Embracing Unique Food Habits in Families
I first noticed this interesting quirk while sitting in the lunchroom. I was monitoring different grade levels, making my rounds, and chatting with the students. One day, I approached a girl who had a thermos filled with refried beans and cheese, accompanied by a side of tortilla chips. I tried to strike up a conversation. “Great lunch!” I said, even though I didn’t know her very well.
“Thanks! This is what I eat for lunch,” she replied. I thought her comment was a bit unusual, but I continued my rounds. The next day and the day after, I noticed that the girl had the same lunch again. Curious, I asked one of my colleagues about it, and I found out that this was the only thing she ever ate for lunch. It turned out that she had texture issues with food, rather than flavor issues.
“One Food Obsession”
After that experience, I started to pay more attention to the little quirks people had with food. One of my students, who had a diagnosis of ADHD, coined the term “One Food Obsession.” I’m sure there is a clinical term for this, but I like his words better. He would obsess over one food for days, sometimes weeks, and then suddenly lose interest in it, rarely eating it again. Soon after another food struck his fancy, he would ask his parents to buy more of it. He would eat until he was satisfied, and then, without reason, he never wanted to eat that food again. I asked him if it was a texture thing, but he didn’t know. He thought it was a combination of texture and flavor, but he couldn’t pinpoint why, or when the next food obsession started.
I have noticed this “one-food obsession” in my home, which has been a running joke with us.
(Notice how none of the breakfast food is touching!)
We are a very close-knit family, quirks are not something we make fun of, but rather something we enjoy about each other. My husband and I have clearly explained to our children that everyone is different in this life, and God has uniquely designed each of our brains for a purpose. As an educator, I can understand that we develop our traits and habits from a combination of lifestyle, genetics, and social and environmental reasons. As a Christian educator, I can’t help but see the hand of God shape each of us. We can’t possibly know what the future holds, but we can nurture and cultivate a positive mindset in our children. We recognize and appreciate the little quirks, admire our unique minds, and celebrate what God has created.
After all, the apostles that Jesus called were diverse, coming from various backgrounds with unique personalities, and God used each one of them.
In our household, we have made an effort to encourage a variety of foods and explore different ethnic cuisines. One way we achieve this is by having the kids help cook with us. One of their homeschool subjects focuses on life skills—similar to home economics for middle schoolers. A key task in this subject is to find a new recipe, create a budget, shop for the ingredients, and then cook the meal. My kids have truly enjoyed this subject, and when they prepare the meals themselves, they are more inclined to eat them! Once they complete a recipe, they add it to their recipe book. This approach has turned cooking into a very enjoyable and rewarding experience for them.
Does it matter?
Overall, I would like to pose this question to you. Does it matter? We all have our quirks and as long as our health isn’t compromised, does it matter if our children get a “One Food Obsession” sometimes?
I’ll answer for you: Nah.
-Project Homeward Downes
