Nope, not even once.
I remember seeing a headline on the cover of a tabloid while I waited in line at the grocery store a couple of years ago and it said something like, "No television, McDonald's, or preschool for Suri!! Will Tom and Katie ever let her be a normal child??" and I realized something I would never have thought possible: I might actually have something in common with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
It also made me realize that the term "normal child" is extremely subjective.
I suppose our main reason for not eating fast food (it has nothing to do with L. Ron Hubbard) is because it is also true that my kids don't eat meat. Or eggs. Or most dairy. It's pretty tricky to find something to eat at a fast food restaurant that doesn't contain meat or eggs or dairy. I suppose we could go and get french fries. But, that wouldn't really pass the "is this the best thing?" test I mentioned in the last post.
We finally started eating at restaurants when Harper was around 4 1/2. I think we went to Freebirds first. The kids eat black beans, rice, vegetables, and tortillas at Mexican restaurants. We usually end up eating out about once a week now, usually Mexican food. We'll go to P.F. Chang's on occasion (because I don't actually like Mexican food, which I think I've mentioned) and the kids eat vegetable dumplings and rice and a little tofu and steamed vegetables.
I wish I could say my kids are super enthusiastic about healthy food. They really aren't. They grumble about broccoli. They are right this moment grumbling about the lentils I'm making for dinner tonight. They love when the husband works late and I make macaroni and cheese from a box (organic--but still, FROM a BOX) because I'm too tired to make anything else. One of my ongoing goals is to be more creative with spices and recipes in order to make what we DO eat seem more appealing and delicious. However, I pretty much loathe anything that has to do with food preparation (because I'm historically really BAD at cooking and also I'm afraid of most kitchen utensils. Especially knives. And the grater makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. I'm so, so afraid of grating some part of myself) so that's a major hurdle. The real goal is to include the kids more in all aspects of their meal preparation. Fun for them, but SO much work for me. Like most things that are worthwhile at this age.
I really hope that when they have more freedom to make their own choices about what to eat, they don't eat every meal at McDonald's. But, they might. And they might blame it on the deprivation they experienced in childhood. Or maybe there is something to the fact that we are shaping their tastes for something better, and maybe the junk will never hold much appeal. I hope so. I'll make sure to post a photo of our Thanksgiving tofurky.
6 comments:
I'm with you on the no Barbie thing. We actually do have Barbies but I would be fine without any. They are not a favorite plaything and when Madison does it is more of a chore for me because they are hard to dress. But I don't think I could give up chick-fil-a! It is a treat for me as well as the kids. Sometime this holiday season you should try to sneak there for a peppermint milkshake for yourself. Yummmm.
Christine--I do go to Chick-fil-A on occasion when I'm out running errands by myself. I have had that shake and OH YES, what a treat it is. I am generally a fan of the chocolate/peppermint combination in all its many holiday manifestations.
Auch! that hurt....still glad it works for you all. Well done Patti for having very high and good standards. I think I am happy my kids like Macdonalds and so do we. I also have friends who will never take their kids to fast food places....good for them...and for all who do it and feel better for it....I admire you all. Mx
Dumplings, or pot stickers, happen to be Izzy's #1 favorite food in the world. She'd be very happy with your trip to PF Changs. I did want to inform you that Chik-fil-A has a fruit cup - of which my children eat nothing unless forced. They do not like their fruit mixed and touching. You could make a lovely meal of To-furky brought from home, waffle fries (if you serve them cold, they may never want fries again), and a fruit cup whilst you sip the shake.
As anything but a fan of Turkey, your faux food may be an improvement. If I ever were to tackle the holiday on my own, I'd go for lamb. I dread the meat at the holidays. Fortunately there's always a shrimp cocktail while we wait, so that's what I count as my protein.
Chick-Fil-A is the one FF restaurant I'm not all worked up about. And my kids like it for the play area. And thankfully, although they've been to McD's, they don't like it. It's an issue that's not much of an issue for us.
But food: I have one daughter (E) who has extremely limited tastes and if she doesn't like something she doesn't eat. Hence, she and her two-years-younger sister weigh exactly the same right now. And Sarah likes everything - nuts (eating as I type), grapefruit, oranges, plums, meatloaf. Prefers CFA's fruit cup to fries.
Hoping to instill love for better food one day, I continue to serve stuff I know they (E, mostly) won't like now in order to pique their interest later. It worked for me since my palate was much like E's when I was a kid. And every now and then I'll indulge as well in boxed mac and cheese and feel no guilt at all. It's pretty tasty, after all...
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