Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A Different Kind of Dinner

How often do you just let loose and go kinda nuts in the name of fun?

For a 5 and 3 year old, it really doesn't take much to fall into that category.

Jeff had to work late last night. We never made it to the grocery store over the weekend so we didn't actually have anything to eat in the house aside from frozen veggies and bags of flavored rice. Jeff had eaten the hold out frozen pizza last week. I didn't want to take the time to go to the grocery store without feeding the kids first- that's a recipe for disaster. Zach's behavior in restaurants lately has been pretty bad so me taking both kids by myself didn't feel like a good option. Fast food just didn't sound appealing in the slightest.

The kids start asking about dinner as soon as we get in the car when the idea hits and I announce...

We're having POPCORN for DINNER!!!!

I was met with cheers and applause!! We got home and got out the popcorn popper and oil and popcorn. The kids got their step stools. Zach helped pour the oil, Teagan helped measure the corn. We flipped on the machine and waited for the pop show to start. I filled bowls with popcorn- disappointed that I couldn't find our special popcorn bowls. Got out the popcorn seasonings- cheddar cheese and ranch. The kids wanted both seasonings on their popcorn so we went hog wild sprinkling them on. Then we sat around in the living room and watched Wonder Pets, happily munching on our whole grain dinner.

Something simple, something different, something fun and it made for one of the best Monday nights I've ever had.

  Photobucket

10 comments:

Alison said...

Mom used to occasionally make waffles for dinner (I should ask her whether she was tired, out of inspiration, or craving breakfast when she did that). Popcorn's probably a better option! Still, why not cook up some of that flavored rice, add in some steamed veggies and call it quick'n'dirty stir fry?

Oh...because it's not as fun! lol

(wv: frackets: "Oh frackets! Jeff ate all the pizza!")

Lola said...

Not only in the name of fun, but sometimes in the name of peace. Case in point- I asked Ashley what she wanted for dinner last Friday- her answer? Waffles and pizza. I happened to have both at home...so I had a big healthy salad and some pizza and she had a whole grain waffle and a piece of pizza. I don't know what made that combo sound good- but she liked it, she ate it and we didn't fight! :)

As Cape Cod Turns said...

AWESOME!!!!!!

Garret said...

My mom used to make french toast, pancakes or eggs for dinner. It was an entire "breakfast" for dinner and I thought of it as a special treat!

Katherine said...

We've had popcorn for dinner before. I especially remember my dad making lots of popcorn for dinner. It makes my kids delightfully happy.

Karen M. Peterson said...

It only happened once, but I will never forget the night my mom, in her exhaustion, decided my brother and I could have cake and ice cream for dinner.

Not healthy by any means, but memorable and fun.

Liz Mays said...

When I was growing up, we had popcorn and soup every Sunday night. For my own kids, we had popcorn and baked potatoes!

Anonymous said...

What a cool idea. Never thought of popcorn as a meal, but i guess it is a vegatable after all.

When in a pinch here, we have breakfast for dinner (Cereal or scrambled eggs)

tim at http://tinyurl.com/6hfzjj2

Amy said...

My kids would have thought I was crazy. But if I'd said cereal for dinner at least one or two would have been happy. Sounds like it was a great night for everyone.

C. Beth said...

I love this idea!!