So... I'm sitting here, wondering what I should write for my next blog post. I'm eating the German chocolate cake that was leftover from the game night we hosted yesterday, when I think, "I've got it! What if I write a blog about things that I've given up since becoming a parent? You know what, let's go a step further. How about things I've given up since becoming a new family."
I could say that I've given up sleeping eight hours a night or family traditions, but it wouldn't be true. When my husband and I got married and we started our own family, we combined traditions or trade them off each year. There are all sorts of things that I could say, but many of them could be argued... many of them except for when it comes to food. When I grew up in the family that gave me my maiden name, there were plenty food items that I loved and enjoyed and that was because my family loved and enjoyed those too. Now, if I'm going to eat those, its going to be because I went to a restaurant and ordered a single serving of it or it's a holiday feast and there are other people who are celebrating with us that like the same thing. Here's a list of things that I've practically given up:
- German Chocolate Cake- I love chocolate cake, my husband doesn't. My kids like chocolate cake, too, so I could eat chocolate at least, but what they all don't like is coconut. So, if I want German chocolate cake, I'm going to be buying it for a group of people.... except only my mother-in-law and I ate some, so I have to finish the rest by myself.
- Things with nuts in them- My husband will eat trail mix, but that is pretty much the extent to what he eats. If I make peanut butter cookies, they aren't going to have nuts in them.
- Sweet Potatoes or Yams- I can get away with eating these at Thanksgiving and Christmas because my in-laws and parents like them too, but no one in my house likes them.
- Mashed Potatoes-My husband and kids don't like them. I get to eat them during the holidays or at a restaurant.
- Hamburger Pie- If you don't know what hamburger pie is, it's this delicious, strange concoction with mashed potatoes, green beans, and hamburger. As I said before, no one likes mashed potatoes, so this one is kind of obvious.
- Corn Bread- I did, just find out that my in-laws like a cornbread casserole that I made a couple of times, so I have been getting some sort of variation when I make that for family dinners.
- Frozen Enchilada meal- This probably seems like a really weird thing to put on here, but this was a Stouffer's meal that I really enjoyed. I used to buy it for me and my husband until one day he told me he didn't really like it, so that was the end to that.
- Green Stuff- Until just recently, this is one thing I had to give up. Green stuff is a jello salad type meal. You mix together a large container of cottage cheese, jello mix, and cool whip. It may sound disgusting, but it's actually amazing! I used to not eat this for a while because I was the only one who liked it, but one day, I discovered how much protein was in cottage cheese and decided to try making it just for me. It can make about three good size meals at like 26 grams of protein a serving. It totally made its comeback.
- Bacon- For a long time, I was the only one who really liked bacon. One day, I was eating some when my youngest tried it out. He decided he liked it, so I started buying a bag of it from Sam's Club- (Very big) I had gone almost 9 years without eating bacon, so this has been a great thing.
- Pretty much anything from a restaurant that isn't fast food. This isn't a complete give up, but since having kids, my husband and I don't go out regularly, so I count this as giving up something.
I know that these are things I probably don't have to give up, but its such a waste to make food that only I enjoy. What would your list look like? Would it be similar to mine, or would you be crossing of food items, too?
