Food Fights

I woke up this morning to the crinkling of a food wrapper.
At 7:23 a.m.
Fine, I think. Its probably rice cakes or cereal. Or maybe a Lara bar. 
5 minutes later I find him at the table, bar wrapper in hand, smiling sweetly. I praise him for not getting ice cream out of the freezer like he did yesterday ay 6:30 a.m. He grins and says: "Yeah, Mama, it's good I didn't eat any chocolate chips!"
"Yes, it is"
Wait.
Wait.
Wait...
In the cabinet I find the previously unopened bag of chocolate chips very carefully taped closed with Pete's red masking tape.
Sneaky? Yes.
Stealthy?  No.
I bit back my urge to yell and calmly announced that it was interesting he'd decided to have his dessert before breakfast rather than after dinner with us.
Tears. Tearing of hair. Beating of scrawny kindergarten chest. More tears.
7 hours later I picked him up from school and he happily ate what was left in his lunchbox on the drive home: a few lonely grapes, salad greens and a carrot.  As green salad drool rolls down his chin, he starts in about cookies and cake and when he will get to eat sugary yum again. "Tomorrow", I say, as I start into my mommy lecture on eating foods that help our bodies grow.
I can see his ears shut and his eyes glass over in the rearview mirror.
He's heard it all before and couldn't care less.  (Duh. He's 5)
Right.
Calm down, Mama. He's 5. This isn't a big deal. Right?
But what about the huge numbers of overweight kids?
What about my nephew that refuses all things green?
And his sister who, at 13, has never eaten kale?
What about the alarming number of toddlers who can identify a McDonald's sign?
Today, for the first time in nearly a year, the fight about food with Pete isn't about gluten or dairy.  The ice cream from yesterday was sorbet and safe for him to eat. The chocolate chips from this morning were vegan and gluten free.  This was simply about tasty treats.
Deep breath.
And another.
I spend a huge amount of energy ensuring that everything that goes into Pete's mouth is safe for him. The gfcf diet has been so amazing for him that I am constantly on high alert for "bad" foods.
Yes- he shouldn't sneak food. 
Yes- he shouldn't eat chocolate chips before breakfast.
Yes- too much sugar isn't healthy. 
But can I relax about sugar a bit so Pete doesn't feel forced to sneak it in the wee hours of the morning? YES.
I took wheat, gluten and dairy away. But chocolate?
That I can give him.
In the light of day.
No sneaking required.