I am a Food Ninja. All you Moms and Dads out there – you, too, are food Ninjas. Pat yourself on the back. I am almost 9 years into raising my family, and I feel in some ways like I have just begun. Life has a way of doing that to you, right? A way of putting you in your place when you feel like you’ve just hit your stride. I have four amazing and crazy and joyful and unique children – an 8 year old daughter, 6 year old twin boys, and a son who just turned 3.
I swear there were days when I thought I would never, ever, make it through. Yet here I am – still breathing, nurturing, playing, and just trying to keep it all together. And, cooking. Yes, cooking.
Ninja Mom
In the course of my journey as a mother, I have breastfed and fed my babies via bottle when necessary. I have made my own baby food, and purchased store-bought rice cereal. I have shopped in more grocery stores than I could have ever imagined, and sought out our local farmer’s market. I have spoon fed children, and rejoiced when they could finally move on to “finger foods,” giving me more time to prep more food for the rest of the family. Chopping, roasting, baking, broiling, simmering. Warming up, cooling down, blowing on the food so it isn’t too hot.
Repeat.
As crazy as this process is, even for a ninja, I think we can all agree on how important food is for us. We all need food to be our best selves, and those looks on our children’s faces when they are satisfied and well-nourished make all the work and time worth it, right?
“They Eat All The Time!”
Do you ever feel like you just need more hands, more arms, a personal assistant, or the ability to multi-task like a troop of amazingly efficient robots? I do. All the time.
And nothing makes me feel this need more than when I am trying to feed my family. Why? Because, they seemingly eat ALL THE TIME!
Just when I’ve finished making a meal, it feels like I’m given a small reprieve and then, bam, they’re hungry again! They are always hungry. The perpetual cycle of buying food, preparing food, feeding our family, and then cleaning up and thinking about the next meal is daunting – even for a ninja.
And I thought it was bad when my kids were babies… These days, these sweet baby faces are a bit older, and they eat more. More than the copious amounts of finger foods they used to consume on their high chair trays. More than a snack or two in between meals. These kids are more active, and, I am in turn more active in the kitchen.
Ninjas, here’s a pep talk.
The day is going to arrive when your little subordinates will no longer live in your home with you. I know it’s so hard to fathom at this point in time that this day could ever come, but it will. And every mom out there continues to remind me that it will come before I know it.
So, you know what? Arm yourself and continue to fight the good fight. Try a new recipe, even if you know your kids will hate it (someone always does, let’s be real). Get coffee for yourself before you go grocery shopping. Put on some fun music while you are cooking (it helps tune out the kids sometimes too!). Try out a new grocery store to keep it interesting. Utilize freezer meals and prepared foods, buy ingredients chopped and diced, double your recipes when you are cooking and freeze a second batch, (and don’t be afraid to go out to dinner). Your life and your happiness depends on it.
Let’s face it–some days, even ninjas need a rest.
