An everyday condiment vs. food guide

Leanne Shirtliffe is a friend and colleague of mine, a talented writer and an award-winning blogger. Her witty commentary on modern parenting in Don’t Lick the Minivan had me in stitches as I remembered the trials and tribulations of early motherhood. Every parent can relate to stories about children’s relationship with different foods, and Leanne gave me permission to quote her hilarious remarks about ketchup. Enjoy, and then order her book; it’s a fantastic read, whether you are a parent or not.

It is an undisputed, unproven fact that 207 percent of children would not get their daily fruit and vegetable servings were it not for ketchup. Now, some nutritionists might say that ketchup should not be included in the food pyramid. To them, I say go wild: have unprotected sex and see what happens when your offspring spits out a real tomato. If human experimentation is not their thing, I invite them to borrow my children for six months. By the end of those 729 days of babysitting, not only will ketchup be on the pyramid, but mayonnaise will be a protein, and chocolate-covered raisins and Cheez Whiz will be milk products. 

Parenting tip: If you count ketchup as a fruit or vegetable, it’s likely your child is eating a balanced diet. 

Thanks, Leanne, for lots of great laughs!

By the way, I did Google the nutritional value of ketchup. Surprisingly, it contains vitamins A and C,  and then… not much else, other than sodium and some carbohydrates. Sounds nutritious to me. :)