I have a theory that the ‘forbidden fruit’ is one of this universe’s most powerful things.
When I was growing up, we rarely had ice cream in the freezer. And even more rarely ice cream sandwiches. And when we did find them in the freezer, between my brother graham and I, they were gone in a skinny minute. And if ever I went to a friend’s house, and they had them, I would marvel that they would actually stay stocked. Why weren’t they expending all available energy in shoving that sweet icy deliciousness in their cake-hole? Wonders never ceased.
We had plenty of whole wheat bread. Wheat Germ. Tofu. Crap like that. Oddly, I never felt the need to binge on those.
And it didn’t hit me until my own kids were born that one of the reasons I went ape-shit (that’s a technical term, it’s not cussing.) over ice cream bars is because they were so rare. Thus was born my theory of the forbidden fruit.
I bought a big glass jar, and filled it….filled it….with Peanut M&M’s. It was so pretty and colorful. I labled the jar “Attitude Adjustments” and put it on the floor where the kids could partake with ease. Understand, this is a BIG jar. It takes about 6 large bags of M&Ms to fill it. And I have a plastic scoop in it, just in case the health department comes. You can never be too careful.
At first, those M&M’s disappeared quickly. Troy was one of the largest culprits. But eventually, the jar took longer and longer to empty. And now, if you ask the kids if they want an M&M, most likely they’ll go tell you to pound sand. (And then they get a time out.) Seriously, they are no longer enamored with them. Why? They are not forbidden.
I even try to switch it up a little, to further this experiment. I color coordinate for the holidays. But they still don’t get eaten, so I find I have Christmas Colored M&M’s still here in January. I actually went ahead and took the green ones out to save for St. Patrick’s Day. (Troy thinks that was time well spent on my part…not.) Oh, and I’ve changed the label to from “Attitude Adjustments” to ‘Tokens of Affection’ for Valentine’s Day. Very Martha Stewart of me, I know.
And you know who eats them? Playdates. Occasionally Troy, but only when Dinner is running late, or he’s too lazy to get a beer out of the fridge. The kids that come over, the kids who’s parents have made M&M’s a forbidden fruit, they go after the jar like I did the ice cream sandwiches in the ’70’s.
It’s an interesting theory I think I’ve proven.
The next leg of this experiment will be making Tofu a forbidden fruit to see if they get to the point that they binge on it.
But I’m not holding my breath.
Mama Boe 
My Mom was the same way when I was a kid. We always had healthy foods but no pies, cakes, cookies, candy, sodas, and other goodies. Triscuits was about the unhealthiest food we had in the pantry, and I loved them then and I still love them today. We would only get treats on special occasions and did I ever enjoy that. A cherry or lemon Hostess miniature pie was like heaven on earth. I still remember sitting on our foyer steps eating a Hostess cherry pie like it was yesterday. Yum ……
I DO like the idea of tofu as a forbidden fruit!!!! Let me know how that works out.
I actually grew up much the same way. My mom was a health nut. I didn’t have my first soda until I slept at a girlfriends house in my late teen years. The fellas at the firehouse look at me crazy when I tell them I haven’t had certain foods until they cooked it at the firehouse…BBQ ribs is an example. I am certain that is why I over-indulge now. My point is, whenever you get “too tired” of the affection candy…M & Ms, I will gladly take them off your hands with all the refills you care to donate and try your experiment. But let it be known there will never come a day that I won’t want one or a handful…it could get fairly expensive! Great blog!
Same here – grew up in a “healthy environment”… We all said Mom “went on a health food kick” – and we suffered for it! LOL! I remember discovering a “secret stash” of chocolate bars. Did I steal one? You betcha’! Imagine my horror & disappointment to find that it was NON-SWEETENED BAKER’S CHOCOLATE!!! UUUUUUUuuuuuuugggghhhh……. It didn’t scar me much tho – unfortunately. To this day, ANYTHING chocolate screams my name. And do I like carrot cake or carob instead of chocolate? NO, I DO NOT!!
Also, whenever we kitty-sit for the neighbors, they give us a giant bag of peanut M&Ms. That isn’t something I usually buy, so for the first 3 or 4 days we all grab large hand-fulls from the bag EVERY TIME we pass it. The contents disappear rapidly – until there’s about an inch-from-the-bottom left. Then consumption just STOPS! The last layer sits there indefinately… I’ve moved the last bag’s inch-from-the-bottom’s contents into a candy jar that is sitting mournfully forgotten… I have ONE M&M every couple of days… Eventually I’ll get it all eaten – just in time for their next trip & the next time I kitty-sit!
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