I feel like all I did this week is buy and prepare food.  Food, glorious food is a primary preoccupation in my household right now.   I have a thirteen year old son whose first line of the day, every day, is "What's for breakfast". I also have two other kids who seem increasingly concerned with what they are eating with each passing day.

I bought food every day this week. I've shared before that Whole Foods is my market of choice and it is starting to feel like my home away from home.  Add in a few passes through the local specialty market and a run through Krogers and well, that pretty much sums up my week.

The song from the Charles Dickens musical Oliver has been ringing in my mind.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEQDllvuy1I   No matter what I prepare, someone considers it gruel.  No matter how much I make, it isn't enough.  Twice this week I literally had to hide a plate of food for my husband so he would have something for dinner when he arrived home.  Max, my thirteen year old, is getting wise to me and now knows the bottom oven is the place to go when you can't find any more food to stuff yourself with. So much for my hiding spot for Dad's dinner ! I need to increase the quantity of food  I prepare, which is already alot.  I am going to add an extra vegetable to every dinner I make this week, in addition to a little more of everything I cook.  We'll see if this makes a difference.

I have always been careful with my kids' diets.  I have always fed them primarily organic food.  I don't do prepared foods.  If they get a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese it is a treat.  I will buy the Annie's Organics Macaroni and Cheese.  My nine year old still goes for the Annie's.  The other two, who see their classmates all kinds of garbage like Doritos in their lunch aren't as game for mom's organic substitutes as they used to be. Now give those two a  pile of 22 dollar a pound proscuitto and they'll eat it until it is gone.  They have good palates, they appreciate good food and for this I am grateful. 

I don't want food to become a source of stress or the cause of an argument between me and my growing kids.  I have plenty of other things to fight with them about, big things, things that matter. I am trying to compromise on some food issues.  I can go for baked chips.  They are satisfied with fruit flavored carbonated waters instead of pop. 

I want my kids to be healthy, to have good palates. I know they appreciate real, whole food.   They can recognize well prepared food. Heaven knows they can consume large quantities ! A few chips along the way won't ruin that, right ?