Rise and Shine --- I'm hungry

Good Morning oh great and loyal readers!

The pleading comes in early and often: I'm hungry.
Sometimes, I hear it moments after the breakfast dishes have been put into the sink.
I'm hungry.
OK, I'll say, how about a banana?
No.
Let's see, I'll continue, here's an apple?
No.
HMM, I'll let through the lips, there are some pretty good oranges here.
No. No. No. I want a treat.
Ahhh, so all you really want is something sweet and sugary. You aren't really hungry.
The problem is we are inundated by images of chocolate, fast food and cookies. Turn on any television aimed at children. If there's not a toy commercial, it's for some kind of sugar or salt covered food.
There aren't images of orange groves or apple trees.
So, we can talk about getting children to eat healthy all we want, but pulling it off is another battle.

Rise and Shine --- How can you hate oranges?

Good Morning and welcome to one of those dreary days where staying in bed seemed like a much better option!

The questions come, sometimes even before dinner is made, "What's for dessert?"
Sometimes, I'll have something ready, sometimes not, it just depends on what's for dinner.
If it's soup and salad, say, then dessert may be some cake or possibly ice cream. If dinner is pasta, dessert may be nothing.
Sometimes, when the dessert questions come, I'll pull out a piece of fruit.
"Oooh, I hate oranges."
How can you hate oranges. They are sweet enough. They are fun to eat.
"Can't we have something else?"
OK, how about an apple.
"Can we have some chocolate on it?"
No, just an apple.
"I hate apples!"
Now, I can see if maybe, just maybe, the citrus acid in the orange might not be to your liking, but an apple? Apples are just about the perfect food. They give crunch. They can be sweet (if that's what you like) or tart (if it's your preference).
"No apples. No Oranges. I want cookies."
Well, we don't have cookies. How about a banana?
"Aaahhhh...."