Posted by Amy Kalafa (www.angrymoms.org)

"GRANOLAHEAD"

Everyone likes to be recognized for his or her accomplishments, so of course I was flattered when asked to appear as a guest on the Rachael Ray Show. The experience was exciting. We were slathered with layers of TV makeup and all that mascara, we met Rachael’s talented and hardworking production team and we finally met RR in person! Yet this event held a special, transformative significance for me beyond the excitement of the moment, something I’ve been visualizing for years.

No, I’m not looking to be the next daytime television diva (your job is safe, Rachael!). Here’s the story:

I grew up eating a typical American diet – some good stuff, some fast food, some junk food. As a kid with allergies and sensitivities, I eventually learned to avoid certain foods, especially ones that are highly processed with lots of ingredients. Lucky me, I married a guy from France who taught me how to cook some of his family favorites. The more I learned about growing, cooking and eating real, whole food, the better I felt. Our kids notice that good food makes them feel good too. Their friends like to try new things when they come to our house – mangoes, celery remoulade, duck confit – I hear from their parents that they ask for these things at home now.

When our grandparents were kids, whole food was what most everyone ate. Packaged, processed foods were usually more expensive than home cooked meals. Now that this equation has been turned inside out, people who cook and eat real food are considered gourmets at best, and freaks or extremists at worst. One kid’s dad called me a “granola head” (yeah, I DO like granola), and Susan and I have been referred to as “Food Police” and even “Nutrition Nazis”.

I’ve had to keep my healthy food habits a secret in many quarters. When my oldest daughter (now 21) was born, I imagined that perhaps two decades hence, Americans might notice this strange cultural inversion, and our marginalized lifestyle would begin to enter the mainstream. Wouldn’t it be great if twenty years from now, we looked back at the massive peddling of junk food to our kids in 2008 like we now look back at second hand smoke in public places?

The recent headlines announcing an epidemic of childhood obesity have been a catalyst, if not for change, at least for interest in the subject of children’s health. Americans are beginning to consider that food needs to be more than a quick fix, or weekend entertainment. More people ask me about what they can do to feed their kids better. And the TWO ANGRY MOMS movie and movement are getting LOTS of attention.

So, here’s the transformation I’m excited about: Rachael Ray is really popular and just about EVERYONE watches her show. She's bringing this movement into the mainstream, and that's my goal.With her help, we are getting the word out that parents and schools are part of the solution to America's children's health crisis.Will my “granola head” lifestyle soon become one to which every mom aspires? With stars like Rachael Ray championing our cause, ya never know!