Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Lock Me Up

It gives me a small measure of comfort to know that if I ever went to prison, eating would not be an issue. Since we’re all friends here, I’ll admit it: I love Institutional Food.

Today is the Thanksgiving Feast at elementary school, the crown jewel of Institutional Meals! As the other moms gripe about the consistency of the gravy or the lack of Tofurkey, I’ll be in line with my partitioned tray winking at the Lunch Lady to get a wee bit more stuffing.

It’s not that I don’t have a sophisticated palate; I just have a broad palate. I’m very inclusive when it comes to food—I like it all, from liverwurst to foie gras. So yeah, I’m not above admitting to liking po’ white trash fare. And this will come in handy, you know, if there’s any prison time in my future… Happy Institutional Feast Day!

10 comments:

Hardygirl said...

Ha! I'm with ya sista! When I was in the hospital after having my children, my favorite time of the day was the arrival of the plastic tray of hospital food. Hello jello salad!

And, Katie and I left you a little present on our blog (www.plotthis.blogspot.com). Go and see! Go. Go.

sf

Christy Raedeke said...

Ooh! The Hospital! Another overlooked source of Institutional Food...

Katie Anderson said...

Oh I am sick, and the same! Give me cafeterias, airplanes, hospitals.

Why? why? why?!!!!

I can see it's gross and yet I am pleasantly excited. Ooo

Christy Raedeke said...

Oh, Katie, I totally pegged you as a yoga vegan! So nice to know you enjoy Institutional Food as well.

I'm back from lunch and can report that the mashed potatoes were above par!

Irene Latham said...

Hello, fellow Tenner! Don't we have some great folks in common! Like you said in the earlier post, I find it a wonderful thing that the vast majority of the kidlit writing community is so very supportive. It's encouraging, you know? Makes me all warm and gooey inside. Or maybe that was your institutional food post?? Happy Thanksgiving!

Disco Mermaids said...

I once ate a mushy blob of lima beans at a hospital in Atlanta that were simply divine.


Happy IFD!

;-)

Robin

Anonymous said...

True confession: sometimes I go to the KFC drive thru and order mashed potatoes and gravy. That's it, nothing else. And then I sit in the parking lot and savor the artificial-ness of it all. (why hasn't someone thought to package up that gravy and put it in the refrigerated section next to Pillsbury biscuits?) I think I do this because I miss the school lunch Thanksgiving Feast of yore. KFC is the closest thing to it.

Gobble, gobble.

diane

Disco Mermaids said...

Yet another bizarre-yet-true thing we have in common! I hear ya, sister...airplanes, hospital cafeterias, army bunkers...gimme-gimme-gimme! Love that artificial, processed slop.

And if you do ever end up in prison, at least you know I'll visit you. :)

Eve

Graeme Stone said...

Oh God, oh God no. I'm a snob.
I'm not really, but if all of you are good enough to love institutional food, why aren't I? I had cafeteria food maybe once a month in elementary school (chile con carne Fridays), and literally once in high school (the pizza went straight into the garbage with one bite to mark it's passage from table to tray scraping). Since then it's been home-cooked almost all the way. I do like American cheese grilled-cheese, and In 'n Out burgers, but past that, I'm a snob! I admit it! [sobbing, sobbing].

Rita said...

You and me both--and apparently a lot of your commenters, too! I clean my plate on airplanes.

People mock me for loving instant mashed potatoes. It's not that I don't love (love love) real mashed potatoes. I just love them so much, I don't draw the line at instant. (Well, I draw the line at certain brands of instant. I am quite discriminating there)