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The OP reminds me of a family I knew growing up and my brother went to the house to play baseball with their son . My brother came home and told me that the mother rationed out food each kid got an ice cream scoop of rice , one skinny chicken leg and a scoop of mixed vegetables . Ice water to drink . Well when their son came to our house he got a pepsi to drink like everyone else and a chilli dog and some French fries . He told my brother you all eat a lot . Now that I think back on that it breaks my heart to know that those kids might have been going hungry all the time . I know my dad used to comment on how skinny they were he just thought genetics maybe not hunger . I hope they fared well we lost touch with them when they moved .
The OP reminds me of a family I knew growing up and my brother went to the house to play baseball with their son . My brother came home and told me that the mother rationed out food each kid got an ice cream scoop of rice , one skinny chicken leg and a scoop of mixed vegetables . Ice water to drink . Well when their son came to our house he got a pepsi to drink like everyone else and a chilli dog and some French fries . He told my brother you all eat a lot . Now that I think back on that it breaks my heart to know that those kids might have been going hungry all the time . I know my dad used to comment on how skinny they were he just thought genetics maybe not hunger . I hope they fared well we lost touch with them when they moved .
But think of it the other way...those parents might be thinking, "hey, how sad that family feeds their kids processed and fried junk food, and sugary sodas."
But think of it the other way...those parents might be thinking, "hey, how sad that family feeds their kids processed and fried junk food, and sugary sodas."
That doesn't explain the small portions, though. I wonder if it was due to financial restraints.
It's an issue when you wind up starving during a weekend stay, wondering, will I offend if leave for a bit to get some snacks? I've also had to wait until nearly noon for breakfast, again, starving. At least the kids' cousins will help them get something earlier now that they're older. It was an issue for them too, when they were younger.
If I was that put out by it I would politely tell my hosts I have some errand to run and come back with snacks for myself. If they commented I'd be honest and explain that I am used to eating a little more/earlier/often than they do, and instead of making an issue out of it took care of the problem myself. If their kids are hungry they need to deal with it not me. Not my place to interfere.
Not so much the rationing of food, but the quality of the food.
My ex's cousins made quite a bit of money. They lived in a huge house, and their kids had every sort of toy imaginable. They had expensive furnishings and cars. Yet when they would invite us over, they would serve generic everything: potato chips, soda, bread, etc. It felt like they didn't think highly enough of us to serve us the good stuff that they would eat on a daily basis. I was always taught that you served guests the best, not the cheapest.
Are you positive that they did not eat like that on a normal basis?
My parents never bought name brand anything. They still don't. My dad did purchase a brand new Cadillac last month though. They live in a beautiful home.
A co-worker purchased an E series Mercedes Benz maybe 5 years ago. We were both in line at the Hospital Cafeteria. I mentioned his car. He told me about the deal he got on it. I told him it was out of my budget. Then he looked at what I was buying. He told me I was spending my money of food while he was getting the cheapest food at the hospital. He was eating a salad and I had a full meal.
Started to think about that and realized that I spent $250 a month at our Hospital Cafeteria while he was spending maybe $50 a month. I also started looking at other areas that I spent my money on and my wife and I found maybe $1,200 a month where we could save.
We still don't have new cars but we save a lot of money each month.
Sometimes it's not about rationing. It's just what they're used to. I have one friend who doesn't eat breakfast. She'll have a cup of coffee, and won't really eat until lunch. She doesn't think about breakfast. So I know if I visit her, I need to bring a couple snacks to hold me over for a while. It's not a big deal, I typically don't eat a big breakfast either, but I still need something to take medication with, so I usually take a Kind bar and some fruit. I don't want to make a big deal about it or make her feel bad for not thinking about breakfast.
My wife and two of our kids will make a smoothie for breakfast. It is loaded with vegetables and fruit, and other things. They will eat a lite lunch and we will have a dinner together. Many people eat this way to stay fit. I should be eating that way, especially since I put on the pounds easily.
That doesn't explain the small portions, though. I wonder if it was due to financial restraints.
Well that poster is recalling what's probably a 50+ year old memory. I'm not necessarily negating the idea that that family may have had budget issues, just suggesting that today's portion sizes may have skewed our idea of normal from 50 years ago.
I came from a culture, like many, where food = love, and nobody went away without thirds and fourths and foil packages of leftovers. Seven days a week.
In part because most of my friends are from similar cultures, it took me a while to see as "normal" how people from non food-centric cultures eat.
And I use the word "normal" cautiously although TBH given our obesity and obesity-related issues these days I think they may be on to something.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE
Never lived like that, nor do I know anyone that lives like that. What did catch my eye was the three hours of pajama time. I have never heard of that. Are you meaning for a weekend or something? We have too much going on, even on a weekend to be sitting around for three hours.
Night owls? I'm not a morning person, the thought of food before I've been awake for at least an hour is disgusting. And now that my kids are grown I definitely have a lot of down time in the morning since I went to a job that never starts before 11 AM. Night owls live different lives.
Not so much the rationing of food, but the quality of the food.
I was always taught that you served guests the best, not the cheapest.
In my family once we were old enough to sit at a dinner table and handle adult food we ate what our parents ate, when they ate, portions appropriate for each person. If we were hungry between a meal or after school we were expected to ask for some sort of healthy snack. Once in a while there would be a special restaurant meal, take out, Chinese etc but it was a treat, not typical. Partly just a sign of that time.
Once I was invited to go along with a close high school friend's family when they rented a beach house for a few weeks. Thank goodness not the entire time. They were splitting this rental with another family who had about 5 kids of their own. End result was 7 kids under 12, 4 adults, and my friend and myself who were both 16.
Turned out my friend and I were simply unpaid babysitters. Nothing explained up front, just expected, no discussion. The adults rose at leisure then left the house to entertain themselves with shopping, movies, theme parks, bar and nice restaurant meals, etc. while we stayed home to cook the cheapest garbage filler food for the herd of bratty kids. Adults and kids led separate lives. We couldn't leave the house, had no transportation, nothing to do. No place to sleep other than the living room couch. The adults came home around midnight and proceeded to play cards, drink, and argue for a few hours while my friend and I sat sleepless on the couch waiting for it to end. Crack of dawn the next morning the kids were up screaming for the trough once more. Up to us to cook, feed, clean up, dress, wash, settle quarrels, keep the kids busy while the parents amused themselves. It was an eye-opener.
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