglectful and certainly not abusive, so I just don't know.

[moonbeam59]

Like other commenters, I occasionally snuck junk food as a child... I remember one glorious afternoon in a cupboard with a bowl of chocolate frosting. However, I'm disturbed that the blog author's kids would have to sneak a BANANA, of all things. And that this was considered a punishable act.

[Full enough quiver]

I think that's just it. Most kids will sneak junk given the opportunity. I guess I don't see a problem with sneaking healthy food like a banana. I could see consequences for sneaking candy, but who cares if a kid wants a piece of fruit?Why do they even have to sneak it anyway? Shouldn't food be for everyone?

[Coconut Flan]

Eating a banana would never be sneaking a banana in my house. They are sitting out for whoever and whenever someone wants one unless it's close to meal time. That's like Michelle rationing grapes or whatever fruit it was. To me it's a sign you have over extended yourself and should have stopped procreating before you reached that point.

[TrueRebel1]

I think that's just it. Most kids will sneak junk given the opportunity. I guess I don't see a problem with sneaking healthy food like a banana. I could see consequences for sneaking candy, but who cares if a kid wants a piece of fruit?Why do they even have to sneak it anyway? Shouldn't food be for everyone?

Agreed. My kids (younger) are generally free to help themselves to snack food such as fresh fruit, raisins, trail mix, crackers, and the like. And if they ask for something like chocolate chips, I'll usually give them some unless it's right before a meal. To me, it's very important to let kids learn to sense when they're hungry, and to let them eat before it messes up their blood sugar and makes them crave junk food and get cranky!

My kids are part of our household, and thus the food is just as much theirs as mine. The only difference is, I'm the adult and mom, and thus have the role of making sure they learn the appropriate things to eat. :-) That doesn't mean I can withhold food because it's better for my budget or schedule!

The particular blogger I mentioned has several recipes posted, which interest me because they're reflective of "Kelly and the 2 Chicken Breast" meals. Such as a soup with lots of potatoes and zucchini (which sounded pretty tasty)....but no meat, though she does mention throwing in some leftover chicken sometimes when she makes it. I realize some families fall on hard times and must eat simple fare, but this family seems to be fairly stable financially.