Salad

I am not the biggest fan of taking my children out to eat in public. In fact, I myself have become very particular about eating out, so it has been a long time. I've just started thinking about some stranger preparing food for me and then another serving me that food. I know nothing about those people. I don't know their character, their hygiene habits, if they hate their job and so try to sabotage any food prepared or served, or if they've had the worst day of their life and so go on a destructive path of ruining/contaminating the food that I and my family are about to eat. I know, it's a little paranoid, but I can't really help it. Plus, I'd rather not spend the money on a meal I'm not even sure I'm going to like. Then there's my children who 8 times out of 10 will not touch the meal that THEY chose to order. Plus we're normally the freak show while waiting that everyone likes to stare at. I'd just rather avoid the whole situation.



Anyway, I put on a brave face and we went out with the kids for a little family meal. The Oh Gee. At Olive Garden I always order the same thing. If I ever decide to branch out and eat something else on the menu, I always regret it later when I'm sick. So it's always the soup, salad and breadsticks for me. Of course I discovered once I got the bill that they upped their price on my meal of choice. It went from $8.95 to $11.95! Okay, not panicked yet. I also found out that I could take the soup home with me in a take-out bowl. I never knew that before! Yeah, I'll be taking full advantage, thank you very much. When I asked Dillan what he wanted, he told me nothing. He then asked if we were going to get salad. I told him yes and he said that's all he wanted. I tried to talk him into some mac & smack or spaghetti, but he was set. Fine, I decided, he can teach himself a lesson here.



Much to my surprise he ate salad. A couple plates full. What?!? No ranch dressing was involved, and he still ate like a champion! We got Leah a little personal pizza. She ate one piece and then moved on to the salad. Seriously. My kids normally eat salad at home, but I figured being out and choosing what you wanted would change all that. Oh the joy! My little green eaters! Munch on!