Fat Ogg

Tonight at dinner, Little Sis showed her keen powers of observation when she pointed out that we were refilling Big Sister's milk with "Mommy & Daddy's milk." She was very agitated that Daddy had poured from the green milk carton seemingly by mistake, until I finally convinced her that we were sharing because the girls were almost out of "their" milk.

This led to a discussion about why we have two different kinds of milk in our refrigerator. Truth be told, it used to be because I was too cheap to buy organic milk for Hubby & I, so we had a gallon of regular milk while the girls had a carton of the good stuff. Lately, though, I've tried to be more consistent with my milk, egg and (raw) meat purchases at the grocery store. And that means (besides a higher bill) ideally organic,free-range, humanely treated, and containing no antibiotics or hormones. So now, I buy 1 or 2% organic for the girls and fat free for us. Two similar cartons, one blue and one green. I only had to point out the difference once to Little Sister before she permanently filed it away in her sharp little brain.

Big Sister had her own way of explaining why our milk was different. "Grown up milk has a little bit of grown up stuff in it, like pills." I think that must be how she understood it when I tried to explain her "healthier milk" when we were still buying the regular stuff for ourselves. Now I tried to make sense of the fat content- telling her that kiddos need a little more fat in their diets than adults do.

"But fat is bad. Fat isn't good for you." She replied. "My friend at school says..."

"You're right. Too much fat is not good. It's not healthy. But you don't have too much." I answered, still thinking about her friend at school. I was concerned. Why was this child talking about fat? Was she one of those anorexic children I keep reading statistics about? Was she overweight and self-conscious? Or was she picking on other children for being heavy?

"Mom, what does 'Fat Ogg' mean?" asked Big Sister. And instantly those concerns grew bigger. Where is she hearing this stuff?! Maybe I should homeschool. Nevermind the fact that we'd all kill each other... at least no one here likens people to plump farm animals.

I asked her to tell me more about what she was asking. Where had she heard this? Who said it?

"At school. I read it. On my milk carton. Sometimes it says, "total fat Og."

Oh.


By the way, lest you read this post and think I am on some "holier than thou" soapbox about my grocery purchasing, I'd like to make a confession: This whole conversation took place over a dinner of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese from a box. But the grapes were organic...