To be disgusted with Elf on the Shelf.

[ElfShelfIssues]

NC.
DS has ADHD. It is a daily, gruelling challenge to avoid him going hyperactive and to bring him down when he does. We're not sure on DD yet.
SIL bought the kids these "decorate your own elf" from the Elf on the Shelf brand. They contain 2 x tubes of "icing" (coloured gel) and a small packet of sprinkles, as well as a milk chocolate elf. DH gave these to the kids. They were so badly made that when you squeezed, the backs of the "icing" tubes burst on two of the colours, covering DH and DS with green and red gloop, respectively.

I had a moment which I told myself was paranoia, but decided to check the ingredients on the box to put my mind at ease, which is when I saw that they've used those shit food colours that can cause hyperactivity, but the kids had eaten it by the time I found this out.

I'm not mad at SIL because she wasn't to know, but we should be able to trust the food we feed our children and I am disgusted that a brand marketing their products specifically at children would use these E102 and E129 when the issues with them are so well-known that the packaging has to carry a warning! There are so many other red and green food colourings that are safe for children.

AIBU to be disgusted with Elf on the Shelf for making this rubbish and targeting children with it?

I wish these bloody food colours would be banned, there's no need for them, TBH.

Buckling up for an afternoon of pure hell now. Thanks Elf on the Shelf.

The whole "elf on the shelf" bollocks is pure marketing and money making though, it's a made-up tradition which was designed to sell books and toys. For that reason alone you are unreasonable being "disgusted" by them trying to extend the brand further by selling more shite to gullible people.

Food colourings are different to peanuts. Food colourings affect most children whereas peanuts are a deadly allergy but only for a tiny minority. I expect the creeping return of these additives is another Brexit fallout plus government cuts of food standards staffing. Thanks conservatives

I mean I’m no big fan of lurid food, but “most” children seems like a stretch. My friends must have 30 odd kids between them all and I don’t know any sensitive to food colouring.

I’d suspect it’s actually quite similar to peanuts and other allergies. A minority are sensitive and should avoid them.

YABU to get so worked up about it.

its a rubbish brand using legal ingredients that your kids are not allergic to.

end of.

Water is toxic if you drink enough of it.

I don't think there's any evidence these colourings are poisonous, just that they may increase hyperactivity in some children. That's not something I'm overly concerned about tbh.

And as for this:

tough for paretns to have to read the tiny labels when they are caring for small children, working full time and, as most of us know, carrying the bulk of the housework load.

I work full-time in a demanding career, have two small DC and all the usual housework and mental load requirements - and still manage to read food labels every time my DD eats something. Because she's at risk from a legal ingredient found in foods and so it's my responsibility as her parent to check her food is safe for her. Just as thousands of other parents do, day in day out. "I couldn't possibly read a food label" is ridiculous and an insult to those of us who keep our DC alive by doing so.

Apparently according to MN I'm being unreasonable for assuming that food marketed at children would be safe for children to eat though, because I didn't feed my children wheatgrass and pure rainwater or obsessively scrutinize every single ingredient before letting my kids have a present from a well-known brand.

you are being completely ridiculous.

Or completely naive to pretend that food targeted at children is by definition "safe" in the way you mean it. It's lazy parenting at best. Even the so-called kids yogurts are rubbish, it's just sugar and chemicals.

PEANUTS are unsafe for those with a peanut allergy, that is a world of difference.
Something a bit or lot unhealthy, it's on you to manage, and when it's that obvious a colouring, what else did you expect.

Any source for that statement?

1 in 50 children have an allergy to peanuts, for comparison.

Similar level for milk allergy too, which can also be fatal. Let's ban that while we're at it.

Food colourings affect most children

Really? Where are the figures for that then?

I complained about Smarties when they first changed their colouring to natural ones as I noticed that they tasted of cabbage 🤮.

Checked the label and red cabbage was listed as an ingredient. When I told them this they replied that it’s only used as a colouring, not a flavouring 😂.

Brexit to blame for this too?! Now I’ve heard everything.

There isn’t a “creeping return” - food colourings have been widely available for as long as I can remember - I don’t recall walking into Hobbycraft and finding their baking shelves full of beetroot and turmeric before Brexit ffs. Food colourings have always been available and it has been (and still is, even after Brexit!) UK law to label any food containing the potential offenders with “MAY cause adverse effects on attention and activity in children” as a precaution.

I read the label of almost everything I buy. Sometimes things don't have clear labelling because they are homemade or prepared by a small business so I Google instead. It takes about 20 seconds. It's not a massive hardship.

I'm also still perplexed at what OP thought was making the white sugar and water product lurid red if not food colouring?

If you have a child who has an adverse reaction to certain food colourings, surely you check any product that is not fresh produce or you don't buy often, particularly if it is bright fucking red.

I'm sorry but I think it's on you to have checked and I say that as "an allergy parent" (great phrase).

From NHS : "Research has found a possible link between certain artificial colours used in food and problems with hyperactivity in children."

Annatto (E160a & E160b) is known to cause head banging in young children. Google it, horrific.

If it was up to me, these things would be banned. However as it isn’t it’s up to you to check.

FWIW a “decorate your own elf on the shelf” kit is exactly the sort of thing I’d expect to contain additives like this.

That's exactly what I said.

'No conclusive evidence'.

I've read that link 3 times now and it still says, 'Found a possible link'.

@Bollihobs you know Annatto is a natural food colouring right? Not what OP is talking about

Also, E160a is beta carotene , which is considered healthier/better by whomever is "publishing " about Annatto.

I'm sorry to hear that your DC has this condition.

My point is that many, many food additives are unnecessary, and can be toxic. Of course anything can be toxic if you eat or drink too much of it, but water, to use your example, is essential to life. Many, if not most food additives are not, and some are completely unnecessary.

I have more sympathy than you for people who are struggling with time and energy.