Saturday, April 25, 2009

Life's Lessons #3: Food Does Not Have Feelings

I stare at the few lonely grains of rice on Eric's plate. Or the isolated bite of broccoli. Or the sad carrot left out from the salad. My own plate is invariably clean and spotless. And I squirm in my seat. Trying not to be concerned. It is, afterall, Eric's dinner. Not mine. But in the end I can't resist asking, "Are you going to eat that, Dear?" To which he replies, "No, I'm full."

Now, I don't want it. I'm actually quite full. Satisfied. Content. But what do I say?

"Well then, I'll take it."

Why? Because I don't want this poor bite of pizza or that sad spoonful of soup or that pathetic lump of couscous to be left out. Don't want it to feel rejected and abandoned as it is tossed thoughtlessly in the garbage! Ever eaten the last 1/2 cup of something because you knew it wasn't enough to save in a tupperware but didn't want it to go to waste? Because it might feel like it was being left out of the party. All its buddies got eaten and are together there in the incredible journey through your digestive system while this lonely morsel is about to be thrown away. No. I must eat it. It is the compassionate thing to do.

Okay, this is not a good way to feel about food. Especially considering the pending toddler years and vast amounts of uneaten food that will be pushed around on plates without entering a little mouth. I am trying to eat less, not consume everybody else's leftovers. Maybe it comes from my growing up years when there were food shortages. Or from the lavish compliments I received as a child for my healthy appetite and ability to eat EVERYTHING on my plate. (I always won the Daddy-cooked pancake eating competition with my siblings on Sunday mornings). Whatever the root cause, thinking more about the emotional health of a non-sentient item on my plate rather than about my own goals is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. A rational approach to food, I think, is one of life's important lessons and perhaps even a lesser virtue. And so, Eric is trying to help me to learn:

Food Does Not Have Feelings!

10 comments:

  1. Well, hopefully by the time it gets to your plate it doesn't have feelings anymore. That's what I meant.

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  2. I used to think my furniture had feelings when I was a child. I would say goodbye to it when I spent the night at a friends house, or go on vacation. Poor sad furniture. No, it doesn't have feelings either.

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  3. My dad has adopted the mantra that he is not a member of the Clean-Plate Club. This is how he still fits in his navy uniform from when he was 25. Also, since he's turned 60, he no longer takes seconds. I think by the time he is 80 he'll be off food.

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  4. Love this post....and Eric's response to it!

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  5. What a great way to put that! It is so hard for me too. I am doing my best to not force Weston to clean his plate. It's a hard balance because when I tell him to eat until he is full he won't eat anything. I try to give him a reasonable amount to eat on his plate. I hope I don't scar him for life. Hope things are going well with your goals!

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  6. i have the same problem! i think my plate should always be clean. i have learned though, if I really am full and I don't want to eat that last bite, I can just put it on Josh's plate to join all of the other "bites" he didn't finish and then they aren't alone anymore! Good luck!!!

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  7. Ya, but when you're a good cook you probably want to eat everything! That isn't something we get the pleasure of dealing with in my house.

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  8. You crack me up. good life lesson, though. I'll have to remember that. I am totally the person to eat the last 1/2 cup.

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  9. I bet to differ!! you did not win ALL of the contests! I remember my fair share: 13 one time! Beat that! HAH. :-) lol
    I think it comes from the foot shortages growing up, by the way. I've gotten over that by now though.

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  10. On this same vein: The cost of food is a sunk cost. Economics dictates not that you eat every last bit of it, but that you ignore that cost.

    I'm one who'll finish off the kids' food because it'll go to waste. But guess what—eating it only makes it go to waste on my body.

    This is why we invented tupperware and garbage cans.

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