When you think of the word “crunchy” in relation to a person, your imagination can go many places, but place it in front of “mom” and it suddenly has a whole new meaning. Crunchy moms are those moms that believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of eliminating sugar from your diet completely, truly nourishing the body with nature’s candy which are veggies and fruits among other foods that exude “crunchy.” This became a phenomenon as groups of moms have taken on the moniker, wearing it as a badge of honor in describing their diets and lifestyles. Want to know more about what makes someone qualify as a crunchy mom? Let’s get into the details.
What Is a Crunchy Mom?
A crunchy mom is a mother or caregiver whose parenting is characterized by a “natural lifestyle.” They typically avoid anything modern from processed foods to new age medicine. Relying on organic foods, crunchy moms probably have their own farms or buy exclusively from a farmer’s market vendor who has a farm of their own. They may lean away from vaccinations and doctor themselves/their families with their own or passed-down remedies. As we’ve all witnessed, embracing any lifestyle with a cult-like level of rigidity can backfire. Some of the crunchy moms, in their commitments, have inspired social media content that makes jest of their dedication, but also draws attention to the trend. While organic food-based diets have been around for ages, recent videos poke fun at the way of living.
On TikTok, @reallyverycrunchy is a profile with a feed of videos demonstrating how crunchy moms move through their day, the rules they set for themselves and their families. One video in particular features the owner of the account making a list of New Year to-do’s. The crunchy mom placed “eliminating sugar” from her family’s diet and “walking barefoot” in the forest as major priorities. The natural way goes down not only to what they put in their bodies, but the experiences to which they expose their bodies; living and (re)connecting in a natural way. The health-conscious approach has even garnered some opposition in the form of a “silky mom.”
What’s the Opposite of a Crunchy Mom?
A silky mom is a mother or caregiver who embraces modern ways of living and raising their children. They consider if not full-fledged rely upon the advances of science and technology to inform their decision making. Medical authorities have a voice in their household, helping them to achieve safety and convenience all at once. Screen time is not limited to an amount of minutes or earned by behavior. Silky moms view themselves as realistic, interested in the straightforward hard hitting facts and not leaving much room for interpretation or the unconventional. This too can be an extreme of a parenting position or way of living with an approach that lacks intention and/or care.
Is There Something That Blends Silky and Crunchy Moms?
However, with balance at the center of a mom’s goals, either mom-style could serve a family well. If you decide to combine the two then you might be onto something. That’s what the internet is calling a “scrunchy mom.” Moms who have embraced these lifestyles have come forward about how following the rules of each sector have been helpful and harmful. Crunchy moms who avoided technology while pregnant missed ultrasounds, juggling the health of their unborn children. On the same token, relying on medicine without tapping into ancestral/familial ways of living can be counterintuitive. Taking from each sector what works for you and throwing the rest away, claiming the scrunchy life seems to be the most balanced; whatever that looks like for an individual and/or their family from one day to the next.
Write Your Own Rules
Ultimately, there’s no real way to know the validity of what someone portrays on social media versus how they live in their house when the cameras are off. For some of these moms and content creators, shame and guilt sits as the base of their approaches; shame being something they exercise towards others and themselves. However, like many identities, whether crunchy, silky or scrunchy, exists on a spectrum. Some moms are closer to the ends while others fall closer to the middle. Whatever works, do it and allow others to do the same because the ultimate gift in all of this is writing your own rules.