What's for Dinner?

One of only three entrees liked enough to cut through the end of day "hangry" (tiredness and hunger). The other two meals are pizza and mac and cheese.

For those of us tasked with preparing the evening meal for our kids we know in our bones we are doing right by our families because of the endless abuse we receive. This is the core of what being part of a family represents. The kids imagine what dinner should be, then are frightfully saddened when the kale and curry appear.

The kids know all the jargon about eating healthy: yes to organic veggies, weird grains and legumes, and mushy bananas; no to trans fats, processed food with unpronounceable ingredients, and truly outrageous amounts of sugar (moderately outrageous amounts are OK on occasion). But when they come home from a long day, finding out what's to eat and showing howling displeasure has become a ritual.

When the kids are less tired they generally eat, and enjoy (although they won't admit it), a decent variety of food. I understand as the martyr of the kitchen it is my role to ever expand their circle of food and suffer for it. I will take abuse for my kids' ultimate culinary, physical, and spiritual growth. Several times my daughter has requested emotional counseling due to the dinner menu. Onward and upward, I say.

My advice to the kids is that they should have planned better and been born to parents with a subscription to a CSD -- a weekly delivery of community supported doughnuts. In the meantime, have some more kale.