Spud Flakes = Love

I went grocery shopping today. Something my oldest said the last time she went shopping with me kept bouncing around in my head. She told me that one of her favorite foods is instant mashed potatoes (know by me as spud flakes). I just can't get my head around someone preferring spud flakes over the real thing. She told me that she does love real potatoes too but spud flakes are her favorite. It's almost painful to think about. To me nothing says love more than real taters.

Real taters remind me of my grandmother's house. She was always in the kitchen making something delicious. If you wanted to visit with her you had to hang out in the kitchen. She always wanted to know "our order" when we first got to her house (as she was usually inclined to make at least one thing off everyone's list and would likely need to go to the grocery store). I without fail ordered mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. 99.999% of the time my wish was granted.

At home we ate lots of Hamburger Helper and hot dogs. We ate anything that was cheap and easy (including spud flakes). I don't have a problem with cheap and easy. There was just a big difference between home and grandma's house. It was at my grandmother's house that I experienced love from the kitchen. She didn't cut corners. Everything she made was the best of the best. I appreciated that and loved her for it.

I want to give my children the good stuff. I want them to experience love from the kitchen like I did. As I was thinking today about what the kid said about preferring spud flakes I realized something important. Maybe spud flakes for the oldest does equal love.