Why I am "Crunchy"

When I became  mom 5 years ago I had no idea that one day I would be a naturalist/crunchy parent. I had no idea I would be so outspoken on topics I never knew existed. I am the mom I am today because of my kids. Everything I do, I do for them. I view it as more me filling their needs then anything else.

My children have food allergies and chemical sensitivities. I have read that there are some people  who think that kids don't really have as many food allergies as parents say they do but the parents are so overprotective they make up food allergies. Well, that is not the case with our family. If you have never experienced your child having a full blown reaction to a food they have consumed, then I am so glad for you... cause it can be so scary! My 5 year old is allergic to dairy, coconut (anaphylactic reaction which is why she has an epi pen), and bananas, along with several environmental allergies like dust, cats, mold etc. My 2 year old is allergic to just bananas and so far with the baby I have noticed if I eat any peanut butter she gets a skin rash, so that is out too. Out of necessity I have had to learn to make a lot of their food.

My 5 year old can't eat most processed foods because they contain dairy or coconut. I had no idea coconut was in so many things. Mostly in the form of coconut oil. Coconut oil is one of the main oils in non dairy whipped topping. EVERY frozen dessert had non dairy whipped topping in it. Almost every bread product out there has milk in it. Bananas are pretty easy to avoid but it is something hard to find vegan dessert items with out bananas in them, so we avoid them was well. In trying to feed my child I had to learn to do things differently.

We cloth diaper because my children have such sensitive skin. The chemicals in disposable diapers burn there skin and leave bleeding welts. I use Essential oils for much of the same reason. I can't just use any cream/lotion out on the market since a fair amount of them have coconut oil in them. I just make my own.

I bake my own bread, cookies, rolls, cakes, you name it. I didn't know how to do any of this stuff but learned very quickly. We like being able to provide these things for our children.

When it was time for our oldest to start on solid foods I went to the store and looked at the jars of baby food and read the ingredients... potato starch, gluten, and other fillers were all over the place. I was shocked! I did not want to feed that stuff to my baby. Plus the expiration dates were a year or more out. I did not like the idea of giving my baby food that has been sitting on the shelf for longer then they have been alive. So I went home and got out the little cookbook for my Magic Bullet and it explained how to puree up foods for baby food. I was hooked! Whatever we were having for dinner I would just put some in the magic bullet with a little water and... ten seconds later, baby food. It was so cheap and much fresher. I was so excited.

I didn't start being "crunchy" to try to be different. I didn't start to help the environment (but it's a nice side benefit) I didn't start to try to prove that my way was somehow better or to make anyone else feel bad. I did it for my babies. I really don't think the things I do are too weird. I found having an open mind has helped me to really become aware of what's out there and helping me to tailor make my children's food choices. I wish I could afford to give them organic everything and to spend hours handcrafting specialty things for them, but that is not the case. I don't have the time or the money to do either. Since I have to make all the cakes and cookies and such for my kids they don't have them often. I bake bread once a week. I try to make our lives as simple as I can. Dinner time takes the most planning for me. I can't do all non-dairy foods since my 2 year old needs the dairy in her diet. I have become quite the short order cook. Non dairy for one kid, dairy for the other, no peanuts for me. It's not easy balancing the dietary needs of my kids along with a nursling! But I do my best.

I am finding the more I am not using precessed food the more my dislike for them in general grows. I am not saying I don't ever buy them cause that would be a bold face lie, but I try to be selective. It is so nice living here in the Pacific Northwest with such like minded people. There is a market for "alternative" foods which makes grocery shopping for an allergic child that much easier.

In my never ending quest to be my true self I have found this to be true- You can't make everybody happy all of the time but if you can make some people (your family) happy most of the time then that is good enough.

I don't fully embrace every aspect of the "crunchy" lifestyle. But I do enjoy being more natural in my food choices, in the thing I put on my kids bodies, and in the way we take care of ourselves. I am still learning and growing. Best adventure I have ever been on!!