Hahahahaha!

Diet fads like that are so funny! I remember when I was 10 or 11 and an aunt came from CA for a summer. The aunt she stayed with while she was here wanted to try some of the new CA health diets that were popular at the time.(like 1985, remember when Michael Jackson was black? ) The one that stands out in my mind was the Grapefruit/Eggs diet. Supposedly you were supposed to lose lots of weight and be very healthy if all you ate in a day was ummm yeah grapefruit and eggs.

They were both very sick within a week and a half. I missed it by about 5 days(the rest of the family in the area all took bets on how long it would last )

You are definitely right though--every diet I have ever seen always gets "modified" or just fades away slowly. I hope it goes fast for you!

So many Excellent choices for the NJ Excellence Awards this month! It's almost as if I picked them for you.

Well, Take care and have a fantastic week!

Hi Nick!!

I went through much the same growing up. At one point my parents heard some actress (yes, and actress) say that microwaving made food unhealthy, so they wanted to get rid of the microwave! I argued the point, and asked why an actress would have a worthwhile opinion on anything besides acting? (I have a special hatred for pontificating celebrities of any ilk). That fad faded, then it was all low-fat, then this, and then that.

If they try and push margarine on you instead of butter, remind them that butter is far healthier than hydrogenated oil (the primary ingredient of margarine). (also, most margarine contains at least some trans-fat, which just about everyone agrees is very bad).

I did, however, find one part of your parents dietary preferences exceedingly disturbing:

My parents planted pots of herbs and bought weird kinds of meats like lamb, goat and rabbit.

Now, that's just plain wrong!

I got up this morning wanting grits

Me too!! Cheese grits with Tabasco ... the best thing in the whole world for breakfast.

Umm ... what are grits?

Whatever they are we don't get them in the UK - It say's they are 'Coarsely ground hulled corn boiled as a breakfast dish in the southern United States.' So is that like sweet corn?

We have Porridge which is great with cream and honey.

it's hard to even describe fully what they are, but I guess they're made of corn. Anyway, they're heavenly with cheese or even better, with apple butter stired into them :wub:

Think polenta. Dried corn kernels, coarsely ground, then boiled until they're a mush. Yum.

If you want to try a Southern breakfast, I'd say start with Sausage and biscuits.

Save Grits for the advanced course in Southern cusine. Grits are a bit like redneck Kimche. While grits don't reek like kimchi, unless you grow up on them, when you first encounter grits, your first instinct will probably be to poke them with a stick.

Grits are a bit like oatmeal- all squish. They are rather unappealing unless you add something to their nothing flavor. I can tolerate grits but I'm not as crazy about them as some people.

Save Grits for the advanced course in Southern cusine. Grits are a bit like redneck Kimche. While grits don't reek like kimchi, unless you grow up on them, when you first encounter grits, your first instinct will probably be to poke them with a stick.

I like both grits and kimchi but never thought of them as alike before. Now that you mention it, I can see the similarity. They're both a staple in their native territory but seem a bit odd to folks in the rest of the world.

Grits doesn't look very good... :C.

Anyway, what's wrong with eating healthy???

I would personally love to eat eggs for breakfast, but I have no time in the morning to make them (my schedule is absolutely ridiculous, in case you're wondering why I have no time to 'make eggs'). I hate goat and rabbit though... the mere thought of red meat... or anything other than chicken for that matter grosses me out. I can bear the taste I guess, but only if it's overwhelmed by everything else. Imposing a diet on people isn't good though... you should be able to eat whatever you want, especially considering you're a teenager.

Birds

Umm ... what are grits?

Whatever they are we don't get them in the UK - It say's they are 'Coarsely ground hulled corn boiled as a breakfast dish in the southern United States.' So is that like sweet corn?

Think polenta. Dried corn kernels, coarsely ground, then boiled until they're a mush. Yum.

OK so myself not ever having seen them or encountered them, And as a dairy farmer, All I can imagine is it being like the feed I grind for the cows. Ground up corn.

If you want to try a Southern breakfast, I'd say start with Sausage and biscuits.

Sausage gravy and biscuits has always been a favorite of mine, But I never knew it was southern until I was older. Excellent!

sorry nick please delete this one

You know there are a lot of people in this country that are diabetics and they do not even know about it. When I worked for the hospital I would get many adults who would tell me that they are not diabetics but they lab results would show a very different story. I used to hate it when I would have to interview a diabetic child, can you imagine a 3-4 year old having to monitor what they eat, learning how to count there carbohydrates for there meals . Teenagers are the worse I will say that, I remember getting cuzed at because I could not give them a regular soda.

Nick I feel bad that you have to endure all these diet fad's that your parents are having you go through, I remember not so long ago being a teen myself and wanting to eat food that were not all that healthy for me. That would include hambugers, pizzas, chili fries, you name it I probably wanted it, it seemed like I had a bottomless pit. Ah to b

e a teen again.

Although this new diet is a healthy one for you and your family, but I also can relate to how you feel. I for one can not eat goat or even rabbit (poor bunny), it is rare when you see me eating fish, it's only when my body craves it. I've tried eating grits, don't really care for them. It was actually an accident when I first tried grits I thought they were giving me cream of wheat. :wacko:

Take care Nick and just incase here is a if you need it

Anthony

LOL, your parents' diet is actually pretty close to exactly what I like. Except for the sugar free snacks, I don't buy chips or cookies in the first place (LOL, just cake, pie, and brownies, but like "fresh" not packaged).

I'm on a whole grain/high fiber kick myself! I really like those foods though! Protein's a bit of a problem for me, I just don't really like meat that much, I don't dislike it, but I seldom WANT it in preference to something else. As a result I eat quite a bit of soy which I just adore! And oh my gosh nuts totally rock! . Fish is actually my favourite "meat", and fish/shellfish are usually the only meats I ever "crave" (sometimes chicken too though and lol yep, I DON'T eat the skin and I don't like it on the bone, so boneless skinless is always what I go for).

I have two huge vices when it comes to food. Chocolate and potatoes and I generally like both any way I can get them (but the "fresher" the better). Apart from that though it sounds like I'd love to eat what your parents are serving!

I went through much the same growing up. At one point my parents heard some actress (yes, and actress) say that microwaving made food unhealthy, so they wanted to get rid of the microwave!

hehe, sorry CJ, but I'm inclined to agree with the actress; I've heard a lot of bad things about microwaves and how they not only leave bad stuff IN the food, but take good stuff OUT of the food. Even forgoing that though I just don't like the way microwaved food tastes. So I usually cook and reheat on the stove .

If you want to try a Southern breakfast, I'd say start with Sausage and biscuits.

 

Save Grits for the advanced course in Southern cusine. Grits are a bit like redneck Kimche. While grits don't reek like kimchi, unless you grow up on them, when you first encounter grits, your first instinct will probably be to poke them with a stick.

LOL, not grits I love, it would be the sausage I'd want to poke with a stick. I said I don't really actively dislike meat, but when it comes to sausage, pork, hot dogs, spam, and other such things I make an exception; I can't stand those! LOL, as I said I went on a soy kick (well I've been on it for like 4 years now, but it surged ), and I foolish thought "well I'll try these soy 'breakfast patties'." Yup, tasted just like REGULAR breakfast patties (kinda sausagey)...which I know I don't like . I dunno what I was thinking getting them, I took a bite and had trouble keeping them down . Soy bacon I actually kinda like though, even though I don't care for regular bacon, so maybe I was thinking they would be better...but no.

LOL, anyway even though I probably wouldn't mind the diet I'm sorry you're stuck with it, Nick . I'm not going to make my kids eat what I eat. I mean that's probably what I'll naturally fix for them unless they say otherwise, but if they want *gasp* sausage I'll buy and prepare it for them.

hehe, anyway good luck surviving!

Kevin