Sometimes I make jokes about the fact that I still eat Gushers. I say, “Yes I am an adult. Yes, I just ate five packs of gushers. I do not regret anything.” Most of the time this is playful, but sometimes I feel like I genuinely need to stand up for myself because people think it’s immature for me to be eating food geared towards kids. It’s just food!

Whenever I eat at the dining hall for lunch at school, 9/10 times I end up eating cereal. I’ve had people ask me why I would choose Lucky Charms over Raisin Bran or Special K. Oh I don’t know, Nancy, why do you choose to eat macaroni with hot dogs in it? My food choices are the same as any food choice you make. I eat what I want because I want to eat it. It’s simple.

Growing up, my mom limited my sugar intake because I was very hyper, and now that I can make my own food decisions, I can choose to eat sugary foods because I know how to eat them in moderation, and how to balance the sugar out with fruits and vegetables. As a kid, I just wanted sugar. I feel as though that now I can eat all the foods I feel I may have missed out on because now I understand what eating too much can do to your body.

Now, just because I might prefer chicken nuggets over a steak, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy steak. It’s two completely different worlds. It’s just food. Stop criticizing me because I’d rather eat Trix Yogurt instead of Greek Oikos.

I’m not bothering anyone by eating my fruit snacks, and I still maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating balanced meals throughout the day. Excuse me for wanting to consume something fun every once in a while.