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Topic: Eliminating sugar and the holidays

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Angel
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Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 6:22pm \| IP Logged

Is it possible to eliminate sugar from your diet during the holidays?

--Angela
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Wendi DeGrandpr
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Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 7:54pm \| IP Logged

Angel this is a very good question. I have been trying to find ways to celebrate holidays and feast days without having the focus be on food. We are trying to eat better over all and one of my dd is diabetic. It's a challenge as we all miss the scones, cakes and "traditional" things we have enjoyed for various celebrations.
I think that focusing on crafts etc and minimizing the emphasis on food is helpful.
I am interested in the ideas of others!!!

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Elizabeth
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Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 8:08pm \| IP Logged

Wendi DeGrandpr wrote:

I think that focusing on crafts etc and minimizing the emphasis on food is helpful.
I am interested in the ideas of others!!!

Wendi,
This is exactly what I did last year in order to cope with a wheat allergy. We made beeswax ornaments, candles, soap, clothespin ornaments, and a few other things evading my memory right now.
It will be trickier this year. Crafting is challenging with a baby and this one requires constant holding, but I have essentially the same strategy in place. I missed some of the things that had been traditions since I was little but I do think that it's the making even more than the eating that mattered to the children and they still got to make things...

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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)

Wendi DeGrandpr
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Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 8:42pm \| IP Logged

Elizabeth wrote:

I do think that it's the making even more than the eating that mattered to the children and they still got to make things...

I agree with this - there are some "sweet" traditions we will make to give away. I have been searching through craft magazines etc to try and find some new ideas for homemade gifts. So far we are looking at ideas like making pinecone angels, homemade candles, painted tote bags and aprons.
I am trying to keep things as simple as possible so our entire family can have time to read lots of books and just "be" - Raef and Katiana have celebrated Christmas before but they have never experienced anything like Christmas here. I need to keep crafts and things simple as well.

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CathinCoffeland
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Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 11:41pm \| IP Logged

for your must have traditional baking
we use xylitol. it is a sugar alchol product that is totally natural (and totally pricey!) we use it alot for special baking and other than a day or two of slight gassiness when we first switched no problems. Use it exactlly like sugar cup for cup (except it wont rise yeast). you can mix in a pinch of molassses to make brown sugar.

I looked at this problem 2 years ago and eliminated most of the sweet recipies from our holidays. there are one or to things we still make so we use the xylitol- i figure its once a year -it wont break the bank and is actually good for theier teeth

the only store bought sweets we get are one little candy cane each and a bag of chocolate coins to share on st nicks and big candy cane in the stocking. and i do get those at the natural food co-op so at least they are not full of dye and high fructose.

We have a lot of traditional food that are as fun- we make enchiladas on christmas eve and tell the nativity story- the kids get to pick- the olives are as black as the night sky, the beans are brown like the donkesy eyes, etc... we always cut out stars from a big yellow pepper to go on top.

I finally have my dad convinced and the kids get a lot of fruit leather and gold fish type crackers in their treat bags (and easter eggs) from grandpa!

enjoy- maggie

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