Eliminating Food Dyes: How Is It Really Going?

I wanted to take a moment and provide you with an update on how eliminating food dyes from my families diet is going.

First of all, I am learning a lot.  So are my children.

As you know I went shopping last week, and did not purchase anything with food dye in it.  I explained to my children that according to my research, I was finding food dye was not good for you and that I thought it was best if we try and get rid of them.  Nodding their heads, they agreed.  But, it was really a couple of days before they truly understand how it was going to impact their daily eating habits. 

Bad timing: we left for vacation at a family members house a couple of days later. 

While on vacation I did have more than a few talks with my son about why he couldn't drink a coke (carmel coloring) and why I thought it was best if he ate the popsicles I bought, versus the ones his grandma had in the freezer.  Sometimes they got frustrated with me.  Sometimes I caved in and gave them something with coloring.  But, in the end they only ate food dye a handful of times.  You can't be militant up front...slow and steady, right?

What I am noticing:  they are eating a ton more fruit.  My older son must have eaten 8 clementines the other day.  I was telling them that as they got rid of 'processed food' in their diets, their taste buds would start to wake up again.  I am wondering if they are beginning to truly 'taste' as they haven't in a long while. 

I am not noticing any major behavior changes, but as a friend pointed out, maybe I won't notice anything until they do eat the food dyes and I see a difference...?

Word of advice: you HAVE TO have replacement snacks, treats and candies available if you are going to do this with your family.  If you attempt to tell you kids that from now on they have to eat tortilla chips and fruit as snacks when they have been used to different textures and flavors, they will rebel and hate it.  So we have been able to find replacement mac n cheese, fruit roll ups, gummies, lollipops, gum, chips, popcorn...all WITHOUT added coloring.

Success!  We made homemade gummies yesterday!  With a simple recipe available on the internet, and 4 silicone ice cube trays we grabbed in the Target $1 aisle, they kids have been chomping those right up!  I was so pleased! Grape juice, Knox Gelatin, freeze squeezed lemon juice....mmmm.

I also am taking more leaps of faith with my cooking and mixing ingredients together more, looking to enhance the flavor of things.  I made this awesome brown rice casserole the other day, mmmmm.

Here are some resources for eliminating food dye from YOUR diet!

http://www.diefooddye.com/
8 Ways to Make Natural Food Dye
Natural Candy Store

Products which are fast becoming family favorites:
Annie's (mac n cheese)
Surf Sweets (gummies)
Yummy Earth (lollipops, gummies)
PopChips (potato chips)
Bachmann's (pretzels)
Breyers (Ice Cream)

- Jenny





- Jenny