I visited my sister recently and was so blessed to be able to spend time with her and her kids. This visit affords me the opportunity to catch up with her especially, reminiscing and make plans. Its a lot of fun and I always always enjoy my visits...
From another perspective though, my visits also come at a cost. I usually visit with my kids and combined with her kids, its a full house. The house then becomes what I like to term "organised chaos", because the kids are up to something or the other. There is always an activity they are getting involved with or the other....its loud, its disorganized, but above all ITS FUN...!!!
Lunch and dinner times are challenging for my sister. Deciding what each of the kids would like to eat is the first of her challenges. Then cooking the different dishes according to their preferences, followed by the challenge of getting them to eat and finish their food...don't even mention the challenge of getting them to tidy up and do the dishes! frankly I don't know where she finds the strength.
One of my sister's daughters, Leisha happens to be my favorite. She is seven years old and she is so intelligent.. I get to hold real conversations with her on different topics. I tell her stories and she asks me questions on virtually anything she is curious about...her diction is excellent, I marvel at how well spoken she is....she speaks like the queen...I tell you...
So the other day, I volunteered to make lunch for everyone, and decided to make traditional pounded yam, (they seldom eat traditional Nigerian food). Because I was making lunch, they all agreed to eat whatever I was making,...out of "honor" I presume, but that was just fine. So I made some okra soup to serve with the pounded yam. So when it came time to serve the food, I scooped dollops of the pounded yam into bowls, two scoops, one on-top of the other, the bottom scoop slightly larger than the scoop on to (just the way its done in traditional Ekiti household)..... when Leisha saw this, she shouted out aloud with excitement, that looks like a snowman....!!!! Its Pounded Yam Snowman!. She grabbed her plate and sat on the table to eat....she finished her food, every little bit of it. I was taken by her reaction, and also because she finished her food without incident, I felt am on to something new.
The truth of the matter is, being British, my sister's kids are so exposed to all manner of western foods, especially those aimed at kids which are sold and served in different shapes and patterns. Different ideas abound with food sellers and manufacturers to create and produce foods that will interest children and make them want to eat up. Most importantly, they strive to produce food that will make Food Fun for children.
So here is my small contribution towards making Food Fun for kids, Pounded Yam Snowman...would your kid like it too....?
Comment below.
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