Baby food?

[ajmayer]

So i have seen several references on here about using baby food - sweet potatos etc. Is this normal -approved - good idea? Seems like a nice easy way to supplement on quick days and for me as an Ultra runner perhaps good race food!

any thoughts on brands? Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food?

[Johnny M]

You got it...quick and easy food. I eat it post workout if I need something starchy. Just make sure the ingredients are clean and you're good.

[karacooks]

So it's ok to have baby food if it's clean as "convenience food" but not ok to have other convenience foods whether they're clean or not because that's cheating?

And I quote from another thread:

While I understand the convenience argument in part, it's often used as a crutch and we want people to be careful about that.

The hypocracy of this site continues to astound me.

[Robin Strathdee]

Kara -

What other foods are you thinking of? I think there's a pretty clear (at least to me) line between "Convenience" foods - foods that are not a great choice, probably a little super-normally stimulating and/or processed - and convenient forms of whole foods. Folks generally don't use convenient foods to fill the hole left in their diet by unhealthy food choices. I've never heard anyone say, "Man, I really want a candy bar. I think I'll eat some baby food bananas." People will, though, use a convenience food like a Larabar to fill their want for a candy bar.

In the cases we're referring to, the baby foods contain nothing but pureed vegetables and some fruits. Fruits and vegetables get a no-questions green light from us because they are whole foods. In this case, the food is finely blended but still contains its essential parts (like fiber).

Foods like Larabars are, while still technically compliant, reasonably processed and engineered to taste stimulatingly sweet. You don't get the same effect from an apple, a few dates and a handful of nuts that you get from an apple pie Larabar.

No one, in my estimation, is going to over-eat a convenient food, like baby food. Folks have, and will, used convenience foods like Larabars to fill their need for less healthy foods.

I hope that helps draw the line for you and clears up some of our other positions.

PS: I understand that every poster is going to have his or her own opinion on a topic. If you're looking for the most official word on the subject, look to the Mods. We're all (or at least we make every effort to be) on the same page on these things. If we're not, or if we make a mistake, you can also count on us to correct things.

[missmary]

The hypocracy of this site continues to astound me.

This is so so harsh for a community you take part in each and every day, and I have to stand up for the W30 team as a group with excellent intentions and integrity--yes, changing positions once in a while as new info crops up is the definition of integrity.

Now, for the general population on the forums, I understand some people will take a slightly different position than some other people--I, for example, choose not to eat baby food. I would rather mash up a sweet potato. that's fine for me, and its fine for someone else to draw a different conclusion and it's great that moderators can be clear about the line Dallas and Melissa want to draw. I'm not sure what other thread you are referring to, but I've got to say: although I could not care less whether you choose to add a sugar/lemon packet to your water when you are not doing a W30 (or anytime, really), I am not going to tell you it is a good idea, either.

[hobbitgirl]

What I've managed to learn so far is that there is a HUGE difference between actually being on a W30, and being "off" and doing some form of paleo. As a newbie, I have to be careful to filter out the stuff that really isn't strictly W30 compliant.

It seems to me that the point of the message boards is for those actively on a W30 (though I think I've bumped in to one or two that are for when you are off).

[Robin Strathdee]

Hobbitgirl -

You nailed it! There are certain topics that are solely devoted to life after a Whole30, but the majority are for Whole30ing folks. We Mods do our best to keep the conversation relevant to only that, but we may miss one or two. Feel free to give us a heads up if a thread seems mis-focused. Our goal is to best help Whole30ers complete their program.

[Johnny M]

Hi Kara - sorry if I was confusing but the convenience food in question previously was some sort of lemon packet with sugar added. My point on "convenience" was meant more to say we need to be careful about bending rules or making exceptions because something is easy. Today I drove 15 minutes away to whole foods to buy a chicken kabob to bring to a team meeting because while eating the prepared sandwiches would have been convenient, it would not have been healthful in my view - whole30 or not. I'm not against convenient foods that are real health promoting foods. There's no silver bullet here - we are just trying to help people.

[karacooks]

Here is what I wrote about it on my forum that partially explains why I won't be posting here any more:

"Someone noted that True Citrus products aren't allowed on the plan because they contain a little bit of cane sugar. They got piled on about how they needed to just "eat the real fruit". When I pointed out that sometimes it's not convenient to carry around baggies of lime wedges in your purse or pocket and it would be nice to have gotten suggestions on something that was compliant rather than just hit over the head with "real fruit", I got the lecture that convenience foods don't force you to think about what you're eating and condition you to make the quick and easy choice, rather than eating real, non-processed food. That even if you had a compliant dried citrus, you shouldn't use it because convenience foods are frowned upon on the plan.

Not 15 mins later a new thread started out about travelling while on the plan and could you take baby food jars of things like sweet potato and banana to make it easier and convenient and everyone who was nay-saying a citrus powder was going "oh yeah baby food is fine". Being the big mouth that I am I, of course, questioned why no one was jumping on the OP about "why not just eat real fruit". I mean how hard is it to keep a banana or a baked sweet potato in a baggie in their purse. I pointed out that this was hypocritical given the response on the True Citrus thread .. and why was trying to find a compliant powdered citrus different from jarred babyfood. I was told it wasn't the same thing ... although no one could explain why it wasn't the same."

Yes, I see that as hypocritical and I'm calling it out. Either convenience foods are frowned upon and discouraged or they're not. But you can't say finding some form of compliant powdered citrus is being lazy and not mindful and a slippery slope, but larabars and baby food aren't. Not if you're going to be consistent.

At any rate, I wish you all well in your plans and your Whole30s.

[missmary]

Kara, I'm sorry you feel the community is hypocritical, but there is a specific difference between the two scenarios: it's sugar. The packets in question are not eliminated because they are convienient, and convenient it bad, but instead eliminated because sugar/sweeteners are eliminated. I'm sure if there were a packet that was just dehydrated citrus without any sugar it would be allowed (I would stick with my fresh lemons and limes, but that's just me).

Sorry we won't have you around to add your voice and experience to the boards. take care.

[Robin Strathdee]

At this point, and especially since Kara has left the forum community, I feel like it's unnecessary to continue debating why some "convenient" foods are acceptable and some are not. I feel like the moderators have clearly illustrated their positions several times, and they are consistent with both the guidelines and the spirit of the program.

That said, whether or not they are convenient, True Citrus packets are not compliant with Whole30 guidelines because of the added sugar, not because of their packaging. Baby foods are because of their ingredients, not because of their packaging.

That being said, feel free to discuss baby food to your hearts' content! ;0)

Happy Friday, friends!

[karacooks]

I NEVER SAID USE TRUE CITRUS. I said multiple times specifically that I was ditching True Citrus for the length of the Whole30 because it was NOT COMPLIANT.

I said instead of beating people over the head with "eat real fruit" why not offer an ALTERNATIVE TO TRUE CITRUS THAT IS COMPLIANT??????

If organic baby food is compliant, why isn't an alternative to true citrus that doesn't contain sugar?

This is yet another reason that I won't be participating here. Actually read what I'm saying rather than putting words in my mouth.

[anm54]

karacooks,

I'm sorry you feel so upset about this subject. I think the thing you need to look at here is the mods are here to help and give advice not ruin your life. I think they draw a very clear line between your post on true citrus and the post about baby food. It is clearly different and no one is accusing you of telling people to use true citrus. Just take a second and stop being so defensive. This is about changing you habits and your life. You are taking offense to when clearly there should be none taken. You can take their advice or not, its about changing YOU. Like Dallas and Mellisa discuss, there is not black and white here its about what habits affect you and your health.

[Johnny M]

Hi everyone - we appreciate everyone's opinions and open discourse but we need to keep the forum respectful and productive. We feel we've been fair and explanatory and have tried to offer clarification and help but it's time to close this thread. If there are further questions on this specific topic please open new questions or feel free to email the mods directly. thank you and keep up the good work. You're all here and passionate because you care about your health and supporting that is our goal and whole30 approved for sure!