Okay so whenever I'm at the grocery store I'm always looking for any cool new foods the girls might like. They're not picky eaters, as a matter of fact they love all healthy foods mommies would want babies to eat. Veggies are their fave, and they will eat carrots, green beans, mixed vegetables, all that straight out of the can. (Not literally people, but you know, like room temperature.) They dig bananas, sliced apples, applesauce, canned fruit in natural juice, strawberries, and their absolute favorite is blueberries. Cheese is a fave- all kinds- American, cheddar, havarti, brie, Laughing Cow, it's all good. However, I try to keep a little variety goin' on with some new stuff every now and then, especially for breakfast. Lately they have been stuck on wanting dry cereal, which is not bad, but eventually they'll get sick of it and we need to have alternatives.

Yesterday while perusing the freezer section at our local grocery, I noticed these Pillsbury French Toast Sticks with little cups of syrup that you dunk them in. Plus, they were on sale. Okay so syrup is nuttin but sugar but they rarely eat sweets, as a matter of fact they can't stand candy, but they looove dipping things in stuff. When we go to McD's for a treat, they are all about dipping fries and nuggets in ketchup. I thought they would like the french toast sticks because they like pancakes, but I figured they wouldn't go for the syrup.

I had gotten them up and in their high chairs with their juice because they like to watch me fix their food. I put the french toast sticks in the toaster bc they were like a piece of bread that you toast then tear into pieces along the perforations. Of course I'm narrating this the whole time "Mmmmm mommy got you something new and yummy for brekky (short for breakfast fyi) it smells mmmm so good, look I'm puttin' it in the toaster oh yeah this looks super duper uh huh uh huh" (you know you gotta get em psyched up for something new so they will at least try it.) I take out the little syrups. "Oh wow check this out girls it comes with little cups of ...." pause to stare in amazement/shock/disgust- what the heck...? the syrups are all BRIGHT NEON COLORS.

I know this may be normal for people who have lots of kids and feed them junk food all the time but call me crazy we're pretty healthy eaters and I am not used to the thought of consumption of massive quantities of concentrated food dyes. I know they probably did that to make kids want to eat it but please that is totally groty to k8.

It's too late; the rainbow death syrup has been spotted by the young primates and they're screaming bloody murder for it. I consider the colors available to decide the lesser of evils. Blue, mmm, no. Green, hmm, don't think so dudes. I decide to go with the red seeings as it's the closest to the real color of syrup and it's the only one you can actually see through. Plus, my kids hate sweets so they're not gonna eat it anyway.

Place plates in front of young mammals- they examine, smell, look at the goods. Gingerly poking the syrup cups they tentatively take a bite of a plain piece. I'm thinking-good, they just want the bread part, not the sugar. I turn to prepare my coffee and a few seconds later check the situation. BAAADOW BABY it's red syrup mania! Within a matter of seconds they have tasted and begun relishing the thick red contents of the cup that looks like finger paint. And they in fact have decided that finger paint is a great alternative use for this stuff. There is great dipping, pouring, smearing, rubbing, licking, and general revelry for an extended period as they grunt their way through the stick eating process and when all sticks are gone they continue making sure they get every last drop of the red goop.


I am unintentionally, yet officially a mother who feeds her children sugar and red dye. And they love it. I feel so guilty. The organic tofu hotdog mommies will make me wear a Scarlet Syrup A on my shirt so the world will know I gave my children liquid candy for breakfast. Quick, hide me.