The Competition Within

As a college student, at the tender age of 19, I was on the fast track to success. I had graduated high school a semester early with honors, and began college immediately, with the intent to continue my streak, I suppose.  Suddenly, I fell ill. Not sick enough that I couldn't go to school, but sick enough that I knew something wasn't right. After a battery of tests, and consultations, I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia and several severe food allergies.

It seemed that no matter what I ate, it made me sick in one form or another. For example, bananas. I'm actually NOT allergic to them, but the natural sugar content is too much for me, as a hypoglycemic, to tolerate on an empty stomach. It seemed as though there was a competition within my body, amongst the hundreds of important and controlling components, the winner being the most fickle of all, commanding the most severe illness.

I received an immense amount of paperwork detailing exactly what I could NOT eat. I took it all in, I was at peace with this information because it gave me answers. I was willing to do whatever it took to feel better and get on with life, which soon became a challenge in itself. It seemed that no matter what I ate, it made me sick in one form or another.

With no one else to turn to, I consulted a practitioner that soon became a staple in my life, a holistic nutritionist. At the time, I was merely thankful for her wise insight, and determination to find things I could eat and enjoy.

In hindsight however, I am thankful for many of the other divine influences surrounding this particular relationship. Being young, I was impressionable, which was a great time for me to learn from an experienced, educated, Godly professional, how to properly fuel my body, and appreciate it for all it's worth.

In addition, this diagnosis and preparation's well planned timing by the powers that be became even more evident just two short years later, when, as a recent college grad and newlywed, I discovered that we had managed to create a human being, and that my new diet was even more important because I was now responsible for the wellness of two individuals.

A mere 27 months later, it became apparent that our amazingly perfect miniature human had her own internal battle. Sadly, her illness was much more complex and difficult to diagnose. Three years later, when our second and third daughters began having similar issues, we were informed of celiac disease. A week later, we got answers. Clear cut, black and white answers. All three of our children have celiac disease, and food allergies.

Fast forward thirteen years to 2010.  My literal battle with food shaped my lifestyle, my choices, and my interests. Through a more recent personal tragedy, I learned who I am, what I am capable of, and what I am passionate about. Food Prude was born.

It is my goal to take this internal competition to a new level, one where I'm in control. I want to use this accumulated knowledge to have a positive influence on others. I am going to challenge myself to write 31 posts by the 31st of August.  It is noon on August 10. I will need to write an average of 1.5 100 word posts per day.  Think I can do it?

Crazy Good Quesadillas

Unfortunately, there are many evenings when my husband is unable to be present for dinner. On such occasions, it is unlikely that I will have the energy to take on the work involved in preparing a complex dinner menu, only to be the sole server, dish washer, and parent afterward. Nights like this call for something light and healthy with little clean up. 

While I will take the 'easier' way out of these partner-less situations, I never skimp on quality. Valuable ingredients coupled with creativity make quick, nutritious, last minute meals simple.

My favorite stand-by quick meal is quesadillas. Typically, my children request spinach and cheese quesadillas. I actually keep the 4 ingredients required for this simple meal on hand at all times; whole grain tortillas (corn in our house), extra virgin olive oil, fresh organic spinach, and a block of cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

Served with a bowl of berries, spinach quesadillas are kid friendly and well rounded. However, such a simple meal lacks a certain adult appeal. Serving myself this dish alongside my children's, left me feeling a little.....childish. So I decided to add a few grown up elements to the mix, leading to 'Crazy Good Quesadillas.'


Here's what you need:
Whole Grain Tortillas
Olive Oil
Pepper Jack Cheese
Organic Tomato
Re fried BLACK beans (Amy's Organic are my favorite because they're already seasoned.)
If your black beans are unseasoned, add some garlic, onion, and basil.




Oil the griddle, layer tortilla, cheese, tomato (diced works best), cheese, spread beans on the inside of top tortilla. Cook for about 5 mins. on high, flip and cook for another 5 mins.  Move to cutting board and cut into halves or quarters (a pizza cutter works well here).

Serve with a simple veggie like a whole baked sweet potato topped with apple butter, honey, or sea salt and paprika.Or fresh organic spinach with this homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Keep in mind that this Mexican inspired dish is not for weak taste buds. It is hearty, and packs a powerful flavor. 

The Purpose Driven Pantry

Being a Food Prude involves deliberate wellness, and requires forethought and determination. These qualities I have. But I also have a dirty secret….

I have a hefty set of organizational skills paralleled with a conundrum of perfectionist tendencies which have led me straight into a shame worthy situation. It's embarrassing. Sad, really. A significant part of my kitchen is in complete disarray. I won’t make excuses, although there are plenty, but I will share with you my journey to reclaim this space. It is……the pantry.

While the pantry inventory is really somewhat sparse in a dedicated Food Prude's home (because most super foods are fresh and require refrigeration), it is still a major component in food prep and can either make or break your prudent spirit. It is important to maintain a well planned pantry as an investment in your time management, peace in the kitchen, and commitment to this somewhat demanding way of life.

In addition to being a source of nourishment, with quality staples on hand, your pantry is a great resource for unexpected meals and can reduce trips to the supermarket. It is the perfect place to stock up frugal finds, and house non perishable sundries to protect your family against weather emergencies or financial dislocation.

Some people may not have a specific pantry in their home, or may have a very small one. Take this piece of advice from 'Organized Home's' Cynthia Ewer, "Think of the pantry as a reservoir of consumable goods which may be stored in any area of the home."

My before and after's are included, {{cringe}}. Don't judge.

Before shot:





I'm hesitating.......






Alright, alright......






So here she is, like a deer in the headlights. Completely exposed, quivering with fear, shocked and confused as she determines what to do next. I believe that if she could, my pantry would run away, far into the thicket, searching for bliss, hoping never to be assaulted by one large, and three small food prude's again.

To my credit. The pantry door dawns a clever system which has been maintained, despite it's abandoned appearance. Some may queary, so I digress. The top half of the door sports two cork bulletin boards, stacked, and dressed in school notices, class rosters, soccer schedules, snack rotations, zip lock bags for box tops, chore and behavior charts (yes, sheets full of stickers). The middle section of the door hosts two wall files, filled with stickers (for the behavior charts), pens, and 3 folders with pertinent school information. Finally, although unpictured, the door knob does not go undressed, conveniently, it supports the equivalent of a wristful of rubberbands for sealing random opened bags of things.

Aside from the tall kitchen trash can designated for recyclables, the floor of the pantry, also unpictured, houses a slew of displaced objects. An unused electric griddle, extra racks for the oven, some parts to the grill, a huge brown paper bag full of nothing other than more brown paper bags, a box of boxed soup, bulk napkins, a half used 50 lb. bag of rice, and a gallon of canola oil. Yes, this is the result of a family that buys in bulk.

The rest of the pantry is, well, chaotic for lack of a better word.  So I've done some research on pantry organization, and below you will find the fruits of my labor: My humble opinion of the best tips online, and a few of my own additions.

1. Purge. Grab two trash bags, one for trash and one for recycling. Throw out all items that are old and expired or food that you will never eat. If you haven't touched in the past year, it's probably old and you are more than likely not going to eat it soon.
2. Move all like items together, for example, all dressings & condiments together, all baking items together, all packaged goods together, all canned goods together, etc.
3. Stating the obvious, if you have the most room on the top shelf, place larger items there.
4. The floor seems to be the best place to store bulk items, but it can make the pantry feel cluttered if you can't see the floor. If you do decide to store large items here, keep it to a minimum.
5. If you need more storage space, get a container on wheels that will fit below the lowest shelf so that you can wheel it out easily and clean underneath without any hassle. 
6. Keep cans of vegetables together in rows and columns on a shelf at eye-level.
7. On that same shelf, create a section for each category of canned goods.
8. Remember to add newly-purchased items to the back of the stack or row; use the front items first. 
9. Use tall plastic or glass sealed containers to store things like dry cereal, pasta, sugar and flower.  Your food will look much more uniform and organized, and will fit better on the shelf.
10. Store pasta in clear plastic bin(s) that fit on shelf. 
11. Store bags of beans and rice in another clear plastic bin on the same shelf. 
12. Keep raw baking ingredients and baking mixes together in one section of the pantry.
13. Use labels on the front of the shelves to identify the designated areas.
14. Break the mold. If you are short on space, create several 'pantries' within your home, as long as temperature and moisture aren't an issue. For example, keep the package of extra napkins in the cupboard closest to your table. Store spices and oils in the cupboard nearest to the stove. Store paper towels and extra dishwashing detergent on the top shelf in the laundry room.
15. If you have kids, keep them in mind when organizing. What you don't want them to reach should go up high, (glass bottles, junk food, etc.) What you DO want them to reach should go down low, (nuts, seeds, raisins, applesauce, etc.)
16. Keep a little stool close by for your little helper(s).
17. If you have room, a laundry basket for dirtied kitchen linens is helpful.

Show and tell time.......drum roll please..........

Yes, those are sweet potatoes next to my canned beans. We love sweet potatoes, but in our previous setup, they would disappear, only to be found when their sprouts had grown long enough to reach out and grab us when we stepped in. So in my new organized pantry, the yams won't need to yell, they are front and center, and ready to be noticed.

When you create a kids shelf, most likely the bottom shelf for kids under 10, be deliberate about it's contents. Stock it with things you want them to eat, and make them look appealing. Pictured below is my kid's go-to shelf in the pantry.

On the left is their gluten free pretzels, animal crackers, and raisins. On the right, a basket containing 'special' grab-and-go treats, like gluten free rice crispies, yogurt and cereal bars, and cookie buttons, for soccer games, or snack bags for school. In the middle is a basket of little toys or non food treats that our kids ask for, but have to earn, i.e. Silly Bandz. Referring back to my sticker chart, the kids earn and lose stickers according to our system and they can trade their stickers in for a treat out of the prize basket.  The bottom line is that they know that is their shelf, and they like having a designated space, after all, it's their house too.


Keep your goals in mind, and create a Purpose Driven Pantry.

Lunch Well

Listen. Can you hear it? It's the chatter of little voices, sharing tales of road trips, sunburns and silly bandz, wearing well planned outfits with shoes that will never again be this clean, dawning shiny new stainless steel water bottles on backpacks brimming with supplies, gossiping about teachers and recess, while the smell of starched fabric, fresh paper and clean rubber fill the air. The bell rings. School is in. They're ready. Are you?

Packing lunches can be a daunting task, but when you want to pack healthy, and allergen free lunches that your kids will ACTUALLY eat, it can seem overwhelming. Don't fret. With a little planning, you will have several quick and easy options to throw together on hectic 'we're-still-on-summer-time-and-overslept' mornings.

First, invest in containers. A few good thermoses will go a long way, for hot and cold foods. You will use them often. Also, little tight seal containers, like Rubbermaid 1/2 cup food storage cups, are great for delicate items like berries, and tomatoes, as well as dipping sauces, like ranch, ketchup, maple syrup, almond butter, etc.

Second, make sure your children have insulated lunch boxes. Brown bag lunches are rare for the prude.

Third, plan dinner like you're feeding an army. Deliberately have leftovers when you cook, they make great lunches.


Finally, below are some tangible suggestions that will keep your little foodies happy, without requiring a full time chef.

1. The classic sandwich. This one is a given. If you're going gluten free, I recommend Udi's Whole grain bread. For wheat eaters, look for the words 'whole grain' as the first ingredient, not enriched wheat flour, and I suggest sprouted grain products like Ezekiel bread. Layer with valuable ingredients such as organic or nitrate free deli meat, organic cheese, olive oil mayonnaise, or deli mustard, (no artificial colors), fresh spinach leaves, and a tomato for the liking. Or, a more classic take, organic or all natural peanut butter with banana slices, or honey. Serve with a side of organic carrots and ranch (buy quality ranch, no chemicals please).
2. You can't go wrong with yogurt. But be careful if you buy the convenient little single serving containers. Many of them contain corn syrup, among other chemicals, and are LOADED with unnecessary sugar. Instead, buy one each of Organic Low Fat Plain, and Vanilla 32 oz. tubs of yogurt. Using a thermos, mix 1 part plain with 1 part vanilla yogurt. Include a side of fruit like berries or apples. Typically my children will mix the fruit into the yogurt or dip it. They love this fun little process and I love knowing that they are not eating a ton of empty calories. Serve with something crunchy, like pretzels, or crackers and Nutella.
3. Whole Grain Pasta. Different shapes, different sauces, it's always fun. This one is handy to have cooked and ready in the fridge at all times. Warm and spoon into a warm thermos, drizzle with olive oil and a dash of basil, include diced tomatoes on the side for mixing just before eating. Serve with edemame or peas (warm or cold). Or layer the pasta with shredded cheese of choice, and diced organic turkey dog pieces. Serve with natural (no sugar or corn syrup) applesauce. Or use leftover taco meat and layer with pasta and cheese. Serve with whole grain organic tortilla chips and guacamole. The possibilities are endless.
4. Brown rice. Another staple in your lunch menu. Use leftover rice, or make up a batch and keep it in the fridge. Brown is a much more valuable rice than white because it packs fiber and protein as well as minerals. Spoon into a warm thermos with veggie of choice, peas, corn, diced carrots, red peppers, cooked spinach, etc. Drizzle with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Serve with string cheese.
5. Pancakes. Protein laden pancakes. When you make them for Saturday morning breakfast, make extra and refrigerate. Warm and place into warm thermos. No butter necessary. Include a small container of pure maple syrup. Instruct your child to roll the pancake, dip and enjoy. Serve with strawberries, or fruit of choice.
6. Quesadillas. Don't worry, they cook up quick and transfer from fridge to thermos well. Use whole grain tortillas (organic preferred, corn or rice if gluten free), drop oil on griddle, layer tortilla, re fried black beans, and shredded cheese, or spinach and cheese. Flip, cook, move to cutting board, use pizza cutter to quarter. Store in air tight container in fridge. In the morning, warm quarters (paper towel underneath to absorb moisture), and place into warm thermos. Serve with Tomato Salad.
7. Tuna Salad. On whole grain bread, with crackers, or in a bowl with a spoon. Mayonnaise is the traditional way to make it, and you can get (or make) healthy versions of mayo, and/or use a very small amount of it in your tuna salad. Or you can try mixing the tuna with diced organic tomatoes marinated in olive oil (you can usually find a canned version of this to simplify), deli mustard, pickle relish, minced onion and celery. This also works as a spread. Serve with a vegetable, if doing a sandwich or crackers. Serve with a veggie (like carrots, or celery), or fresh spinach and Italian dressing for dipping; and a starch (like a cinnamon rice cake) if the tuna will be sans grains.
8. Oatmeal. Yes, oatmeal. Plain, whole grain oats. For the glutino's, in your house, you can get gluten free oats. Don't get the little packets of quick cooking artificially flavored over sweetened wanna be oatmeal. You can make the old fashioned kind quickly too, and flavor and sweeten yourself. I love Overnight Oatmeal from "Super Baby Food": mix 1 c. rolled oats with 1.5 c. organic milk of choice, and 1/2 c. apple juice, and refrigerate overnight. Warm in saucepan in the morning and spoon into thermoses.  Or cook it overnight in the crock pot with 5 cups of water to every 2 cups of oats, chopped peeled apples, dried fruit, and a dash of cinnamon. Try cooking with craisins and a dash of brown sugar. Or raisins and cinnamon. There are tons of fun ways to make oatmeal. Too many for me to list. For some ideas, check out Mr. Breakfast.   Serve with a banana and Nutella graham cracker sandwiches.
9. And there's always a quick turkey and cheese roll with fruit and a rice cake.
10. Dinner left overs that work really well for kids: 

• Burgers (turkey, or beef), they warm and hold well.
• Taco meat, warm and place in thermos with pasta, or alone for use on a salad with tortilla chips, or with warm tortillas (warmed and rolled in foil and placed in thermos).
• Chili, alone, with chips or salad.
• Tortilla soup, sent with cold tortillas to be torn up and placed in soup, and a side of cheese to top it.
• Spaghetti, (made with whole grain pasta and organic sauce, of course) with a side of lightly buttered whole grain bread, and broccoli.

Think dinner, but smaller and portable. That's your 'brown bag' lunch. Do the un-lunch-able, get creative, and don't forget to tell the rest of us. We could all use some new ideas!

For a few more ideas, Mommily Ever After has posted several links for school lunch ideas.
Bon Apetit!

Prudent Pancakes

While this post will focus on pancakes, sans gluten, many of the suggestions are applicable to traditional recipes as well.  If you eat gluten free, you have probably noticed that your diet may not be as filling as it previously was. You have probably noticed that baking is difficult and time consuming, and your grocery budget is screaming for relief from high priced specialty foods. In light of said realizations, I'll share with you my 'super-filling-quick-and-easy-not-too-expensive' pancake recipe(s).

First, I must point out that when I bake gluten free, I bake in bulk and freeze the excess. This is the ONLY way to have a life out side of the kitchen while maintaining this important diet.

Second, I will, unfortunately, discourage you from creating your own gluten free baking recipes from scratch if you are relatively new to this diet, and/or baking in general. It sounds fun to go buy all these new ingredients and stretch your kitchen skills with the challenge of whipping up something delicious and different that's completely gluten free, but realistically, you are setting yourself up for failure. Skip it for now, until you are very well versed in gluten freedom and the trials and tribulations of baking with foods that will never rise, fluff, sponge, look or taste anything remotely like glutinous foods do.

Third, I will reiterate the old adage that 'you get what you pay for'. Once you experience the more expensive specialty products from small independent companies like Namaste, Amy's and Pamela's, you will undoubtedly have a hard time swallowing (pun intended) the cheaper, easier to come by products from larger manufacturers. There IS a difference, and if you can learn to make your gluten free foods go farther, you CAN afford the higher quality, better tasting varieties.

On that note, I'll tell you the secret to making your pancakes, regardless of recipe, go farther. Add protein to the mix. There are several ways to do this, and the result is thicker, more filling, and healthier flapjacks. The higher the protein content of your pancakes, and any food for that matter, the sooner you will be satiated, causing you to eat less, and stay fuller longer.

I'll admit, I use a pre-made mix. I just do. It's simpler, and I have a deep, sincere appreciation for simplicity. Now that I have revealed my dark secret, I can tell you that my entire family prefers Pamela's Pancake mix. It is carried by most health food stores, enlightened mainstream grocers, and Amazon.


Food Prude's Favorite Pancakes:
1 Cup of Pamela's Pancake Mix
2 scoops of Arbonne's Chocolate Protein Shake Powder
3/4 cup of water
1 T olive oil
*(you will see that Pamela calls for eggs in the directions for her mix prep, however, I omit the eggs when protein powder is added)

Mix on medium with mixer. If the batter seems too thick, add a small amount of water and oil until it is just thin enough to barely drip out of the bowl onto the griddle. Make sure they are not too runny, b/c they will not fluff. Once it hits the griddle, what you see is what you get.  I double, sometimes triple the recipe and refrigerate or freeze the the extras.

These pancakes are so delicious, you can eat them plain. However, we do occasionally top them with a dab of butter (the real stuff, NOT margarine), and a tablespoon of pure maple syrup.

Along with a serving of fruit, my children will typically eat one of these power packed plate fillers for a meal, (and it's not always breakfast). Before I began adding protein, however, they would eat 3 or 4 pancakes.....EACH! Being the budget conscious shopper that I am, it was like I could hear the 'cha-ching' sound with every additional pancake that was consumed. To my defense, I feel it's important to note that Pamela's Pancake mix averages $6.59 a bag, and makes about 32 less than average sized pancakes, sans protein. So you understand the cash register in my head.

As I mentioned, there are several ways to make your flapjacks laden with protein. I have used other plain powders from health food stores, and added my own sweetener, (like Agave, or Honey), and flavoring, (like cocoa powder, or blueberries - note the OR). You can also use peanut butter and banana, or yogurt and the berries of your choice. I chose to feature this specific combination because it is the easiest, and happens to be the most requested in our household. I encourage you to play around with your pancakes and share your ideas and recipes here.

Two final notes, for a great scratch pancake recipe, among several other great recipes, check out The Nurture Diet by Shannon Mahoney.

To order Arbonne's delicious chocolate protein shake mix, check out my sister site, CassidyPrather.myarbonne.com

Freakin' Eurekan'

On a recent trip to Eureka Springs Arkansas, a t-shirt caught my eye. Aside from it's bright hot pink color, the tag line was very appealing. "Freakin' Eurekin'" The word play makes it cute, but, to me, it is synonymous with eternal optimism and is vital to wellness. 

Early in my childhood, I learned that friends, boyfriends, and sometimes spouses are temporary constituents in the whole of life. Family, however, is forever. Family is do or die. Family is life, love, and laughter. Family is a foundation on which you can build and enjoy the other elements of life, and fall back on when everything crumbles.

My sister, Bonnie, was 10 yrs. old when I entered her life and, according to family folklore, she couldn't have been happier. She was thrilled to have what seemed to be a real live baby doll to 'mother.' She took me for walks and pushed me around in the carriage for hours. She tended to me so regularly, that I very soon began to call her mommy instead of Bonnie. The rest of our relationship is no different than the beginning. I was her maid of honor, her birth coach, a staple in her girls' night out, her first phone call with good news, and bad. I am her everything, and she, mine.

It is not always easy, this close bond we have. Like most women with their mothers, I dread my sister's sometimes overly critical input and her ever wiser, more experienced opinion on.... everything. Overall, though, it is a warm and comfortable relationship. We have been through many ups and downs together, and love each other unconditionally, through all the joy and all the tears, even through the busy-ness of life that led to long stretches of silence between us. We always pick up where we left off, and never question where we stand with each other.

As is everyone, I was thrust into the woes of adulthood, college, career, marriage, children, and have always maintained my 'glass half full' mentality, despite life's challenges. My eternal optimism was fueled by my faith and provided a happy, healthy life. Until my sister's tumultuous terminal prognosis. Suddenly, the glass was empty - all the time.

I subconsciously reverted back to my childish world of 'should,' where things are black and white and boundaries are clearly drawn. No one should lose a sibling. No one should have to say goodbye so prematurely. No one should ever have their foundation cracked. I shouldn't have to bury my 'everything' and carry on, I shouldn't.

In a perfect world, 'should' would be a valuable word. This is not a perfect world, and 'should' is weightless. 'Should' strongly correlates with hindsight, regret, and bewilderment. Such frustration cannot co-exist with peace.

In addition to grieving our family tragedy, this frustration over 'should' affected me physically. The negativity led to additional stress, and consequently fatigue and irritability.

According to David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, in his book Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life, psychological stress has been associated with cancer for more than 2,000 years when the Greek physician, Galen, associated the two. The type of mindset that can most negatively affect your health is the feeling of utter helplessness and despair.

Further, the Harvard Health Publications suggests:  "...optimism may have biological benefits that improve health. A 2008 study of 2,873 healthy men and women found that a positive outlook on life was linked to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, even after taking age, employment, income, ethnicity, obesity, smoking, and depression into account. In women, but not men, a sunny disposition was also associated with lower levels of two markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6), which predict the risk of heart attack and stroke. Other possible benefits include reduced levels of adrenaline, improved immune function, and less active clotting systems."

I recognize that 'frustration' and 'peace' are two opposing concepts. We must choose which philosophy we want to live by: a life of wishful thinking, and sadness, or one of contentment, and eureka.

Peace is not in the absence of troubles, however, it is the presence of God. Living in peace requires an immense amount of commitment, determination, and daily surrender. I will continue to choose to see the bright side, to appreciate the goodness in everything, to let the negativity roll off my back, and reap the rewards of a good attitude and a fully functioning body.  I encourage you to be conscious of this decision, and choose optimism, for your own wellness and your family's.  In the interest of faith and wellness, be a Freakin' Eurekan. Cheers.

Trolling for Chocolate

On a recent grocery trip, I found myself scouring the candy aisle, my sweet tooth leading the way, when I remembered a friend's facebook post which read, "How do all you dieters get your chocolate fix without blowing your diet?"

I have noticed that there are times when I have serious cravings, and other times I don't. There are several factors that lead to food cravings. Most commonly known are the hormone imbalances caused by premenstrual syndrome, and depression. Another is adrenal fatigue caused by stress, or sleep deprivation. And the least familiar cause of food cravings is the increasingly popular 'low fat' diet.

"If you eat a low-fat diet in the hope of losing weight, you unintentionally make the problem worse. If, like millions of dieters, you have eaten a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet for many years, or followed fad diets, the odds are good that you have become at least partially insulin resistant, which means your body stops responding to insulin, and instead grabs every calorie it can and deposits it as fat. So no matter how little you eat, you will gradually gain weight. At the same time, your cells cannot absorb the glucose they need, so they signal your brain that you need more carbohydrates or sugars. The result is persistent food cravings." Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP 

Address the issues above to curb future cravings, and read my suggestions below for the days when you find yourself trolling for chocolate anyway.

1. Remember that sometimes it's not about discipline and indulge yourself.
2. Know that marketers have done a phenomenal job of portraying chocolate as a dirty secret that you should feel guilty about because sin sells.The definition of indulge is: to yield to, to satisfy, and to gratify. It does not, in any way, shape or form, mean wrong, shame worthy, or any of the other negative connotations commonly associated with indulgence.
3. Make sure you buy only high quality sweets. Leave the corn syrup and colors out of it. Reach for milk and dark chocolate in things like chocolate chips, (like the kind you bake with), chocolate covered almonds(good fat!), Hershey kisses or chocolate bar, Dove dark chocolates, Nutella Hazelnut Spread, or Hot Cocoa You Can Feel Good About. 
4. Don't buy sweets (or any junk for that matter) in bulk. The more you have available in your home, the more you will eat. If the chocolate is regarded as a delicacy, you will eat less of it, and enjoy it more.
5. Keep these old cliches in mind when dealing with kids and sweets: 'Out of sight out of mind,' 'A little goes a long way,' 'And they always want what they can't have.'

With the above principals in place, I allow my children to have one small treat a day, after lunch. This small treat includes anything with more than 10 grams of sugar, like a cup of my healthy hot cocoa, a hand full of chocolate chips, pretzels or fruit dipped in Nutella, a scoop of ice cream, a couple of gluten free cookies, honey or agave sticks, etc. The point is that if they know that can indulge in small doses, and with wise choices, they don't crave it and resent the moderation. In addition, I am content knowing that the key ingredients of the treats we have in our home are high quality and pass the food prude standards.

This same concept works with adults. If you are disciplined enough to only buy treats with quality ingredients, and don't over eat them, you too will enjoy being able to 'indulge' without the guilt.