You know, that feeling of regret once you’re finishing that meal that you had been looking forward to with such huge anticipation. That meal you thought would actually satisfy. That meal you thought would be the perfect solution for what ended up being a busy day of school run, after school activities, parent evening rounded off with an options evening to boot? Well, we call them “After Meal regrets”.
We all have those days, the busy ones, where there seems to be absolutely NO time for food, for tea before homework whirlwind and then B E D.Well it happened this week. I had thought a McDonalds tea would be the perfect solution – quick, easy, and one that we can all enjoy…
As it was already 1930 hrs as I picked up the final child following the merry-go-round of 3 school visits had finished and I at last had the complete brood all together. We bundled back into the car, we finally were close to heading home. McDonalds could be a treat. I mean, we rarely have a McD these days.
I should have seen the writing on the wall from the last time we visited, which was around Christmas time. We were already muttering our discontent after that meal… Comparing the McD in the UK to the ones in France where you can at least get Croque Monsieur, the cheese and ham on toast, which is just bite sized and well, just perfect for that snatched moment…Yet this time was the worst ever, the worst after meal regrets ever. And it was not just me that felt that way. It was all four of us: Tuna, Spike, King Julien and me. Hubbie is still away in Germany so it was just me and the brood, grabbing our tea at the local Golden Arches.
But you know what, we no longer feel the arches are that golden… It has lost its sparkle and glean. We feel wretched after a meal there. I really think that we and McD no longer go together. We felt stuffed to the brim. Lethargy was setting in. We felt bloated. Everything goes cold so fast unless you wolf it down. Then it starts to repeat on you. Is it the onions or the gherkins or is it something in the sauces? We felt, above all, unhealthy and just so full of regret…If only I had just driven home instead of heading there… If only I had thought to do something with eggs… After all that can be really quick and easy and nutritious.
I could have got the eggs out, and rustled up omelette with grated cheese, with lambs lettuce in french dressing, accompanied with chunks of fresh bread, all washed down with cold refreshing water… Then polished that off with a blueberry muffin I’d baked up at the weekend.
Why had I not done just that?
Why did I steer the car towards the golden haze of the golden arches?
With all the healthy eating going on on the Lunchbox World website, have I now brain-washed the kids? Or do we just feel better altogether in our tummies, in our minds and in our souls when we eat healthy food?
Have we been so badly influenced by watching “Men v Food” on TV Dave? Have you seen that yet? Where the presenter slowly over time is looking more and more unhealthy as he embarks on food challenge after food challenge of “Can man overcome food?”
Each episode there are several eating challenges the presenter has to face and overcome in restaurants/diners all over the USA. The prize is to NOT be on the wall of shame, but make it to the wall of fame, be given a free t-shirt and a free meal.
Well for not for me. No sir-ry, I would rather not be challenged. Not when it comes to food, and definitely not in that way.
Give me a different kind of challenge anyday but not one that involves stuffing your face until you meet that “food wall” head on!
What after meal regrets have you had recently?
The Lunchbox Lady x
We used to go there almost every week, but the thrill has definitely worn off. (I did love the French MacDo coffee bistros though – and it was the only place in Paris I could pick up free Wifi)
The only thing I do like chez MacDo – and need a good recipe for – is a proper chicken burger with all the trimmings.
Can you help?
you mean the chicken burger in breadcrumbs? We use a great recipe for making chicken goujons and I suppose you could just not cut the breast up into strips to get the burger version? It's bang bang chicken recipe by Annabel Karmel – a regular in our household where the kids make it! Let me hunt it out and pop it on the blog x