When I was a younger, frazzled mother juggling too many things all at once, the last thing I wanted to stress over was making dinner. With three kids attending three different schools, I had to keep track of bus stop schedules and shuffle those kids out of the house on time to catch their school buses—all while ensuring that they had their lunches and completed assignments with them. Needless to say, mornings were hectic.
Then there were all of the track and cross-country meets, book and science fairs, guitar lessons, Scouts, recitals and concerts, piano, violin, and cello lessons, driving lessons (yes, I taught all three of our kids how to drive and I survived to tell the tales), parent-teacher conferences, being a chaperone on field trips, taking kids to doctors’ appointments, speech therapy, etc., volunteering in the classrooms, and helping out with the PTAs and PTSAs.
Busy, overwhelmed stay-at-home and working mothers and fathers know what I’m talking about. There is just so much to do each day that by the time 5:00 or 6:00 pm comes around, our brains and limbs are fried. Yet, the family still needs to eat, right?
Due to time, budget, and energy constraints, mealtimes in our house were often simple: spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, shepherd’s pie, beef stew, pork chops with mashed potatoes, bagged salads, and yes, in a pinch, Kraft Mac n’ Cheese or Hamburger Helper. Not only did I need to feed three hungry children, I also had to contend with finicky palates. At one point, I learned how to prepare lacto-ovo-vegetarian dishes to appease one of our kids’ year-long commitment to refrain from consuming meat. Another kid preferred bland foods only: cheese pizza, bagels and cream cheese, pasta with butter but no sauce. Why would I accommodate my kids’ fussiness? Because their pickiness arose from moral and medical issues rather than mere stubbornness.
Anyway, prior to having to feed a family, I used to enjoy meals consisting of more adventurous and “exotic” fare: lobster, escargots, lamb, Brussels sprouts, frogs’ legs, etc. Now that we’re empty nesters, I’ve been able to rediscover old favorites and explore new culinary possibilities: trout, Coquilles St. Jacques, clams, crab, beets, rhubarb, persimmon, fennel, and so on. Various ethnic cuisines have been sampled: Indian, Greek, Afghani, Brazilian, and so much more. Trying new things has been fun and interesting.
Because, you know, eating doesn’t need to be boring and a chore. It’s got to be about more than just Mac n’ Cheese . . . from a box.