Skip to main content

Free From Chocolate

Our chocolate habit last year had become expensive & ridiculous, so we knew that we had to stop - we wanted to stop... 
We had been aware for a long time that the milk protein put into chocolate is there to make us crave it, so most of us can't stop once we start... Dark chocolate with simpler ingredients doesn't have the same effect - though I don't know many people (apart from Granddad Gerry & myself) who really enjoy a strong dark chocolate.

Sime's attitude to food is to cut it out if it's a problem & not just cut down. Which is actually the best way to do it, because once you cut it out completely & you stick to your decision - after a few days you stop craving it. After 3 weeks, it's appeal just fades & that's what we wanted to do. 

Anybody who knows me can vouch that I have been a complete chocoholic since childhood, my favourites being Fry's Chocolate Creme & Creme Eggs. At work I gained a reputation for always having a creme egg in my pocket & eventually I was nicknamed Munchkin! 

When we first stopped eating dairy some years ago, I was thrilled to find out that Fry's were vegan & then I discovered Maya Gold. Neither of these are vegan any more & due to their connections with Cadbury, we stopped eating them some time ago - along with anything made by Nestle, which our family boycotted many years ago. We then came to the conclusion that any chocolate made by large companies is going to be pretty unethical & finally stopped eating all big name bars last autumn.
Ethical Consumer is a great place to find out more if you are interested in buying ethically & supporting decent, small companies is such a good thing to do.

One of our favourite companies continues to come top of the ethical list, Plamil & their ginger chocolate is just wonderful!
But since stopping completely (we ate our last choccies in January & they were home made by Lesley & Ellen), we went through a few days of craving - but after that, the desire for chocolate has completely gone...

Neither of us are bothered about eating chocolate any more & it's liberating - we are free from all that mass produced crap & not only is it better for our health, it's savings us money & we feel good about no longer supporting animal cruelty.

See here for more info.

If you are an animal lover please spare a thought for all the dairy cows who have their young taken from them in order to provide milk for those Easter Eggs everyone will be eating this weekend & if you haven't bought yours yet - maybe try something different...

dairy free milk chocolate easter egg

Kay :)

Comments

That egg looks good! I miss easter eggs, but I know I'm getting a aldi dark chocolate bunny for easter! yummy!
Anonymous said…
Damn. I was planning on picking up a few Easter treats for the kids after work tomorrow. Maybe I will give them cash instead.
Rebecca said…
I remember loving fry's peppermint cream. At the beginning of the year, I made a decision to only eat fairtrade/ethical chocolate and this has drastically cut down the chocolate I am eating, mainly as to find the chocolate, I have to go further afield. Did you know that there is supposed to be a global shortage of cocoa beans, hence the large increase in the price of easter eggs, not that this bothers us x
Mrs Thrifty said…
Wise words - used to be a vegan and a breastfeeding counsellor - but am totally addicted to crap chocolate, as my waistline will testify. Your blog is maybe the metaphorical kick I need to ditch the habit - a great post - thank you x
Unknown said…
I so want to kick the chocolate habit Kay.

This is very thought provoking stuff.

Thank you for sharing.

Sft x
Enjoy your bunny Sooz!

Kay :)
Becky - thanks for that. We haven't bought any Easter eggs for a few years, although we used to buy the Divine mini eggs for the kids to hunt...

Kay :)
Thanks Mrs Thifty & thanks for following us too!

I am so glad not to be eating chocolate - never thought I'd join the savoury ranks, but I would prefer something a bit garlicky now!

Look forward to chatting more.

Kay :)
Whoops - posted that a bit prematurely!

I'd recommend just stopping completely - it's really great!

Kay :)
Catherine said…
I have been doing really good with my chocolate cravings for a long time now. I used to love love milk chocolate. I haven't had any for at least 9 months - maybe longer.

I indulge in a piece of 90% cocoa dark chocolate once in awhile. I didn't really care for it at first, but I know dark chocolate have lots of good health benefits. Now, I really savour and enjoy my one piece of dark chocolate here and there.

Happy Easter you two!
xo Catherine

Popular posts from this blog

Diet And Drugs

Some of you know about my fight with Graves Disease, an auto immune system disorder, which causes an overactive thyroid. Since I was diagnosed 7 years ago, I have made it my business to know everything I possibly could about the condition & this has probably saved my life. I have blood tests on a regular basis & in November last year, I was told that my T4 levels are normal & again in January the same.  My thyroid stimulating hormone was finally starting to work too, after 7 years of lying dormant, so I suggested I came off the anti thyroid drug & my GP's response was to continue for a while longer. A month ago, I rang my GP & suggested again that I come off the drug or at least halve it, as I was feeling so well  & was concerned about the drug pushing me into being under active. Again, she said to be patient & they would send for me when it's time for a blood test. I don't normally do as I'm told, but decided to stick with it a b

Our Neighbours

The ladies next door have been giving birth in the field. Their babies are like any other babies - they sleep, they feed, they follow their mums everywhere, they run around, then fall asleep again.  These little beauties are completely unaware of their fate... But we know... And this is one thing which makes living here difficult. How can people eat other beings without feeling terrible?     It just doesn't make sense. Both the posters are from the  Cornwall Vegans  website. If you are in Cornwall or will be on Saturday 22nd April - do support this event! Perhaps you have been considering veganism - this  Vegan Starter Kit  will help you to get started and if you have any questions, need help or ideas for recipes - just ask, we are always happy to talk to folks who want to change their diet for the better. And in case you haven't seen this on iplayer - Here is  Simon Amstell's Carnage . Please, please think seriousl

Nettles

Our garden yesterday. Tall Nettles TALL nettles cover up, as they have done These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough Long worn out, and the roller made of stone: Only the elm butt tops the nettles now. This corner of the farmyard I like most: As well as any bloom upon a flower I like the dust on the nettles, never lost Except to prove the sweetness of a shower. ~ Edward Thomas ~ Every time we venture out to pick nettles, Sime always goes on about this poem! Anyway, thought I'd share with you the article I've written for next month's Parish Magazine... Our hedgerows are coming alive with food aplenty, but hardly anyone really notices the nettles that surround us, they grow quietly while using their juices to produce a medicine that can bring health. Anaemia, arthritis, rickets, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, colds, catarrh and lymphatic problems can all benefit from this wonderful wild and free super food. Nettles are rich in ca