Tastes Like Chicken

You hear the funniest things going through the lunch line.  Picture a long line of little kids, holding on to their little plastic lunch trays, tummies growling, anxious to choose their lunch from the buffet of offerings encased in plastic containers.  This year, our school has joined in the national wave to encourage kids to eat a healthier lunch.  The chicken tenders are now baked, instead of fried, the pizza crust is whole wheat, and there are many more fruit and vegetable selections available.  Teachers escort their kiddies through the line and point out the delicious fruits and vegetables to challenge them to eat a variety of foods. 

A few weeks ago, I overheard one of my little ones declaring to his friend that he liked the lunches much better when they weren't so healthy.  He pointed out the rows of peas and pineapple and bananas for added emphasis.   He frowned. 

"Where's the good stuff, like the ice cream and the Pop Tarts?" he announced, to no one in particular, but everybody around him.  

"I know!" agreed another little one.  "My mom won't let me eat that junk at home, and now they don't even have it at school.  All there is to eat is lunch."
My interpretation:  [I guess everything that isn't a dessert/junk food  is just 'lunch' to him]

Today marks my all time favorite.   As we passed the healthy vegetable/fruit section of the lunch line, one of my little darlings picked up one of the little plastic containers.  

"What are these?" she questioned, moving and jiggling them around under their plastic cover.  

"I think they are a kind of bean," answered her helpful friend, glancing at them.  "I hate beans," she added.

"Those are chick peas," I informed them as I grabbed a packet for myself.  

"Chick peas!?" they laughed and looked again at the containers of small, off-white balls. 

"Want to hear something else funny?" I asked them.  They nodded.  "They are also called garbanzo beans?  So, you're right -- they are a kind of bean." 

"What do they taste like?" they asked at the same time. 

Before I could answer, I heard our helpful custodian/lunch server from behind the counter yell, "Tastes like chicken!"

And you know what?  They kind of do.