My kids are food snobs, I think.  Or maybe I should amend that to: L. is becoming a food snob, and P. is either a super-discriminating gourmet, or just thinks it’s funnier to watch my expression when he eats scraps off the floor than it is to sit and have a conventional dinner (boring!).  Yesterday I picked L. and P. up from school and L. asked what we were having for dinner.  I told him we would make macaroni and cheese (homemade, of course — I have two different recipes that J. and I like for different reasons).  His teachers noted his lack of enthusiasm, and I had to explain that my kids do not, and have never, eaten mac and cheese, but I do make it from time to time because I like it, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that at some point they may decide it’s tolerable.

What’s this, you ask?  Children in America who do not eat mac and cheese?  It’s true.  And it’s ALL mac and cheese, not just my two homemade versions.  Someone once said to me, “I bet they would eat the boxed stuff.”  Taking it as a challenge, I went out and got some (albeit the organic, less-terrible kind); I offered it to the kids, and L. told me outright “this is yucky, Mommy.”  He eats sushi, but mac and cheese, in any form, is apparently just unpalatable to him — it’s one of his MOST hated meals.  And P. appears to be following right along in his footsteps.

The teachers, upon hearing this yesterday, smiled wryly.  “They’re too used to those gourmet meals you make,” one joked with me.  I laughed, but she may have a point.  What constitutes comfort food to most of us is just ingrained preference for the cheesy, creamy, carb-y goodness of dishes like mac and cheese; but I’ve served it so seldom to my boys that they’ve developed instead a preference for foods like salmon, avocado, sweet potatoes, and the like.  L.’s idea of comfort food is marinated flank steak with mushrooms and mashed potatoes, and maybe some spinach on the side.  Definitely more sophisticated than most of his classmates — a point that was driven home to me last night when both kids refused their mac and cheese in favor of green beans, carrots, and kale chips.  Kale chips over mac and cheese.  Of all things.

Anyway, it’s that time again — time to reveal what my Food Snob kids will be eating for the next month.  J. had a surprising amount of input into the menu this time.  I always ask him what he’s craving, but he usually doesn’t have a wish list of more than 2 or 3 items.  This time, he waxed poetic for several minutes.  I guess I haven’t been feeding him as well as I thought!

Friday, 10/1: Fend night (I know, an inauspicious beginning, but that’s what happens when the month starts with a Friday!)
Saturday, 10/2: Our anniversary.  J. and I are going out to dinner, and leaving the kids and sitter with my friend B.W.’s Turkey-Bacon bites with honey mustard, a sweet potato casserole, and a vegetable or fruit that I’ll allow L. to choose.
Sunday, 10/3: Eggplant parmesan and pasta, salad
Monday, 10/4: Fish dinner
Tuesday, 10/5: Slow cooker — Autumn chicken with acorn squash, rice
Wednesday, 10/6: Chicken wrap bar, fruit, baked sweet potato fries
Thursday, 10/7: Spaghetti with Peas and Pancetta, salad
Friday, 10/8: Fend night
Saturday, 10/9: Flank steak with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, spinach (there’s L.’s comfort food dinner!)
Sunday, 10/10: Dijon Chicken Stew with Kale, homemade bread
Monday, 10/11: Croque Monsieur, fruit, salad
Tuesday, 10/12: Slow cooker — baby back ribs, cornbread, vegetable medley
Wednesday, 10/13: Just me and the boys — we’ll fend tonight instead of Friday
Thursday, 10/14: Asian lettuce wraps
Friday, 10/15: Shrimp oreganato over angel hair pasta, salad
Saturday, 10/16: Parmesan-crusted chicken cutlets, roasted vegetables, cous cous
Sunday, 10/17: I have a late afternoon performance, so we’ll go simple — Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with sandwiches
Monday, 10/18: Tacos
Tuesday, 10/19: Slow cooker — chicken cacciatore, pasta
Wednesday, 10/20: Breakfast for dinner
Thursday, 10/21: Skillet Pork with apples, red cabbage, rye bread
Friday, 10/22: Fend night
Saturday, 10/23: French onion soup, salads with poached eggs
Sunday, 10/24: Another afternoon performance — I’ll leave ham and cheese stuffed shells for J. to pop in the oven before I get home
Monday, 10/25: Chicken breasts with goat cheese and tomato sauce, gnocchi, roasted broccoli
Tuesday, 10/26: Slow cooker — pot roast
Wednesday, 10/27: Turkey burgers, baked fries, fruit
Thursday, 10/28: Fish dinner (possibly salmon cakes)
Friday, 10/29: Fend night
Saturday, 10/30: Pumpkin risotto and salad
Sunday, 10/31: Sunday Roast Chicken dinner

As always, feel free to comment and ask for recipes or clarifications.  Happy eating!