I spend a lot of time thinking about food. I am constantly evaluating why I think what I think. When I think it. How I think it. I try to find the deep psychosomatic reasons I eat ... constantly (As in, I think about it constantly and I seem to eat constantly.) I have heard the term "relationship with food" and hate it. But, let's face it. I probably like food more than I like Jim, so it makes sense. Though I'm not entirely sure what it means.
So it's only natural that I'm observing and obsessing over everyone else's "relationship with food" too. How can Jim NOT require breakfast within an hour of waking and how can he eat the same ham sandwich every day for lunch and not care? How does my mom eat her piece of fruit and dry toast every morning and NEVER make an egg? How can a friend "forget to eat"? How do some kids who grow up eating only chicken nuggets and apple juice turn into young adults that like to experiment with food?
My gut tells me that our relationship with food starts to develop really early. I know we should NOT let the kids be the boss and choose what they eat. We should expose them to many different things, requiring at least a try, and then provide good nutrition before all else.
My nieces were here for a sleepover last night. Two girls, two very different approaches to food in spite of being raised in the exact same household. One could care less if we ate at all, as long as there was a gas station with a bag of chips coming in the next 8 hours or so. Her repertoire is not broad, nor deep and tends to focus in on crunch, salt and sugar.
The other is always hungry. Her menu choices are more varied and she likes a bit more of her dad's Mexican cuisine. And she loves waffles and cereal. In fact, for years, she smelled yummy like syrup all the time.
I suspect they eat much like many or most kids. Neither are terrified to try things ... some they try willingly, some require a little coaxing. Nearly always, the try is met with a "Yuk," and that's OK.
At my house, we spend a lot of time talking about eating healthy. And exercising. I try to involve them in what I'm doing and explain the choices I make as I make them.
And my intentions are good.
So why did we eat Chinese buffet last night for supper, Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and Subway for one/Taco Bell for the other at lunch?
Because I'm a bad, bad woman. There is no reason to give a kid four doughnuts for breakfast. No matter how much they love them. I'm not teaching them to eat right and I send them home with bellies full of crap, ruining the work their mom tries to do.
I don't want to be responsible for a lack of restraint. Or for a deep-seeded association of "love = food." Or for making food some sort of a battlefield.
From here on out, it's banana before doughnuts and there's a new limit of two.
1 comment:
Auntie L! Doughnuts for breakfast. And you do not like food more than Jim!
I remember as a child being at someone's house and being offered hot chocolate to have with breakfast and I thought that was crazy!! Think back to when you were a kid and spent time with an aunt. You probably only remember the cool stuff you did, not the food you ate.
I will confess my great Aunt Rita used to come every Thanksgiving and bring the most delicious little loves of banana, cranberry nut and date breads and I LOVED them, but what I remember most about her was the great hugs she gave and how she had an infectious laugh. Your nieces will remember time and moments with you before the food.
You mean four doughnuts between the two of them, right? :)
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