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A Facebook post has gone viral receiving hundreds of angry comments after one mum shared a vent over the unhealthy lunch snacks aimed at kids.

Additive Free Lifestyle posted yesterday about their disgust at the back to school lunch snacks supermarkets were promoting.

They wrote, “So many emotions came over my body today as I walked through the fruit and veg section at my local Woolworths store. These stands were scattered through the area, obviously heavily focused on targeting back to school madness.

“This is NOT ‘convenience’. Convenience foods are when you grab a naturally wrapped banana, or when you double a biscuit batch and freeze some for that ‘busy’ week. It is not convenient to me to have sick kids, to have to go to the doctor and to have time off work because I’m sorting out weak immune systems. It is not convenient to me to go to the school because my child is struggling to concentrate, because they have anger issues and it makes me mad that teachers today spend more time managing behaviour than actually teaching!
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“Specialists estimate that one in two children will be diagnosed with a disorder of some sort, such as autism, ADHD, ODD, Global Development Delay, allergy etc by 2040 if we don’t do something. Does that seem unrealistic to you? Well think about it!
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“When we were in primary school how many kids were diagnosed with a disorder? Now compare today, how many are in today’s classrooms?
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“How many children had an allergy when you were in primary school? How many children in school today have an allergy?
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“How many children when you were a kid were morbidly obese? How many kids today are?
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WE GOTTA WAKE UP!
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Are we a perfect eating family? No! Do we limit the amount of process shoot we eat? YES!
Jo x

(Now I’ll get ready for the defence, criticism and attacks. I do live in the real world and know that although I believe food plays a MASSIVE part I also understand it’s not the reason disorders develop).”

The backlash soon followed

After receving huge backlash over the claims linking food choices to autism they were later forced to edit their post.

“So sorry if I have offended anyone, that is never ever my intention! For those of you calling me a bitch, calling me uneducated, calling me ignorant and more (some comments I have had to delete they are that attacking) please know that this post came from a place of love.

“I have never said and never would say that artificial additives/preservatives cause neurological disorders. And I have never ever said or have claimed that removing them can ‘cure’ them. I have also never said that autism and ADHD are the same thing! I was simply meaning that disorders, diseases, ‘issues in general’ are on the rise! And they are!!

“What I do believe is that way too many kids are miss-diagnosed with ADHD as artificial additives/preservatives can mimic the same symptoms (not all kids are miss-diagnosed but many are in my opinion).

“My daughter was heading down the road of a diagnosis and my husband was diagnosed ADHD and medicated as a child. Please don’t tell me I know nothing about it because I do!

I also believe that families do need to pull their head out of the sand and wake up! Illnesses are on the rise, all sorts of illnesses and food + a toxic lifestyle has a massive part to play.

“I have no idea how this post got so out of hand to be honest. I posted it sitting in the car after I did my groceries because I feel angry. I feel angry at the food industry, I feel angry that people won’t wake up and realise that food is medicine. I feel angry that many kids are at school restless, that they go to bed at night with achy legs, that they get headaches and brain fog and can’t concentrate because they’re not eating enough nutritious food. Research says that kids have up to 6 packets of food in their lunchbox everyday and yes, it makes me angry because mostly, people know nothing else.

“Please know, that I’m not saying you’re doing a bad job or that you’re not a good parent etc if you do give your kid a packet of food. We buy stuff from time to time! We certainly don’t live 100% off the land (although, gosh wouldn’t that be nice).

“I edited my post once I got home and finished unpacking the groceries because I was thinking about it on my way home. I thought that people might attack me as it could touch a few pain points, boy was I right!

So once again, if you took this post as offensive I’m sorry. I would never do that deliberately.”

The post has received over 400 reactions, 100+ comments and 130+ shares.

Outrage continued

Parents are still very upset over the post despite the apology and have not held back in their comments.

One parent wrote, “You need to pull your own damn head out of your arse. You’re not at all qualified to carry on discussions and recommendations to families of children with autism or adhd. Keep your IGNORANT opinions to yourself. You’re a danger to people’s well-being spouting this crap.”

Another said, “Adhd and asd diagnosis are on the rise because the process they are diagnosed was changed so that the children that were really suffering and couldn’t get a diagnosis can finally be diagnosed! You either have these conditions or you don’t no diet no special food will take that away! Seriously get educated.”

Another wrote, “You can not be serious right? This has to be a joke. There are some people that have been misdiagnosed not going to say there isn’t. There is also people out there that have self diagnosed their children or themselves. However there is more and more evidence out there that these conditions aren’t on the rise but more correctly diagnosed. How many children were sent to naughty homes for boys and girls because they were “naughty”? How many adults are now being diagnosed with these conditions when they were simply called “stupid” or “naughty” as a child? Please list the study that you have seen that says that 1 in 2 will have something by 2040. Do some research and don’t think 1 article means it’s fact.”

Another wise lady said, “I think your choice of words and how your statement was written has come across quite harsh. Maybe don’t write a post when you are so angry – have a think about it first.” (wise words)

Another demanded, “If you’re legitimately sorry take your post down lady.”

Last week we shared a similar post after one mum posted on the Nestle FB page about the poor lunch snack choices they were pushing for back to school promo. Read more here.

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  • I do agree that it is odd that there is a huge change from when I was a child to now. So many children with health issues that really were not as big a concern as they are today. I work with special needs children and its a massive eye opener. At the same time back when i was a child children with issues were not really seen as many were put into institutional care. My best girlfriend who lived over the back of me had a brother that was downs syndrome. Everyone believed he had died but my friend found out that he had actually lived until he was 12. He was kept in a care facility. So sad.

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  • Food companies do target kids lunchboxes with unhealthy crap. But it’s up to the parents to moderate it and ensure the diets are healthy. Don’t agree with the autism/ADHD link either

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  • Bad choice of words on her part. Don’t doctors/specialists recommend cutting excess sugars and all of that kind of thing out of a childs diet before even going down the ADHD path to eliminate the whole diet mimmicking some symptoms thing? So that would kind of make her point on that moot.

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  • ADHD and autism aren’t caused by diet. If dietary changes fix the problem, then it wasn’t ADHD or autism. Having a healthy diet is a good idea for anybody, of course, but judgy comments like this mum’s aren’t helpful to families dealing with ADHD and autism. There’s enough stigma to fight as it is.

    ““Specialists estimate that one in two children will be diagnosed with a disorder of some sort, such as autism, ADHD, ODD, Global Development Delay, allergy etc by 2040 if we don’t do something. Does that seem unrealistic to you? Well think about it!”

    “This is NOT ‘convenience’. Convenience foods are when you grab a naturally wrapped banana, or when you double a biscuit batch and freeze some for that ‘busy’ week.”

    Nope. They are convenience foods. Bananas are fairly convenient if your child will eat them (sensory issues are a thing), and they’re available (in season etc.), but so is a muesli bar. Baking double batch of cookies ahead of time is good planning, but not everybody has the ability to do their own baking (health issues of their own for example).

    Which specialists estimate this? Sounds like she’s pulled that figure out of the air.

    “When we were in primary school how many kids were diagnosed with a disorder? Now compare today, how many are in today’s classrooms?”

    Partly that’s down to increased awareness, and changes in the diagnostic criteria. Lots of adults, especially women, are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism. They had it their whole lives, it’s just that nobody picked it up when they were kids. Nowadays kids like them get diagnosed early, and can get help early, which helps them live happier, more productive lives. It’s actually a good thing.

    “I feel angry at the food industry, I feel angry that people won’t wake up and realise that food is medicine.”

    No, shouty lady. Food is food. Medicine is medicine. A good diet can help you fight off a cold, but it won’t replace the missing neurotransmitters in the brain of someone with ADHD.
    ““I edited my post once I got home and finished unpacking the groceries because I was thinking about it on my way home. I thought that people might attack me as it could touch a few pain points, boy was I right!”

    Sounds like she’s enjoying thinking of herself as a martyr.

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  • More people diagnosed because there is more information about it and more people in general. That being said, I did read an article saying that there is a decent amount of kids being misdiagnosed, apparently sometimes due to the parent wanting an excuse for their “lazy” parenting or parents wanting attention because they have a “special child”.


    • Getting a diagnosis is not an easy process- there are appointments and doctor’s visits, then therapy etc. which take time and money. That doesn’t seem lazy.

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  • They’re only unhealthy if this is all you put in your kids lunchbox. One or two of these a day with fruit, sandwich/roll, yoghurt etc you’re doing ok in my books

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  • Parents have the decisions what they choose there children to eat. Everything in moderation

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  • I don’t understand enough about either of them to make a valid comment but I have heard that diet plays a bit part of behavioral problem involving too much sugar

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  • ADHD is known to be caused by an unbalance of chemicals in the brain. Some behaviour in some can be caused by diary products or potatoes. I know of one child who went uncontrollable after eating 2 thin slices of cheese, another who does the same after eating a serve of boiled potatoes with other vegetables (I don’t know what meat he had). Neither child had had any form of alcohol at at all.

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  • Well said. Moderation is the key for sure.

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  • She maybe should have used pen and paper and then thought about it later. If you don’t want the stuff don’t buy it. I don’t think any of it is school food but if they want to advertise it that’s their choice.

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  • Well of course companies will be pushing their products for back to school. That’s just good marketing. It’s up to us to make the right decision for our family.

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  • I think healthy is the way to go but everything in moderation. I think this woman is a bit over dramatic and needs to calm down a little.

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  • WOW! So much in there to address. Maybe type a post, breathe, wait, think about it, read over it, and edit it, before sending. I am a Mum of a child with ASD and just to confirm it is not food-related at all. As parents, we all make choices on what we feed our child, so it is the parent’s responsibiltiy to choose what they feed their child. The onus is always on the parent.

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  • if you don’t want people to comment on your opinion then don’t post on line.

    Reply

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