What to Have for Dinner?

by Gail Balentine

           

            There you are, at your local grocery store, in the middle of the vegetable aisle, frowning. You are trying to decide what to have for dinner. You have no clue. Eat healthy? Eat out? Have a bowl of cereal?

            Sometimes there is just no inspiration. Nothing appeals. You leave that aisle and head toward the chicken, fish, and meat section. Surely something there will spark your imagination. What about all those new recipes you carefully cut out of those cooking magazines or newspapers and tuck into your recipe book? Yes, you tell yourself, one of those might work except they’re at home and you’re here, getting more frustrated by the minute.

            This is a ridiculous, you tell yourself. You are, surrounded by an overabundance of food, and you can’t come up with a plan! You look over and see a woman with a full shopping cart – lots of produce, chicken, beef. Maybe you could ask her for a suggestion? You summon up your courage to approach – just as her cell phone rings.

            She answers the call and immediately says, “No, it’s a fine time. I’m at the grocery store, trying to decide what to have for dinner but nothing is appealing. I’ve bought a ton of food, hoping I’ll figure it out by the time I get home.” She pauses, laughs, and then says, “Sure, let’s get pizza. Be home soon.”

            You sigh and keep walking. On to the dairy department. No help there. You look down at your cart – still empty. At this point, feeling stupid, you put the cart back and head for the exit. Maybe pizza tonight would be good, you think. When you get to the car, you try to remember if you’ve ever gone to the grocery store before and not bought anything. Nope, can’t remember ever doing that. Great, you tell yourself, what a milestone.

            As you start driving, your phone rings. It’s your daughter. “Hey, Mom, how’s it going? I was wondering if you and Dad would like to come over for dinner? I made a huge spaghetti sauce with meatballs. It smells great and …”

            “Spaghetti and meatballs! How did you know that was exactly what I wanted for dinner tonight? Of course we’ll come! What can I bring?”

            Most likely there is some deep psychological reason why, when faced with many choices, your mind freezes and can’t decide. You don’t know, but what you do know is that you made a U-turn and went back to the grocery store. And now, there you are, in the middle of the vegetable aisle, smiling, buying salad fixings as your contribution toward dinner, knowing just what you will have tonight.

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