Initially people laugh, "What is the Cat eating?"
They chuckle a bit more, "Did you just give him a chocolate bar for breakfast!?"
Well, yeah.
The Cat is addicted to chocolate Balance Bars.
Now, don't get so fussy. They aren't as bad as they sound. Sure, the Cat pretty much doesn't need an "energy bar" since he has plenty of energy, but the low-glycemic index and high protein are great for him. He isn't a cereal-guy and in the morning doesn't want to drink much milk. He'll drink a few sips, but then want a Balance bar.
(Many kids on the spectrum are on the gluten-free, casein-free diets; although we do not go completely casein-free, avoiding too much milk is a good thing for us.)
Later in the day he'll drink milk galore and will be more likely to try other foods, but first-thing in the morning, the Balance bar wins. The only thing that might trump a Balance bar is pancakes, but before school or summer soccer practice (which is much too early in the morning) that is a rarity.
The other bar that gains great support in our household is Clif Z-bars. There are several types that are Feingold-safe, including peanut butter, chocolate chip, and honey-graham. Splig is a Z-bar fan, frequently bringing them in his lunch (along with his tofu, heart-sandwiches, and carrots.)
Splig is a great eater, so I am less concerned with his nutrition because he already does well, but knowing I can shove a healthful bar at the Cat is a good thing. Of course, for many people, these "all in one" bars can be a diet-disaster; but the Cat is slim and very picky. For our family, jamming as much (good quality, vitamin-rich) food as possible into him is a priority.
In "my day" my mom packed me a Tiger's Milk Bar for lunch. (Some people think carob is gross; I really like it.) I must have had the same dietary urges as the Cat, for I completely craved the bar. Typically I'd eat it at homeroom time ("snack") instead of waiting for lunch. The full-sugar chocolate bars really didn't hold appeal; I wanted the "health bar" even if some would argue that it isn't really healthful. Still, I'd like to cling to my belief that a "health-food" is better than grabbing something out of the candy aisle.
Alas, Tiger's Milk no longer appears on the Feingold list, so I haven't introduced it to my sons. But really, they are content with the Balance bars and the Z-bars, so there is no need to add to their bar-obsessions!
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Balance Bar and Clif Foods / Z-Bars have not sent me any free samples, paid me to say anything nice about the product, or otherwise encouraged me to write about their product. Similarly, the majority of other products I mention in the "Feingold Tips" section are simply those which our family happens to use. I share them here just as information to other families interested in the Feingold Diet and all-natural alternatives to "popular" brands.
