Last week, I bought a can of sauerkraut to go with our St. Patties Day corned beef. As I opened the can, it reminded me that once upon a time I hated sauerkraut along with a number of other foods. I was a picky eater.
But Daddy George, who came into my life when I was 4, had a strict rule.
“You must eat everything on your plate.”
I didn’t have to eat a lot of sauerkraut, but I had to try it, and if I didn’t, I couldn’t leave the table. I just sat there. I think my best time trying to wait out my dad and hope for a warden’s reprieve from my mom was a half hour, but he always won. I eventually ate the stuff and actually learned to like sauerkraut and almost every food there was.
Daddy kiddingly said there were three things I didn’t have to eat. Steak, avocadoes, and country ham. That’s because those were his favorites and if there was extra, all the better.
As I grew to be a teen, Daddy said, “You need to learn to eat everything. Someone may invite you out to dinner or over to their house and it’s impolite not to eat what they serve.”
Today, there are vegans and no-fat buffs. There are peanut allergies to consider and shellfish reactions. There are anti-carb fanatics and lactose intolerants. Some won’t eat greens and others find tomatoes unbearable. Some gag at the sight of a mushroom and others would starve before eating a sprig of broccoli.
Like George Foreman, I am on a Seafood Diet. If I see food, I eat it, and I have Daddy to thank.