France
USA
Well, I am foregoing info on our trip to bring you this important announcement: Food in schools in America does not take the cake, so to speak.
A wonderfully articulate article in the NYT entitled The Real Problem With Lunch made me think about all the lucky French children who have nutritious and tasty food at their schools and made my heart go out to all the American anthro kids who have never tasted really good food at all, even in their homes.
You lucky ones who cook good food are in the minority. When you read this article, you will be stunned at what American anthro kids are used to eating and why something really must be done to change that. But it’s the schools, unfortunately, who must start teaching a respect for good food.
I was so lucky to find mama and papa and become a part of a household that reveres cooking and healthful, fresh foods (like chicken and fish, for example, num, num, and growing your own vegetables and fruits, if possible) and I eat pretty well around here, even if I do have to munch on low-fat kibble every day or so to keep my svelte waistline in check.
Notice slight indentation just above right back paw=svelteness
But how very sad to grow up without the taste of beautiful fruits and vegetables, not to know the magic of extra virgin olive oil over a perfect tomato or fresh bread smells wafting through their kitchen. Sad, sad.
But change is difficult for a culture of fast foods, junk foods and sodas. Maybe American kids will have a better chance as they become more aware of what’s out there, or as they become fatter, one or the other, but I hope it doesn’t take the latter to open their mouths to beautiful tastes.
Maybe they’ll be lucky enough to visit France one day. I wish I could buy them all tickets!
It’s time for my dinner now.
It’s not pheasant under glass, but it comes pretty close.
Ha, ha, fooled you–this is NOT my dinner, but it’s dinner for those other peeps who live with me. Spaghetti alla carbonara…eggs, bacon, parmesan and pepper over pasta. An incredibly simple meal that kids will adore. Cost for four people: Around 2$ per person. Prep time: 15 minutes plus waiting for the water to boil and waiting for the pasta to cook, another 20 minutes. But you can do other things while water boils, says the cook.
Wow, that French plate looks yummy. We’ll take one for Jan, please. Your mom has such interesting ideas for cooking. Eggs and bacon with pasta? Interesting.
Quick and easy. Whip up some eggs, 2 for you. Put in some parmesan. Boil some pasta. Fry some bacon and keep the fat. When the pasta is done, pour the hot bacon fat into the whipped eggs and immediately pour over the pasta and toss. Serve with more parmesan and ground pepper. SOOOOO good.
Wow! Feeding that US meal to children should be considered child abuse.
You are SO right!!! Poor kids who grow up not knowing the beauty of good tastes. And eating them together and talking about them, etc.
MOL Oh LouLou mommy was one of those USA kids and when she saw da two meals she got all ‘cited and sed, Nachos and Furench Furies, yummy!!! Altho’ she luvs a good pasta or furesh bread. We just don’t have da money fur mommy to eat anyfin’ much less good stuff. She occasionall gets a loaf of bread or box of cereal and she’s not da only one dat has to live like this, so dat also has a lot to do wiff food choices here. Fast food be cheaper than good food so those wiff any money fur noms choose those they can afford…purrsevative filled junk. Have a pawsum day.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
Well, mama was a professional cook and she can tell you truthfully that she can give you good food for the same price as junk food. It just depends on how much effort you wish to put into finding fresh food at low-cost markets and making it stretch into healthy meals.
Salad is not expensive. Olive oil is about the most expensive item in a kitchen. Cucumbers are not expensive, nor carrots, potatoes, rice, and many pastas.
But maybe mama can come up with some ideas for your mama so that she can enjoy healthy food instead of junk food. Hey, nachos are really good, but not as a school lunch.
Our government does not wish to spend on its kids’ lunches. That’s a fact.