Food Coma

Avesta, Tiffany & Hollister having dinner at Chicago's Club Lucky

I have been friends with Tiffany since we were three. It's amazing that we met....I was a Kurdish refugee that just happened to end up in a small town in southeast Ohio and she was born in Alaska and just happened to be adopted by a woman who was from southeast Ohio. We met in pre-school and became friends right away.

She says it was because I would tell her these stories about where I came from that impressed her so much. For example, I told her that it was going to be my birthday next week and then I'd have another birthday the week after and the week after that....and on and on....and poor three-year-old Tiffany, she not only believed that Kurds had birthdays every week, she decided that she had to be best friends with this girl who amazingly had birthdays every week. And that's how it all started.

I wanted to share some photos her son Hollister. He's such an awesome kid...so full of love and laughter.....and he has an amazing palate for being so young....Tiffany and I have raised our sons to like food. We feed them what we eat and boy do we like to eat...so of course our sons appreciate good food....all kinds of food. We take them out to eat to all kinds of restaurants, not just fast food, but ethnic restaurants, fine dining...you name it...we take them. I don't understand parents who feel that they can't take their kids out to eat....if you don't teach them then of course they won't "behave." And if they do cry or get impatient...well then take a walk outside or just leave....but don't even attempt it for fear of how your kids will act in a restaurant. And please don't fall into that horrible trap that some parents fall into thinking "oh my child only eats chicken nuggets" or "my child hates vegetables" I believe that's only because of how we all have been feeding our children in this country.

Tiffany, Hollister & Ingrid

Hollister is so happy when he sees a fresh baked piece of bread!

If I was a child and could cry for McDonald's and would get it...then I would. Our sons eat not only vegetables, but also sushi and spicy food and dark chocolate (my son has been eating sushi since he was two), Mexican food, Middle Eastern food, Cuban food.....and on and on.... My point of this post is to open your minds to feeding your children healthier, more diverse food.......read the boxes of the food you feed your children...if there's too many ingredients of things you've never heard of or don't know how to pronounce...well that's a bad sign....go natural....organic when you can and try to make simple foods at home.

How do you think children in other countries eat? They eat what their parents give them....so if it's beans and rice or raw fish or spinach and potatoes or hot dogs and mac n cheese......it's not what they're programmed to eat....it's what we've been teaching them to love to eat. And I'm not saying don't feed your kids hot dogs and mac n cheese, I eat that stuff sometimes and so does my son, but what I'm saying is moderation....and help your child expand his/her taste buds...to appreciate food and other cultures.....it's about a healthy, well-rounded diet.....not a restricted diet.

Avesta & Hollister having fun at the restaurant.

How can you not just love this child...he eats...till he sleeps.....talk about food coma.