From milk to Silk

I get grossed out pretty easily when it comes to food. Usually it has something to do with finding foreign objects mid-bite (um, curly hair/fingernail/bug anyone? All true stories. I'll spare you the details. Mostly because the thought of these stories pretty much makes me want to vomit. Again.)

Because I've experienced all of the above, it isn't uncommon to find me closely inspecting my plate as I'm digging in. Eating at home isn't as bad - I mean at least I know my kitchen is clean. But eating at restaurants? All bets are off.

My husband thinks I'm insane that I am so picky about what dining establishments make the grade with me. And it's not just him, I can remember going on road trips as a family and driving my dad crazy mad with my objections to the dives he would sniff out from the highway. I blame this on my mother. And television. (Hellooooo...have you seen Kitchen Nightmares or those investigative reports on Dateline?)

A few of my personal requirements:

• Must have the health department's "Grade" form clearly displayed; grade must be an "A".
• Must have well-kept appearances - if the outside, entrance, dining area and restrooms are not clean, I simply cannot trust that the kitchen is up to cleanliness standards
• Wait staff must appear well-kept - who wants someone handling your food when it looks like they haven't slept and/or showered in 4 days?
• Must have the appropriate number of visitors - if it's prime-time for lunch or dinner and nobody is there, I will make negative assumptions about all of the above conditions

With my notorious restaurant pickiness, it kind of surprises me that I am not more choosy when it comes to the actual food I put in my mouth. I have flirted with vegetarianism in the past - even going 5 years without eating any red meat - but I could never give up chicken. Then, when I got pregnant, I craved hamburgers so my trendy stint as a vegetarian ended just like that.

I've avoided revisiting the subject in recent years because I have now experienced Texas barbecue. And, frankly, I'm afraid there is just no going back. Yum!

But let's talk about milk. I used to LOOOOVVVEEEE milk. Milk in my cereal. Milk with cookies and brownies. Milk with spaghetti. A cold glass of milk before bed.

Until I read this article shared on a blog I read, A Momma's Desires and Pacifiers. (PS - if you have a weak stomach or want to maintain your love for milk, you may want to skip the article. Consider yourself warned). (PPS - you should really visit the blog - it's like mine...but waaaayyy better).

From the moment I read that article, I have not had a drop of dairy milk. I went cold turkey ya'll. I still eat cheese and other dairy products where milk might be an ingredient, but gulping down a straight glass of milk is a thing of the past for me now. I have made the switch to Silk soymilk and am not looking back.

Conveniently for me (but not so convenient for him), Aiden was recently diagnosed with a slight dairy intolerance so the switch to Silk was necessary in our household. Plus, my kids love it and honestly didn't even bat an eye at the change.

I think it's best for me to avoid the documentary "Food Inc." Otherwise I'm afraid I might not eat anything ever again.

*Disclosure* I was not compensated in any way to mention Silk in this post. It just happens to be the brand of soymilk I chose for our family. In addition, I realize there are many opinions regarding the consumption and/or safety of cow's milk. I also acknowledge that my opinion may have been formed less upon scientific evidence and more upon my gag reflex. Say what you will, I'm trusting my gag reflex. :)