Who doesn't like pie?

Dinner is a source of conflict at my house. Because of Paxton's allergies it is a little more complicated to come up with favorable meal ideas than the run of the mill dinner choices. Being allergic to milk, eggs and peanuts eliminates most child favorites, ie., mac and cheese, lasagna, grilled cheese, quesadillas, pb&j, etc, etc, etc. And I am not going to lie, Pax gets really scared to try new things because he is afraid he is going to eat something that is going to make himself sick.

My parents are awesome cooks. They cooked really yummy, healthy food every night of my life. We NEVER ate fast food, we rarely went to a restaurant, I mean I barely even remember ordering pizza very often. As a result I will eat pretty much anything. I didn't eat meat for a long time, but that is for completely different reasons. I really do like pretty much everything. I remember for my 8th birthday dinner I chose to have a shrimp boil. I wanted to have peal and eat shrimp, corn on the cob, and potatoes, and I wanted to eat it on newspaper spread out on the kitchen table. And I remember my sister telling me how weird it was for an 8 year old to choose this as their birthday dinner. Most 8 year olds choose pizza and I chose shrimp. I have always been thankful for my taste for food, and I vowed to do the same for my children. I always said I was going to cook healthy, yummy food and if they didn't want to eat it then they wouldn't eat. Then I had a kid with severe food allergies. Game changer.

Because we have told Paxton pretty much every time he eats that he has to be careful not to put any food in his mouth without asking us first if it is safe, he is a little afraid to try new things. So when I did go through my "they will eat it and they will like it" phase about a year and a half ago (for a total of about 3 days and then I couldn't do it anymore), we had massive meltdown after massive meltdown. And I didn't make strange stuff that no one would want to eat. I don't remember exactly what I made every night, but I do remember making chicken pot pie. I figured the kids would love it. What kid doesn't like pie? Even if it does have vegetables in it. Paxton. That's who. Pax would eat a turkey sandwich and raw carrots and fruit for every meal if I would let him. When I make things like pasta with steak and chimichurri sauce he really isn't that interested, but I can kind of expect that.

They all love treats, of course. I am pretty sure Charlotte's first word was popsicle. Well maybe her 3rd, but that is no joke. If you even mention the word cake they all start to salivate. One day my mom made a peach pie and was telling the boys they could have some after dinner. They were running around the house chanting about peach pie. Then they took a bite. Not a big hit. Never had pie since. So today when my mom was telling Paxton about a strawberry pie my dad had made that he could eat she said, "Pops made a yummy strawberry pie, but I don't think you like pie." Paxton returns, "Oh yes I do like pie! I know I do. I know what pie I don't like though. Chicken pot pie!" That dang chicken pot pie I made 2 years ago that I told him he would eat or starve is STILL haunting him! He is going to grow up and hate chicken pot pie and not know why. It's all my fault.

My saving grace with dinner is Porter and Charlotte. I mean Charlotte is like a little goat. She will eat anything. Tonight I caught her with a mouth full of mulch. So maybe one of these days Pax will come around. But I can safely say I won't be making chicken pot pie ever again!