“It drives me nuts seeing people have $300 carts full of junk food and kids in tow. I blame it on lack of nutrition education.”
“I have 4 kids and didn’t have much money and I still gave them only ‘healthy’ food.”
How self-righteous of you.
These are paraphrased comments I received on one of my posts and I just can’t.
Your food choices do not make you morally inferior or superior to others.
I will not accept food-shaming. I will not accept the “no excuses” mentality. I will not accept the “I did it so everyone else must too.” No, not here – not with me. Yes, I engaged stating that I too used to do that, but realized it was actually coming from a place of righteousness and that having nutrition education doesn’t necessarily matter when looking in someone’s cart– after all, I had a cart full of Halloween candy and pre-made eggplant in my cart the other day and I have more nutrition education than most. But after she got even more self-righteous with her comments, I had to delete and block. (That’s the great thing about social media – you don’t have to take people’s baloney.) Obviously she was misunderstanding my message and purpose, so it was best we part ways… I’m not in the diet game anymore, sorry. Judging someone for what’s in their cart, what’s on their plate, or what they order at a restaurant because you “know” nutrition does not make you better than that person in any way, shape, or form. Having fruit in your cart doesn’t make you a better mom than the one with chips in hers.
There’s a Thing Called Food Choice
That mom with the cart full of “junk food” may not be able to afford much usually and was giving her kids foods that make them feel “normal” when they open their lunch boxes at school. Maybe that mom already has plenty of fruits and veggies at home, so was stocking up on some play foods (‘junk food’ is a condescending term that’s a whole other conversation). Maybe that mom was never allowed those foods when she was a kid, so she doesn’t make them off-limits for her kids (praise!). There’s a lot that goes into food choices and your snide judgments aren’t welcome or acceptable.
The Nutrition Know-It-All Superiority Complex
Also, just because you know something doesn’t mean someone else wants to know it. No one likes that nutrition-know-it-all that only picks at the fruit tray and makes the did-you-know comments about the cheese dip at parties (I was that person, I know). Enough of people in the health or nutrition profession pushing absolute diets with the black and white, all-or-nothing, for-the-sake-of-health thinking. Just because you know nutrition and what has worked for your body, does not mean you know what works for another. There’s ways of supporting others in health that doesn’t involve judgment or comparison. For example, instead of saying, “I don’t buy my kids that junk,” it can be, “Though it takes more time, cooking at home has really helped my kids feel better, plus it’s great bonding for our family.” Then offer some of your favorite recipes, what your kids respond to, and some of your food preferences at the grocery store from a place of service.
Stop Judging. Simply, It Makes You A Jerk
Stop with the judging and self-righteous attitude you have while pushing your cart with “health-approved” foods. Food has no moral attribute. If you find yourself doing it despite the good intentions behind it, take the moment to reflect inward and recognize it. In the end, someone’s food choices, purchases, and preferences are none of your business.
