Score one for the home team…

The other day I was talking to my 9 year-old daughter and made some reference to a Big Mac.  

She looked at me and said "What's a Big Mac?"

!!!YES!!!

We don't eat much fast food if any, and I've come to realize how eating the majority of our meals at home has made our daughter open to trying new foods.  She's had some new friends over for dinner that last few months and I find myself getting extremely angry at the table.  From the friends who refuse to even TRY what we've cooked, to the one's who say aloud "This is gross", to pretending to eat things and then I'll find them in the bathroom trash later on.  Dear god, it sends me over the top.  I find myself launching into the "kids these days!" spiel, yet still trying to find a speck of humor in it.  How many of us refused to try new foods or figured out ways to give our gross food to the dog or spit it into the bottom of our milk glasses?  I need to take a chill pill.  And perhaps lift the ban on some kids staying for dinner.

I made a new recipe last night - chickpea patties and salad with a greek yogurt dressing.  She loved it.  She didn't complain.  I've come to realize she's more adventurous when it comes to food than most (she's even eaten crickets while we were in Japan - granted she dry heaved, but she did it), but in looking back it's because we started at a young age.  Kale, brussels sprouts, purple rice, tofu, and many international dishes make regular appearances at our house.  

I wonder about how other families eat - what they make and what the 'rules' are around meals.  Here's a previous post.

I'd love to know how you were brought up and how that's helped or hindered you, and what 'rules' you currently have around meals.  Also - how often do you eat meals outside of the house?  Is it fast food?  If so, where do you usually go?  Please leave a comment as I'm genuinely interested to know if I'm living in a bubble.

Just as an FYI, here are some of our 'rules' around meals:

- She has to at least TRY everything on her plate.

- This is not a restaurant.  If you don't like what we've made for dinner, bummer.

- There will always be a grain, a fruit or vegetable, and a protein source at every meal.

- We try not to waste food.  

- Saying things like "this is gross" is extremely offending to the person who took the time to make a meal for you.

- Whoever smelt it, dealt it.  No, wait, that rule belongs somewhere else....