As a physician and a parent, I often start my day with the best intentions. I envision a day filled with productive tasks — maybe I’ll finally clean out the fridge, organize my files, or even tackle that dentist appointment I’ve been postponing. I dream of crafting healthy, gourmet meals for my family that would make Julia Child proud. I envision my kids applauding my culinary skills, perhaps even suggesting I enter a cooking competition. However, as the day progresses, I find that my good intentions swiftly fade away.
Reality hits and my plans for homemade meals dissolve quicker than a sugar rush. Here are some signs that tonight is probably a fast food kind of evening:
- The vegetables in the crisper drawer are more like science experiments than food. Those baby carrots and apple slices? Yeah, they’ve been neglected and are now swimming in a pool of liquid nastiness.
- A new toy promotion from a popular fast-food chain has caught the kids’ attention. A quick drive-thru visit is a small price to pay to avoid the relentless requests for that shiny new plastic item.
- My stomach is growling like a ferocious beast. It’s 5 p.m., and I really don’t want to become hangry, for everyone’s sake.
- A tantrum derailed my shopping plans. I went in for a few essentials but left with a child who thought licking apples was a reasonable demand.
- I cooked a few nights ago, and quite frankly, I’m still recovering from that marathon.
- We’ve enjoyed a peaceful day, and no one wants to disrupt that harmony with the chaos of dinner prep. Maybe we spent the day exploring a museum or enjoying outdoor activities.
- After a day full of adult responsibilities — getting out of bed, showering, running errands — I’ve done enough for one day.
- My cooking skills have unfortunately crossed the line from “charred” to “burned to a crisp.”
- The thought of heading to the grocery store feels like an Olympic event. It involves real pants, navigating aisles, and saying “no” to endless requests for sugary cereals.
- Some days, I feel like I live in my car, shuttling kids from one activity to the next. Until someone invents an oven for my minivan, cooking isn’t happening tonight.
- Restaurant iPads don’t count against screen time. If it keeps the kids entertained while I enjoy a meal, it’s a win.
- The indoor play area at a fast food restaurant serves as a makeshift park. Kids burn off steam while I scroll through my phone, almost forgetting about the germs lurking around.
- My slow cooker has yet to master the art of turning itself on. I followed the recipe, except for the crucial step of powering it up.
- I made a promise — or a bribe, really. This morning, I said if the kids behaved, we could visit a popular fast-food joint, and since they’re still alive, here we go.
- Last time I checked, coffee, flour, and butter don’t make a meal. Unfortunately, that’s all that’s left in my pantry.
- It’s Friday — the unofficial holiday of fast food. Doesn’t TGIF mean Thank Goodness It’s Fast Food?
- I’m all out of patience. Need I say more?
While I strive to instill healthy eating habits in my children and prepare well-balanced meals, life sometimes takes over. Some days call for wholesome family dinners, while others are a McDonald’s drive-thru kind of night, complemented by the occasional binge on frozen treats. Some might see it as balance; I call it the reality of parenting. Tomorrow is another day.
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