Bank of Holly Springs

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Talking food

Can we talk about food and nutrition a little bit?

Now, I’m not a health nut, Sometimes I don’t even worry about how nutritious and healthy my Ramen noodle soup is. But lately, I’ve been really irritated by some TV commercials.

You know the ones – Kraft macaroni and cheese is the worst. I love Kraft macaroni and cheese. Unless I make it homemade (rarely), that’s what I eat and love. But come on – their latest commercial is ridiculous. This grown woman, supposedly a mother, is chasing her daughter through the house yelling “one more bite.”

My mama wouldn’t have chased or yelled at me. I’d eat what she put on the table, whether I liked it or not, or I’d sit there while everyone else ate and be hungry. There was no snacking after supper either (if she caught me, which she usually did).

And then there’s the Ore-Ida french fry commercial. A dad this time is paying his daughter to eat her vegetables by plying her with fries. One bite of veggies and she gets a handful of fries. Come on!

Again here, let me say that I love Ore-Ida fries (and tater tots). Mac and cheese and greasy forms of potatoes have their place. They are excellent side dishes. Fries with a burger (with lettuce, tomato, pickles, even onions – your veggies) are a great way to eat fries or tots. Mac and cheese with a meat and green beans or broccoli, etc. is delicious.

I’m glad my mother made me eat whatever she cooked. I love and even crave veggies. When my kids were little, they ate whatever I cooked and usually didn’t complain. When daughter Dana had her babies, we fed them all kinds of different food. When Mere was 2, she ate everything Chinese she could get hold of. Remy was a little pickier, but she still ate what her mama, Pop or I put on the table (OK, we usually sat on the couch and ate in front of the television).

But we had meals, real meals. Today, both my granddaughters still like veggies. My oldest granddaughter feeds her kids (the two best great-grandbabies ever) veggies. Ruby June, the baby, will eat just about everything that’s not nailed down. Shepard, the 2-year-old, will eat his weight in fruit.

Adults complain so much about young people today. Maybe if we didn’t chase them and beg them to eat right and then feed them mac and cheese or reward them with fries, maybe at least they’d grow up healthier.

We’ve got to start somewhere. Right?

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
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