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Original poster

I've actually stopped caring about food

329 replies

Twiglett · 26/04/2007 16:25

I really have

I'm not sure I ever cared particularly that much

but then that's from a background of me enjoying cooking so have quite a good and varied diet of fresh food and lots of fruit and vegbut honestly couldn't tell you last time I read a label

it just seems so nonsensical to worry about it

and I'm quite happy for them to have biscuits or crisps or sweets too or a pizza from Iceland (woodburned) or ice-creams like Fab (which I'm sure were invented by the antithesis of MN foodies)

anybody care to join me in this dim and dingy corner of Mumsnet where most other posters believe we're going straight to hell?

OP posts:
FiveFingeredFiend · 27/04/2007 10:08

Did i say guilt?

FiveFingeredFiend · 27/04/2007 10:08

yes for the junkerds. i did.

FiveFingeredFiend · 27/04/2007 10:10

Fiend dear, not friend

Porcupine · 27/04/2007 10:30

fff

lolol

Oblomov · 27/04/2007 10:32

Guilt, I don't feel guilt. I don't feel guilt for working part time either.
I am very happy with what ds eats - god, thres nothing the boy won't est.

I agree with pippi, fivefingered, is being a bit too black and white about this (me being a totally black & white person ), as has been said, this thread is so miidle of the road, its actually quite frightening !!

PippiLangstrump · 27/04/2007 10:52

sorry F-I-E-N-D ... ! my most sincere apologies.

PippiLangstrump · 27/04/2007 10:53
Wink
PippiLangstrump · 27/04/2007 10:57

can i just ask? to those of you who are very healthy/strict about food: how do you view alchool? how much do you drink a week? how much would you consider a healthy amount for a teenager?

honestly I want to know

SmileysPeoples · 27/04/2007 11:05

By Greensleeves on Fri 27-Apr-07 08:35:09

'those of us on the other side of this ridiculous "fence" feel criticised and belittled for failing to live up to another equally strong MN ideal - the laid-back, seasoned, realistic veteran parent who doesn't get stressed about minor things and has the personal security to relax the rules with impunity etc etc. I'm not like that, I am a stresshead.'

You know Greeny that comment has really made me think. It is something that has genuinely never occured to me. To think that others would be feeling inadeqaute about a laid back approach has never registered with me. I always thought it would just be viewed as lazyarsedness and that we should really be trying harder.

Just shows we all hit on each others insecurities on MN, and often we don't even know what others insecurities are.

I suspect Twiglett may be the same as me in this respect and really don't imagine there was any malicous in the OP. Genuinely just making us feel better about our apathy.

To us lazyarses we think 'what have you got to worry about your doing everything right.'and probably secretly wish we could be so motivated, but know it will never happen.

That was a great post Greeny, has genuinely changed my perspective, and that doesn't happen often. One thing I'm very strident about usually, is my RIGHTNESS in all things

Porcupine · 27/04/2007 11:07

i cna naver understdna vehemence of overtly healthy eaters
always presumed they had huge control isuses

Zog · 27/04/2007 11:07

oy porky, you'll stoke it all up again

SmileysPeoples · 27/04/2007 11:08

Bog off Porky, we're trying to make up.

jangly · 27/04/2007 11:17

Bread and lard with sugar on is nice. I used to have it for breakfast when I was little. Plenty of lard and sugar though, wasn't too keen on bread.

Oblomov · 27/04/2007 11:28

I agree with smiley. Greensleeves posted totally opend my narrow-minded eyes.
I am jus a bout ahppy eith my efforts / laziness.

It has never occured top me that there were insecurities.

I just assumed that people either:
had to - child allergies,
or felt very stongly about organic / only good food.
Or were just saintly and motivated.
None of which bothered me at all. I was kind of in awe. They don't upset me with their... "saintliness".I just praise God, that I have to look at labels, or worry about allergies for ds.

What an eye opener.
I feel a bit... dumb really.

AitchTwoOh · 27/04/2007 11:47

i'm really shocked that this has never occurred to people. all that stuff about Precious First Borns? you don't think that makes some of us firt-timers feel totally inadequate? it clearly characterises us as overly, neeedlessly anxious people with nothing better to do than fret.

'just wait til you have two, you'll not give a shit if they're siphoning petrol out of the car with a straw...' all that stuff? makes me feel like crap, frankly. ludicrously, i actually think i am a very laid-back, nay indolent, first-time mum and yet this stuff does bug me a lot.

Dinosaur · 27/04/2007 11:53

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

SmileysPeoples · 27/04/2007 12:03

But that's the point Aitch we tend to see things only from our own perspetive.

Foodie types don't see why their acheievemnt and commitment would make us relaxed types feel inadequate and judged.

Equally us relaxed types don't see why our lazyaresness would make others feel they are inadequate and judged.

It goes both ways.

Being in the lazyarse camp it genuinely never occured to me that my apathy could make others feel got at. It seems a failing to me if anything not something to aspire to.

I think Greeny explained it really well and I can see how both sides feed into each others insecurities. Unintentionally.

AitchTwoOh · 27/04/2007 12:18

completely agree, smileyspeople, but i'm shocked that this has neve occurred to the 'lazyarse' crew that it's equally unpleasant to crow about being so chilled out as it is to condemn others for eating a frankfurter. not that i see much actual condemning going on, but clearly that's how it's taken.

and i speak as a confirmed lazyarse who likes soreen malt loaf with butter and often buys them on a bogoff at iceland, but who loves reading the foodie threads as i learn a lot.

as yet i don't feel 'got at' by much of the food debate (although i could live without the NEWSFLASHES about blw being nothing radical... i think most people know that already) so the PFB was the only example that has so far affected me.

basically any position that begins 'oh fgs, chill out etc' is one that is likely to instill anxiety in the types of people who don't find it easy to chill out, so the advice actually has the opposite effect.

i've always assumed that was perfectly obvious to the poster and that they didn't mind having that effect on people. so it shocks me to find out that it may not necessarily be the case, that's all.

Enid · 27/04/2007 12:21

may I call you attentiont o cods post of 18.58

please lets not start any self justification
we all do the best we cna most of the time

just some of us do ti all of the time

OrmIrian · 27/04/2007 12:27

Yep. It has opened my eyes too Smiley. Being a third-time arounder who is laidback by neccessity and a bit by nature anyway.. Never occurred to me that it would upset people. But having read Greeny's post I can see that that attitude is obviously irritating and patronising. Can't beleive that I didn't see it before. Bit embarrassed really.... but I'm glad I understand now As someone who really really hates to upset anyone at least I know one way to avoid doing in in future.

welliemum · 27/04/2007 12:27

I was just about to say exactly what aitch has just said... cheers aitch.

Really hate the PFB thing, and this thread is another facet of the same attitude. It's patronising. (And I have 2 children so it must be doubly annoying for anyone with 1).

It's pointless to value being laid-back above being strict. They're just different ways of approaching an issue and they might be appropriate or not depending on what the issue is. Nobody here, for example, would admire a parent who was laid-back about seat belts.

IMO one of the most important skills of being a parent is to be adaptable. That means being very laid-back about some things, very strict about some things, sort-of-in-the-middle for most things.

Which things? Well, that depends on what's important for your family. It's not a popularity contest.

This "slack parenting" competitiveness is weird.

OrmIrian · 27/04/2007 12:32

welliemum - thanks for your post of earlier. I am glad that nothing I wrote upset you. I was a bit taken aback that what I thought was a funny thread offended people. I know better now.

Just wanted to say though that I don't think it's competitive at all. Competition sounds like a bit too much hard work

welliemum · 27/04/2007 12:37

Orm.

Interesting, cos I do see competitiveness. And I haven't a competitive bone in my body so it puzzles me.

Happy to agree to differ - and now I must go and sleep, it's late at night here, need my zzzzz.

nogoes · 27/04/2007 13:07

It is getting to the point where we will be afraid to post anything for fear of an innocent comment about our own life upsetting someone else who believes it is a dig at them.

MN is becoming a bit like working for the council.

FiveFingeredFiend · 27/04/2007 14:49

Nogoes too true!