Five years ago nearly to the day, I drank my last soda. I haven’t popped open a can of Diet Coke or guzzled a glass of root beer since. I craved it at first, and occasionally still do (especially when buttered popcorn is involved), but I haven’t caved. Far and away the biggest upside is that my kids don’t see me drinking soda. Role modeling is key at every age, but as a mom to teenage girls, it seems more relevant than ever. Sure, my kids will occasionally ask for a soda on an airplane or drink one at party, but when they want something bubbly these days, it’s nearly always bubbly water, not soda. That alone is worth saying no to soda. Below you’ll find my original post and what got me to cut it from my diet in the first place.
The “No Soda” Pledge
A month or so ago I went on a bit of a diatribe over soda consumption, rattling on about its contribution to the obesity epidemic and how buying it only adds to the problem by supporting the soft drink companies. My three children were at the receiving end of all this, their eyes glazed over seconds into my rant. Poor things.
But you never know when something is going to sink in, because an hour later, my youngest, Virginia, appeared with a clipboard and a pen, having drawn up a petition for family members to sign. It read something like this:
“I __________ promise not to drink sodas ever again. Sincerely, __________.”
She was the first to sign. I followed suit (did I have a choice?). Everyone else in the house politely passed.
Virginia stayed committed to her pledge. That is, until six hours later when her resolve crumbled under the temptation of a Shirley Temple at dinner out with the grandparents.
But I decided to stick with it, although I do love a good Shirley Temple. Granted, I wasn’t much of a soda drinker to begin with, but over ice on a hot day or at the movies, with a side of popcorn, there’s nothing better. I always felt sort of crummy drinking it, though, in part because I know better from a nutrition standpoint, but more because I was being a total hypocrite. Railing against soft drink manufacturers and hoping my kids wouldn’t develop a taste for the stuff, yet drinking it myself.
I don’t think soda is the devil, exactly. But I do know that we as a culture are downing it like water and it’s doing nothing for us but expanding our waistlines, and those of our children. According to the USDA, soft drinks, along with other sugary beverages, are among the top four sources of calories in the American diet. In their new book Why Calories Count, Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim hit the nail on the head when they write, “With nothing but “empty” calories, sodas have a nutrient density of zero. Think of them, as the Center of Science in the Public Interest does, as liquid candy. “
Why I Gave Up Soda and What It's Meant for My Kids #nosodapledge Share on XIn our house soda has always been treated like candy, reserved for special occasions, like dinner out with the grandparents. And it will continue this way; I’m not going to impose my pledge on the kids. Making a food completely unattainable can backfire, reinforcing a child’s desire for it.
But I will throw it out to all of you grown ups. Maybe you’ll consider Virginia’s petition, even just for a week, or a month. Perhaps you’ll have a soda-free summer or no sodas on Sunday. If you don’t want to go cold turkey, maybe you resolve not to keep it in the house anymore, or reserve it for an occasional treat instead of a regular thing.
We could start a revolution.
Any takers?
Comments
07.16.2012 at7:06 AM #
Meg
Love this Katie, and Virginia’s adorable passion for turning thought into action! I was thinking it would be fun to come up with fun alternatives, any thoughts?
07.16.2012 at7:06 AM #
Katie Morford
Yes. Here goes:
Iced Tea — I’ve been making a lot of iced tea. You can brew both black and herb tea. I like to immerse fresh mint and lemon verbena in my black tea and sweeten it lightly with agave. If you consider that a can of cola has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, even a sweetened iced tea is likely to be a major sugar savings. If you brew decaf black tea, the kids can drink it. For a treat, mix it with equal parts lemonade.
Flavored Water — Immerse sliced cucumbers, lemon, fruits such as strawberries or watermelon in a pitcher of water and chill. It’s very refreshing.
Juice and seltzer — Mix flavorful juices with equal parts seltzer. You still have a fizzy, flavorful drink, but with less sugar, calories, and if you choose your juice wisely, no artificial ingredients. Be sure to read the label.
Iced Coffee — Hang onto to your leftover morning brew and store it in the fridge. Poured over ice, with a generous splash of low-fat milk, iced coffee is a real treat.
07.16.2012 at7:50 AM #
Leslie
I am very lucky that I don’t happen to like soda. My kids are virtually prohibited from soda and it’s never in our house. When we took them to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, I told them they could pick one terrible-for-you food they’re normally not allowed. Emmy picked cotton candy and Asher got an enormous Coke.
07.16.2012 at7:50 AM #
Katie Morford
Funny. When Isabelle went on a school trip abroad she was delighted to tell me how they had to drink soda. “The water wasn’t safe, mom.”
07.16.2012 at10:44 AM #
Alison
Count me in. My children only drink soda when out for a special dinner but I am known to enjoy a diet coke. Another problem about soda is that it makes one ( me) crave salty,fatty food to go along with it.
07.16.2012 at10:44 AM #
Katie Morford
Totally agree about the salty/fatty food/drink combos. Interesting how junk food goes together!
07.16.2012 at4:21 PM #
Christina
I totally agree with this. I tell my kids “we’re water people” – but of course my 5 year old says “well, I’m not a water person.” I let them have juice once in awhile – only when we’re away from home. At home, it is water or nothing.
07.16.2012 at4:21 PM #
Katie Morford
Love your 5-year-old’s retort. Cute.
07.19.2012 at8:28 PM #
CourtneyU
Great post. We don’t drink soda either, but I do agree that depriving a kid of something completely can make them want it more (and they WILL find it!).
We love to put our coffe in the fridge for iced coffee in the afternoon too. There is a great company – Madhava that makes flavored agaves – hazelnut is very good in iced coffee.
Curious about the decaf tea. I bought some decaf green tea wanting to make iced tea my kids can drink but when I made it I realized it said “10 mg caffeine, compared to 90 for coffee.” Seems like it could add up for a 4 yr old! I will seek out a fruity herbal tea for them…
07.19.2012 at8:28 PM #
Katie Morford
Hi Courtney
Thanks for chiming in. Decaf tea does have a teensy bit of caffeine … usually more like 2 mg, not 10. The safest bet is herbal tea, as you mentioned, and there are so many terrific options these days!
07.23.2012 at11:04 AM #
Heather
As a former Coke (a cola!) addict, I appreciate this post. I would add a lot of the “flavored waters” on the market that sometimes have as much or more sugar hidden away in their sneaky packaging!
07.23.2012 at11:04 AM #
Katie Morford
You…cola addict?
You are right about the “waters”….read those labels, ladies.
07.23.2012 at2:25 PM #
Lori
I was away during this post, but was so addicted to sodas that I decided to give it up for lent this spring and have stayed with it. It was a real problem for me and I knew that if I simply switched from diet to regular–I would soon be addicted to regular or vice versa. I drink water and unsweet tea now and still crave soda on occasion, but plan on sticking to this for the long haul. When the craving really hits, I treat myself to a sweet tea which is the drink of choice where I live in the south. Great post! Thanks for sharing.
07.23.2012 at2:25 PM #
Katie Morford
Good for you, Lori. Keep it up!
07.24.2012 at8:04 AM #
Marie
I would happily take the pledge, but we never have soda at home. If my teenagers want soda, it is up to them to pay for it and go get it themselves. So soda is a rare treat for them since they have to finance it.
Someone was telling me that Mexican Coke is the “it” soda these days because it doesn’t have a chemical after-taste. I saw it at Target yesterday…39 g of sugar in one skinny single-serve bottle…unbelievable!
07.24.2012 at8:04 AM #
Katie Morford
Hi Marie
Sounds like a good strategy with your teenagers. Thanks for sharing.
Katie
07.25.2012 at9:53 AM #
Philippe
I am 100% for the pledge but it looks like you are mostly preaching to the choir. It would be interesting to see the reaction to this suggestion in -for instance- The Root magazine…
07.25.2012 at9:53 AM #
Katie Morford
I agree….about the choir. Sharing on FB might be a start….
07.11.2013 at7:03 PM #
Dee
Kids come up with the cutest things!
My almost 5 year old has never even heard of pop, I’m pretty proud of that and hope I can keep it going a few more years at least. The only time he’s ever had candy was 5 pieces last Halloween. Now that he’s getting older I’ve been thinking a lot about the challenges of teaching him to eat healthy in this unhealthy world. But for now I will enjoy the little bubble I have him living in 🙂
Oh yeah, my husband was addicted to pop years ago and it frustrate me to no end. Thankfully he’s pretty much given it up unless its available at a family gathering or vacation. I remember him ring so proud of his 100 days without pop mark!
07.11.2013 at7:03 PM #
Katie Morford
Good for your hubby…soda can be a hard habit to break…and enjoy your bubble and your sweet boy.
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09.19.2013 at6:31 PM #
Robyn Mooradian
Where ever you go, I will stick to…Congrats!!!!
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07.13.2017 at4:30 PM #
The Lisa Marie
I’m 1 year behind you. I gave up soda 4 years ago. Although at the time I only drank diet soda, I found that I craved sugar (and I mean CRAVED sugar) after I drank one. I had a bit of a hard time at first, especially on Sunday afternoons because as a kid, a soda was considered a treat on Sunday afternoons and that followed me into adulthood. But now, I can honestly say that the thought of drinking a can of diet pop turns my stomach. Now if I could only apply this phenomenon to dark chocolate…
07.13.2017 at4:30 PM #
Katie Morford
Good for you….as for dark chocolate….it’s got all those good-for-you antioxidants and life just wouldn’t be the same without it 🙂
07.14.2017 at4:11 AM #
Lisa Burke
We have got rid of all soda in our house too. We drink seltzer in my house when we want something bubbly. In fact we like plain with maybe a wedge of lemon or lime. My daughter gets to have them when she is out if she chooses. I agree if you forbid it then kids will want it more. Well said article.
07.14.2017 at4:11 AM #
Katie Morford
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. We go through a ton of seltzer in our house, too.
07.14.2017 at12:47 PM #
Nicole @ Family Fun, Food,& Fitness
I love this! I am a self admitted Diet Dew addict. I’ve made it to only a couple a week, and hope to be done with all soda by the time school starts. I was finally able to find a bubbly water that I actually like, so I think that’s going to help. I too am trying to model better habits for my four children, none of them ever had an interest in soda until recently, and I don’t want them to start asking for it all the time now!
08.05.2017 at7:42 PM #
Cara Dube
My mother didn’t allow us to have sugar so when I was away from her I did and have become very addicted. Totally agree with it being a backfire friendly option. I have found as a mom and educator the ban makes them want it more. I like the compromise of only on a special occasion. I’m going to take the pledge first thing in the morning!
08.05.2017 at7:42 PM #
Katie Morford
Thanks for sharing. Good for you for giving it a try and best of luck!