The Story of a Lunch

I've had a revelation.  Smuckers corporation (is that a thing?) listen up.  New Uncrustables sandwich idea: pasta noodles mixed with squares of bread, encased in a pretzel roll, shoved into the center of a bagel.  Delish.  If my child is any indicator of what your focus groups will say, this can become a best-seller, money-maker, pb&j kick-asser.

I'm tired of trying to hide the fact that all my son eats is carbohydrates.   Although I know that the nice daycare ladies do not have time to perseverate on what EJ's lunches say about my parenting, I'm still ashamed about his pasta-pasta-pasta-bagel-pasta rotation.  Now, I do mix in organic yogurt, cheese, fruit, and veggie pouches to hide the 'drate (is that a thing?), and I've even gone so far as to mention my intensive 10K training in hopes the ladies will think that carbo-loading is a necessary athletic practice in my home.  However, at the end of the day, no matter which way you slice it (ha!), the center of EJ's every meal is bread.  Now, before you amazing, perfect mothers shake your heads at me (talking to you, Gwyneth!), I've tried sending in some of the things that I can sometimes get EJ to eat at home: chicken nuggets, meatballs, fish sticks, carrots, etc., but nothing works.  And, EJ, likes cheese and bread....but of course, not sandwiches.  That's some sound toddler logic for you.  He will eat peanut butter as well...but of course, daycare is peanut-free.  So, basically I'm left with no options.

A few weeks ago, I had a stroke of genius.  VARY the pasta noodles.  Orecchiette, fusilli, cavatelli, penne, farfalle, gemelli, rotini...now my little gourmand seems very sophisticated and is practically fluent in Italian.  I'm actually thinking about teaching him to say Ciao! and double-kiss just to add to his European street cred.  Overall, I'm hoping this noodle shift will shift the daycare ladies' perception of me, or perhaps my perception of myself.  I'm doing the best I can and EJ likes to eat.  I also have full confidence that one day soon he'll be sipping on the kale smoothies and munching on the sunflower burgers that I love...only to have the elementary school kids make fun of him...and beg me to send him in with bread and cheese for lunch. Oy.