46th & Ulloa, San Francisco, Sunday Aug 17, 2008
No one would ever expect their child to become an addict, but there is a community forming in San Francisco that is ready to make you see otherwise, and the culprit is one that many would believe to be harmless, even healthy; smoothies.
"It started for us as an easy breakfast. We're all so busy, and smoothies are just so damn simple and quick to make. We never thought it would come to this, no one would" one mother, who asked to remain nameless shared with me this past week when I attended a meeting of a new support group called SMOOTH-EEZ where parents and their children come together to support each other in overcoming their smoothie addictions. In describing how this "easy breakfast" came to be an addiction, this mother notes "when it's one smoothie a day you don't worry, when it's two you think 'Great! I'm helping them build a healthy habit,' but then you get to three or four, and you start to witness meltdowns when they don't get their smoothies, that's when you start to worry." Another mother, Sandy, whom I met at the meeting also added "When it got to it's worst stage for me, and when I knew we needed help is when she started double-fisting." Sandy was referring to her daughter Mandy, who having just celebrated her second birthday has been caught numerous times "double-fisting" her smoothies, meaning drinking two at once (pictured with this article).
Smoothies have long been the source of a healthy breakfast for those on the run, or a quenching snack during a busy afternoon. Many establishments, such as Jamba Juice have sprouted throughout California and many other states serving various smoothie concoctions to customers. Flavours range from the classic "Citrus Squeeze" blend of strawberry, banana, pure orange juice (often referred to as "OJ" by many) and pineapple juice, to more complex combinations such as the "Peanut Butter Moo'd" which combines a protein blend chocolate "moo'd" base, frozen yogurt, soya milk, peanut butter, bananas and ice.
We don't serve those under 6 without a parent doing the ordering" one store manager said in an impromptu interview, who asked that his name not be shared. "It's not that it's company police, it's just common sense" he added. Asked if they were aware of a growing problem of young addicts, the manager seemed quite surprised "you're kidding right?"
SMOOTH-EEZ meets once a month, and offers support via e-mail if needed. Though the group is in it's early stages, some have already noticed the difference in their children. Scott, a father who brings his 5 year old son Scout with him to group said "We've got him off strawberries now which is a start. Mango is another issue entirely, but at least we got the strawberries out of the mix." THis is a start it seems, once much better than waking up to a toy car being thrown in his face first thing in the morning, which was what used to wake Scott if he had not prepared and kept a smoothie in the fridge for Scout the previous evening. It seems it's one ingredient at a time for many in this group, where all can find a fresh start in overcoming this addiction.
Catherine Mellinger is a freelance reporter for Making Your Day Sporadically, currently reporting from an Francisco until early fall.
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