Food on the run

I can not count the many, many times I find myself out and about when my children's tummies decide that it is lunchtime and they need food now! Unfortunately I think I got defective children because from the time they came off the assembly line their tummies never did function normally. It began a little bit at a time, first the spitting up and constant pooping, then the picky eating and now they are completely whacked! When my children's tummies are hungry it messes up the whole system! We can be driving along singing, playing silly car games and laughing and it's almost like someone threw a switch. Tummies hungry so the brain gets irritated, the face becomes contorted in a fit of anger at a simple gesture of fun from Brother. I have not yet figured out how to rewire my children so that when they are hungry the rest of their little bodies stay normal and their mouths just say, "Mommy, I am hungry. Can I eat as soon as we get home? I can wait an hour or so for you to finish all the errands you have to run." Yeah, so I am dreaming!

But what is a mother to do? I have worn out my ability to eat at McDonald's, just the thought is enough to turn my stomach. Arby's and Wendy's are overdone as well and most everything else is too expensive. I wish they made dash kits that installed easily into a mini van and at the touch of a button could pop out a fully prepared dish of Baked Alaskan Salmon or Veggies and Pasta tossed in a light Garlic Butter Sauce. (i.e. healthy, delicious food). I have just had way more than my share of greasy fast food.

Well, so far as I can find, something like that is years in the making. But until then I have found that carrying a baggie of healthy, relatively non-messy treats like carrots, raisins or cheese and peanut butter crackers, helps to ease the raging tummies until we can get home and have something that will not give us a heart attack. Plus it's a good alternative for me when the munchies strike as well. I have started keeping a bag of treats in my van at all times. It has worked wonders for my family.