Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Papa vs. "Lunchables"


Ugh...
I'm not sure how many parents out there still make lunch's for their kids, but count me as one. My friend Cathy in Michigan's sister-in-law was hired as a cook for a public school, and after she told me about the "passable for human consumption but barely" meats they put into our kids little systems, well, that was it for me!
Once my daughter could start eating, I tried really hard to feed her only organic foods. Whole Foods carries a line of baby food that she ate right up! That was an awesome time! Well, she started growing and experiencing more foods, and it sometimes isn't always possible to see what she eats when she is at the sitters or what have you. While she was at a certain sitters house who has some kids of her own, she was introduced to Lunchables. The little boy of the family ate that for his lunches, and, well, since I have a little girl, she wanted to eat what he ate, because I think she thought he was cool. Fast forward to preschool!
I have been guilty of packing Lunchables in a pinch, or because she requested that for lunch. But I mostly refrain in favor of more wholesome foods to put in her little belly.
So, I went to Trader Joes and picked up some organic chicken. The plan was to make "chicken fingers" (I never got that- chickens don't have fingers, or at least not the ones I used to raise) for dinner, and pack them for lunch the next day. She liked them so much for dinner, she requested them for lunch! I felt so proud of myself! I packed such a nice lunch for my little (growing) bundle of joy, complete with organic chicken fingers, delicious organic juices, apple, cottage cheese... Oh, I was so proud of myself! I have finally kicked the Lunchable habit square in the chops!
I pick her up from school, and I go right to her lunch box after I say my hello, and... and... she didn't even touch her chicken fingers. I felt deflated! So I asked why she didn't eat them, she said, "But I ate my cottage cheese!". Yes, you did, I said, and told her how proud I was of her good eating habits.
I told her we had to stop by the store on the way home for some (organic) mac-n-cheese. As we were going up and down the aisles, I noticed all the colorful packaging designed JUST FOR KIDS, and, well, ever read the back of those things?
As we were walking past the meat section, my speed increased, barely two wheels on the floor and my baby girl holding onto the plastic steering wheel of our "souped up to look like a racing car shopping cart", when, out of her beautiful little mouth, what did she see and shout? LUNCHABLES! I WANT LUNCHABLES FOR MY LUNCH TOMORROW, PAPA!
Crap.

1 comment:

  1. Oh, no, those darned Lunchables! Kali liked those for a short time when she was a bit older, sixth grade or so. I can't remember if they were even around when she was younger. It is a challenge to come up with brown bag lunches...you don't want your kids to be eating the same stuff every day. Kudos for making the chicken fingers! Even though Olivia didn't eat them for lunch, she still likes them. Perhaps she just chose to eat the other items first and was full before getting to the chicken. I applaud you for trying to make healthy meals for Olivia! Keep it up ;)!

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