Story #2: Parenting 101

I was making myself a grilled cheese sandwich today and when I got the bread out of the cupboard, I noticed that only the heels of the loaf were left.  I don't know about you, but when I get a new loaf of bread, I sort of skip over that first piece (a heel) and go right for the 'meat' of the loaf.  Somehow or another, as the bread diminishes with each slice taken or sandwich made, that front heel works its way down further and further until finally, the meat of the loaf is all gone and the two heels sit together waiting either to be grudgingly eaten or wastefully thrown out if a new loaf arrives in time.

Anyway, I was fairly hungry and didn't want to make a trip to the store so I decided to make the grilled cheese sandwich out of the two heels.  As I waited patiently for the cheese to 'grill', I had a flashback to my childhood.  

I remembered standing in our old kitchen next to my mother watching her make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, both for her and me. On occasion, she'd hand me my PBJ, one side of which was a heel, whereas her sandwiches were ALWAYS made from the meat of the loaf.  

I would complain, "Mom, I don't like this," pointing to the all-crust, heel side of the sandwich and everytime she'd reply, "Go ahead and eat it Kerry.  Those slices are healthier for you."  So, defeated by adult knowledge, I'd go off and eat my sandwich.

So I'm still waiting for the cheese to grill as this halcyon memory plays out in my head when I suddenly realize, "Wait a second! The heels are just baked bread! It's not like the skin on a potato!  It's just baked bread!!!"

I have to believe my mother wasn't stupid enough to think that the heels of the loaf were actually healthier for me, but what I can't believe is that she'd sink so low as to dupe her child into eating something she didn't want.

Comments

[John]

Hard hitting journalism there.

[Neil]

I actually prefer the heels. Perfect for beans on toast.

[Demian]

Actually, the area just under the crust is the healthiest -- i.e., the most nutritional -- part of bread.

Mom was right.

However, if it was white bread, not so hot to start with. White bread, like white rice, is far less nutritious, even with the added vitamins.

My guess is that mom was not only correct about the food value of crust, she was concerned about wasting food. Plus, she didn't use the "Think about the starving children in Rwanda" argument. Brilliant, a no-guilt persuasion to help you have strong bones and vitality.

Give her a kiss.

- Demian