Mealtime - Purse Palate and Portion

J'adore the concept of regular mealtimes. Three daily opportunities to sample whatever bits of succulance you desire. Truly eat whatever you want - notwithstanding the limits of purse and palate. And of course, portion. You know that small portions are the French woman's ultimate secret of slim.

Meals are meant to be eaten with people. Hopefully those in whose company you thrive. Persons you want to know more about. People who know all about you. Running down the duties of the day over coffee and toast. Perhaps a solitary(hey you're a person), but perfect, grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch. Eating in the company of good conversation - hard to beat. Long evenings over the tablecloth, opening more wine and wishing the wonderful comraderie was a permanent state. Debriefing and then refueling with those you love over a daily family dinner......

Regular mealtime, the romantic notion versus regular mealtime in a busy, modern household.

Breakfast, um sometimes I'm sleeping thru this during the school year, but I can and do hang out in the kitchen when my 3 teens are being somewhat supervised by Jake (Dad) as he makes
lunches (have I done a good thing? my kids refuse school lunch, categorically). And Jake runs the morning show chez nous.

Lunch: I'm generally alone.

Dinner is the real problem. Jake and I are self scheduled. When the kids were younger (up until the last yr and a half or so) we ate dinner en famille most nights. Now the teens activities make a "one -and- for- all" dinner really hard most days. Just having 3 kids with one extra curricular each makes it rough, or it has for me. So I'm trying to figure out the best solution for us.

The 'formula' of 6 hrs between breakfast and lunch, 6 hrs between lunch and dinner and 12 hrs between dinner and breakfast is one on which the Lepitin 'diet' works. I am not really familiar with anything else about Lepitin but this formula has really stuck with me. I feel ready to eat, with at least a mild hunger, when aware of this timing. No snacking! You most certainly can wait for your next meal - isn't it going to be a lovely selection of fresh, top quality foods that pique your appetite? Food and company worth waiting for?

If we eat dinner at 7pm then breakfast is right on time at 7am (during the school year at least) and that leaves lunch at 1pm. With a pause gourmand after school/work.....So with a renewed vigor, we shall dine at 7pm and take it from there. We'll still have to juggle and not everyone will be seated, together, at 7 every single night, but I think it's important to attempt to reinstitutionalize it.

I love dining al fresco and soon we'll be able to do so regularly. We do eat just about every meal on the deck when weather permits. I move my office out there too....
Can't wait for the roses.
La