All posts filed under: food

Eating From Another Century

Published by

While the entire country has returned to school (and my homies in Colorado have been edumacating themselves since June), tomorrow is the big day for my pre-k youngster. I’ve put little thought into it. I’m the last-minutest of last-minuters. Heaven help him when he tells me on a Tuesday morning, “I need a colonial costume, a book report on salmon spawning and a slow cooker full of locally-sourced clam chowder, today.” What’s giving me the most anxiety? Food. Tomorrow is only orientation for the parents with an hour-long visit to the classroom for the kiddo, so I think to myself, “I have another couple of days for lunch-packing dress rehearsal.” But who’m I kidding? I’ll wing it. Originally, I’d planned to use my mom’s formula from 1981-1994: PB&J, Capri-Sun, a sprig of grapes (usually past their prime…tasting like wine), and two chocolate chip Soft Batch cookies. I’m not kidding. I ate that 98% of the lunches through my senior year. My beloved mom was too cheap (was that it?) to let me eat “hot lunch”, …

Force-feeding my kids…lovingly

Published by

So I’m starting a new section in the blog: recipes. I’m going to post the basics I feed my kids all the time. I would love your contributions, as well. Post some simple ideas in comments? Maybe we can figure out a new kids’ simple recipes book? I’ll give the billions of proceeds to a general parents’ wine fund. Cool? I’m proud of the way my kids eat. I expose them to as many flavors as possible: steamed vegetables, smoked salmon, curry, garlic, lamb, Szechuan noodles, fried tofu. So far, so good. Some people might roll their eyes. Please. Roll away. I have never (and will never) make two different meals. If they eat a majority of what’s on their plate and still protest “I don’t like it” and put their hands over their mouths (it’s hilarious when they do this), fine. They can have cereal and yogurt. But I’m raising kids to appreciate food. And I’m more stubborn than them. If they go to bed without a meal, no biggie. And because I’ve never …