I like to think that we all have those foods we ate as kids and slowly phased out of our diet as we got older. The nostalgia I get when even thinking about my childhood foods is a potent drug that makes me want to go back and revisit the foods I ate as a child. I first had to consult my parents and my sister to see if they remembered anything else that I could not remember, which proved fruitful because I could only think of one thing to write about. After getting the list of foods I wanted to write about, I started to think about the story behind each food. But, as I did that, I realized that I didn’t know the story behind these foods because they had always just been a part of my childhood. And I never thought to question why, until now.
The first childhood food that I have fond memories of is twice-baked potatoes, which were a staple of the weekly dinner menu for a few years. It’s a very simple recipe. First, you bake the potato and make mashed potatoes while saving the skins. Next, you mix the mashed potatoes with cheese and cut up broccoli. Then, put that mixture back in the potato skins. Top with more cheese and bake until golden brown on top. I have vivid memories of peeling off the excess cheese that had fallen off onto the tinfoil lining and eating it like it was Cheez-It. When I asked my dad about why we stopped making them for dinners, he told me that he thought they were a little too bland for him, but that he’ll make them again just way more boujee this time.
The next thing I vividly remember having as a child was a thing that my parents called meat shapes. Whenever we would have something like spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, my parents would make the meatballs into fun shapes for my sister and me to enjoy. They ranged from the letters in our names to stars and squares. Now every time I want to make meatballs, I always consider making meat shapes. I have not done it in a while, but writing this article has definitely inspired me to make them. I remember the first time I had them for dinner I was so ecstatic, which looking back on is quite funny to think about. I definitely miss having meat shapes, so they will most likely be a part of my dinner this coming week.
Lastly, the childhood food I have the fondest memories of is big pigs in a blanket. They are like the hors d’oeuvre except full meal sized. You only need two ingredients; crescent roll dough and hot dogs. All you have to do is wrap the hot dogs in the crescent roll dough and bake. These are so good I started making them again for myself in the past few months. I don’t know if I can remember the first time I ever had them because they have just been part of my life for so long, but I wouldn’t change that for the world. If you are going to make any of the foods I have talked about in this article, it should definitely be the big pigs in a blanket.
