From start to (almost) finish…
I was unable (unwilling really) to start on Friday. It was Danielle's 40th b-day and I was consumed by orchestrating a surprise party that also included planning for 8 secrete house guests. This was more than enough planning for me. Fill the Gap would have to wait. But the party was amazing and she was totally surprised!
Our house was packed with kids all day Saturday, and there were people with us till Saturday night…so while we had some good discussion about FTG, I thought best to start fresh on Sunday. The reality of making separate meals and snacks for us and them seemed way too daunting. This was our first conversation theme – socialization revolves around food. It’s wild how quickly this becomes apparent. Another night we were booked to go to a concert in Ottawa that included dinner beforehand…in the end the night was postponed for other reasons, but it would have been a major downer for our friends if we didn’t join them at the restaurant.
When our first day came, we, like everyone else, we did a quick scan of the food items followed by a more formal inventory. That was the first time I’ve ever counted the number of slices in a loaf of bread. We tried to explain the purpose of this project to the kids who are 5 yrs and 3 yrs old. They were pretty stoked about the cookies and cupcakes and didn't get too worked up one way or the other about everything else.
Our first dinner was pasta. The kids both said it was better than the usual pasta we have (where we use wheat noodles and more ingredients). We were a bit concerned that this trend could continue – they seem partial to starchy/salty food. Danielle and I have a chat about the importance of setting eating habits early and the difficultly in changing habits once they are formed. Still, the girls enjoy cupcakes for desert and they are indeed just fine with this project. More or less, the kids have actually eaten more this week than the average week. It might be paranoia, but I also find them more needy than normal.
The second conversation theme was on the luxury of choice, specifically identifying that: 1) we are fortunate our kids have the option to eat healthy; 2) we are not used to someone choosing food for us; 3) I really want to buy lunch or a protein bar or something…this isn’t easy.
My best meal of the week (so far) was Fish Cakes. I actually got down to business and created something from nothing. I was pretty proud of myself as the whole family legitimately enjoyed them and finished their plates. Thanks Kendra for the receipe! This is the third and final main conversation topic – it is very rewarding to create a tasty dish and see others enjoy the product. I’m no cook and spend limited time in the kitchen, but that night I felt like great about my creation!
It’s been ok so far, but the salty diet and inability to buy food is catching up on me. I am looking forward to Sunday!
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