Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Why I Ate a Dorito Taco

We are getting reacquainted with fast food for a few reasons:

1. Hubs and I prefer restaurants without a drive thru, so even when we traveled we tended to choose places like Jimmy John's or Quizno's.

2. My sister M was right when she warned me that there would be a time we would refuse to take them out to eat. It happened sometime last fall, after our sweet babies turned two and suddenly had opinions, attitudes, and great pitching arms.

3. As much as I love cooking, it is nice to not have to cook every now and then, so we're relaxing the restaurant ban these days. Besides, mY boy's weren't wild about the delicious shepherd's pie I made from scratch with the leftover Easter mashed potatoes last week. I told them someday they'd be dreaming about Mom's home cooking. They don't believe anything I say.

4. However, the only places we can take them with any degree of success (defined as the kids ate most or all of their food and we didn't slink out with our tails between our legs in shame) must have some of the following:
A. A play structure. I love our new town, buy there is not a single indoor play structure anywhere, so they are all the more valuable to me.
B. nuggets, fries, ketchup and ranch. My kids don't know what a kid's meal is. I know, I'm such an awful mom! They are content with sharing a 10 pc and small fry, which is way more food than 2 happy meals but costs the same as 1. M discovered a neighbor's table littered with chocolate milk containers and the toy from the box at our last McD's outing...sigh.
C. soft tacos with ground beef and cheese. Taco Bell is like their heaven, don't ask me why. We tried an authentic Mexican restaurant in town last weekend, one where we knew the kids would be accepted. Our meals were delicious, but the boys were not digging authentic corn tortillas and chopped beef.

Hence, my introduction to the Dorito taco today. I've eaten more Taco Bell the last few months than I have in all the years since college, and I'm still experimenting, trying to find something I like. Because it looks like I'm going to be spending our restaurant money there more and more. Know what I think?

It doesn't matter what you order because it all tastes the same.

It was like eating a taco and a side of Doritos. The burrito which came with the meal was simply a soft taco only musher with beans in it. The hard taco got eaten by the kiddies because they inhaled their soft taco no "salad" so quickly. I guess we will have to start ordering two apiece soon!

Despite the lack of culinary finesse we are experiencing, we are witnessing some success with the outings. The children are eating food AND feeding it to themselves, they are practicing staying seated in public since they are way too big for the high chairs now, and they are being socialized beyond church and school.

And I don't have to fix every single meal.

I just have to figure out what to order for myself.

2 comments:

Cuz I'm the mama! said...

We are seeing more success with this lately, too. We pick our places carefully. Subway is a hit for us and pizza is usually a pretty good bet. The only thing I shudder at .. germs! If we take them inside to eat ... I feel like they are crawling all over the booths and then they put those hands to their mouths. ICK! And when they turn up sick I kick myself....but like you said .. nice to not have to cook every meal! Sometimes we just pick it up and bring it home and eat or eat at a park. So far it's been OK with the 3rd baby in tow because she usually sleeps!

Anonymous said...

i LOVE taco bell!! but I was super disappointed in that doritos taco.