324/365 The pasta sandwich… culinary tautology

I may have mentioned my current drive to get all of us eating better, healthier food. Certainly eyes roll in this house when the subject comes up. 

(And no one saw the two leftover cookies I just scoffed, did they? Therefore they don’t count.)

Anyhow, in a money where my mouth is moment, I signed Boy Two and I up for an ACES (Active Children Eating Smart) course in our local leisure centre. He and I go every week and Boy Three comes along for the ride. 

Last week saw the three of us doing a circuit training class together – much more fun than any of us had anticipated. 

Today we were getting cooking tips and participating in how-to sessions. Like how to turn down the levels of sugar and fat in your food and still have something you might want to eat. I thought I knew all this stuff, but I’m getting some useful tips and a big reminder that every mouthful counts. (Don’t mention the cookies)

So there we were at our cooking station considering low-fat mayo and yogurt as a reasonable thing to put on our tuna when I realised that Boy Three had started already. 

On a slice of bare bread he had neatly lined up rows of cooked, but cold, pasta. He carefully applied another slice of bread and was happily chewing away at this dry, unappetising, sandwich like it was, well, a cookie. 

And once he’d finished that, he repeated the process and ate another one, only stopping when he realised everyone was watching him in fascination. “What?” he said scattering cold penne. 

I struggle with the notion of a chip butty – I’ve always considered it a form of tautology. It would be a bit like having rice in your mash, stuffing your ravioli with couscous, or even making yourself a pasta sandwich…

I fear it may take a few more sessions for us to get the hang of this healthy eating business, though Boy Two is already looking trimmer and reckons his skin is better.