Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Bit boring I know, but AIBU to be buying out of season fruit for DD?

63 replies

Yesmynameis · 04/03/2012 18:01

This week DD 16mo has had blueberries, raspberries, grapes, peaches, clementines and bananas all shipped to Asda from half way across the globe.

She does love her fruit, but is not so great with her veg unfortuantely, which I guess has encouraged me to buy this stuff more, and all through the winter.

But AIBU to buy this stuff all year round? Do others do the same as me, or if not, does anyone have any inspired alternatives for the winter

OP posts:

leftmysociallifeatthedoor · 04/03/2012 18:03

I do it.

AwkwardMary · 04/03/2012 18:05

Not sure what the question is...is it because you're worried about your carbon footprint? Or the cost?

Mishy1234 · 04/03/2012 18:07

My two are fruit monsters too and love all the things you've mentioned. I tend to buy whatever looks good and always have bananas, apples and oranges/satsumas.

I believe fruit does have lots of sugar in it though and try to encourage more veg. So far cucumber, carrot, peppers have all proved popular. They both like eg stips served with a little pot of olive oil for dipping.

Yanbu btw!

tantrumsandballoons · 04/03/2012 18:08

Not sure what you are being reasonable or unreasonable about- buying fruit?

Mishy1234 · 04/03/2012 18:08

Should read 'strips'

Pornyissue · 04/03/2012 18:17

Is this one of those stealth boasts?

FredFredGeorge · 04/03/2012 18:20

YANBU presumably your concern is the enviromental cost of the shipping, but of course the reality is that even "in season" fruit may actually have higher environmental cost than the outseason.

How do you evaluate the difference between a fruit grown with human labour, minimal pesticides and shipped directly to you - against another fruit grown in a different place with lots of machinery, pesticides and then stored in a climate controlled warehouse for a few months.

Apples are normally said to be in season in winter in the UK - but that's because 100 years ago you could store apples without too high losses, but now those same apples are stored in vast refrigerated climate controlled warehouses. It means few spoil of course, but it means you have the enviromental cost of that to take account if you're trying to compare that to fresh fruit from overseas which are simply shipped directly.

Food supply chains are no longer simple, the choices are not obvious.

minikimmi · 04/03/2012 18:25

I wouldn't like to change that nappy. Also, remember fruit is packed with sugar, too much is REALLY bad for teeth, especially at that age.

ENormaSnob · 04/03/2012 18:32

Really and truly, I bet no one gives a shit what fruit your dc has.

10miles · 04/03/2012 18:55

If we didn't eat imported fruits (and veg) over the next few months, we'd be very hungry.

I try and eat local and seasonal when possible, but it's really not easy at this time of year (the hungry gap!)

quirrelquarrel · 04/03/2012 18:59

It's not a stealth boast. It's almost a bit spoiling. Some of those are almost exotic and 'special occasions' fruits. So yeah, I think YABU, because your kid will grow up thinking it's normal.

Original poster

Yesmynameis · 04/03/2012 19:04

It was the environmental aspect that I was asking if IWBU about.

Thanks FredFredGeorge, I have been thinking maybe the answer is to buy some fruit locally in the summer and freeze it. But it's not going to be practical for lots of fruits

No this is not a stealth boast, I have said in my OP that my DD is not good at eating veg. Thankyou Mishy1234, I will try giving raw veg a go and see if that is any more of a hit

Minikimmi, she's not eating all that fruit every day, but she does have at least 1 or 2 portions every day, usually as a pudding.

We never used to have all this fruit in the house before DD was born. I just wanted to know whether its just an inevitable part of having a toddler in the house or if there was another way

OP posts:

FilterCoffee · 04/03/2012 19:04

Obviously not the same as fresh, but tinned fruit allows you to eat out-of-season fruit from this country.

Original poster

Yesmynameis · 04/03/2012 19:10

quirrelquarrel, although I meant from a carbon footprint pov I think you are probably right as well....

OP posts:

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 04/03/2012 19:12

I do it. I care more about my family getting healthy food than I do about a carbon footprint that is going to be created regardless of whether I buy out of season fruit or not.

backwardpossom · 04/03/2012 19:13

I do the same, OP, as DS will not touch any veg, raw or otherwise. Hiding veg in sauces doesn't work either. He will eat fruit until it comes out of his ears though.

Woodlands · 04/03/2012 19:18

I have the same concern, I always try to buy British fruit and veg wherever possible to minimise food miles but with a veg-refusing toddler in the house it isn't easy. I bought some strawberries a couple of weeks ago but they tasted of literally nothing so I won't bother again till the English ones are in the shops. However we have been getting through a lot of blueberries recently as they have been £1 for a Sainsbury's value pack. My DS has a banana every day - but bananas arrive by boat, don't they? or am I imagining it?

I don't tend to buy expensive imported fruit like peaches or even grapes, but I think citrus fruit and bananas are OK. Not sure why I think that!

I second the suggestion of tinned peaches, I love them!

zukiecat · 04/03/2012 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Yesmynameis · 04/03/2012 19:42

I'm glad others have little fruit lovers too... Woodlands, maybe you are right that I should stick to the more everyday stuff and look into the tinned stuff as well FilterCoffee.

Because it's in the house we all end up eating it. I have had to go out midweek to buy more, so it's getting ridiculous

OP posts:

HavePatience · 04/03/2012 19:55

Raspberries and blackberries are lower in Natural sugar than other fruit. In fact, nutritionist told us dc could have as many as they want.

I understood that you were worried about carbon footprint from your OP because you mention it coming from far away.

All kids like fruit. Well, most anyway. And it's not horrible for them. Why the hell would this be a stealth boast? some really odd responses

EverythingsNotRosie · 04/03/2012 20:14

My DD is anti-veg too and we get through a lot of similar fruit. Buying frozen berries might lower costs a little bit?

akaemmafrost · 04/03/2012 20:19

I wish this was all I had to worry about in life.

Get it down her now whether it comes from, give her a year and she'll be turning her nose up at anything you put in front of her.

HavePatience · 04/03/2012 20:25

Not necessarily. Ds (3 and a half) and all the kids I've been around with him all love fruit. A lot of Kids like fruit. It's sweet. They like sweet things.
I'm sure op has other things to worry about as well. But I've wondered the same. Am I beng irresponsible buying berries and other fruits out of season so they are shipped quite a distance to get to the UK?
Perhaps if you phrased it like that, then some of these odd posts wouldn't be here. Oh, and add that it's not our most important worry in life.

snowmaiden · 04/03/2012 20:27

If you didn't eat imported fruit you would be limited to apples and pears which have been hanging around since October in storage or frozen/preserved stuff. And the only veg would be sprouts.

EverythingsNotRosie · 04/03/2012 20:29

No, it's not my most important worry in life either, but it's still worth worrying about. There is a limit to what's in season this time of year in England though. DH is cooking nettle soup as we speak. I can't see DD giving that a go tomorrow!

Flip

1 2 3