Food Rich

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

It is almost Thanksgiving and time to start thinking about what foods I will make next week. My side of the family gathers at our house now. All the aunts, uncles and cousins used to go to my parents’, but over time the crowd has dwindled and my mom is happy to come here instead. I started my shopping list for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. I was thinking all about what vegetables, salads and desserts to make when it dawned on me that I have to make a turkey, too. I did one last year and it turned out okay so I guess it will be a little less stressful this year. I get spoiled at Christmas because my mother in law does the turkey, but it will be my responsibility at Thanksgiving. We will likely also have two kinds of sweet potatoes (because I like something different than the rest of my family), dressing, corn spoon bread, green bean casserole, carrot soufflé, black eyes peas, jello salad, rolls and a variety of pies. More food than any family can really eat, much less need. Today, because I was off work, I prepped for adopted daughter’s visit next week. I like to cook when I have time. I made spaghetti sauce, a pan of lasagna, and salted caramel cupcakes. The cupcake recipe came from a blog and the entry was entitled, “Life Changing Cupcakes.” While they were good, I would argue that they were not life changing. With over two pounds of unsalted butter in the caramel sauce, cake batter and icing, the only life changing might be the heart attack you have if you eat too many. Or the diabetes you get from icing made with eight cups of confectioners’ sugar. Oh, my, they are good, but even this sugarholic knew enough to stop at one. How blessed I am to be able to walk into the grocery store and get just about anything I want whenever I want it. Today, I also spent time preparing sacks of food for the children that our church feeds on the weekend. Because there will be no school at all next week, those kids who are chronically hungry and depend upon school breakfast and lunch to be fed, will not have access to those meals. Our sacks this Friday will be much heavier than normal in an effort to provide more than usual. Think about what you will eat next week and then, realize that there are children who will only have the following to get by for a week:

7 individual cartons of milk

6 individual cartons of juice
3 cans beefaroni or spaghettios
5 individual servings of peanut butter
2 half rolls of Ritz crackers
5 containers of fruit
3 packages of dried fruit (raisins or fruit snacks)
2 individual packages of cereal
9 granola bars
3 pudding cups

Somehow that rich cupcake and plate of lasagna don’t sit as well when I think about how hungry someone else is tonight.

Comments

Beverly says

November 13, 2012 at 4:29 am

So true. We have so much. Because our family is small, we never cooked excessive amounts of food. Going to the grocery store these days isn't as much a pleasure as it used to be the way things have gone up so much…but still, we have so much.

I do so love the Fresh Market, however. It is like a candy store…so much that pleases the senses. I realize I'm just rambling here, but oh, well, it's late.

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