Childhood Friends

Every once in a while we go off the sensible adult diet and head back to childhood faves.There's that one food that turns us into Marcel Proust and his madeleines. Is it bad? Not if it's a brief foray into throwback eating. It's just a nice way to remember our culinary pasts.

One of the biggest American kid foods was and still is Spaghettios.Who doesn't love it as it celebrates its' fiftieth year. It's a mix of big and small pasta hoops that at times fit perfectly in each other like Russian nesting dolls. As an adult ,it's a tasty nostalgic return. It's also a quick hot meal on a Friday  night.It is low in calories however has a whopping 630 grams of sodium. Unfortunately there are no boxes of uncooked pasta hoops where you can make your own. You can make your own Spaghettos from scratch but it is labor intensive. Better stick with the real deal and have  it two or three times a year. Another food of our kittenhoods (and here's an interesting fact , a cat's favorite food is the one it first ate during his or her kitten phase) is Chef Boyardee. Everyone has  eaten a can of this famed pasta on a Friday night or Saturday lunch .One of the most favorite and often bought are the ravioli. we all loved the tiny bity size, often mushy squares , brimming in chopped beef and simmered in a saucy tomato sauce.There was also the spaghetti too, always a treat for lunch or quick Sunday supper.There was an actual Chef Boiardi, Hector who came to New York in 1914 and first worked at the  famed Plaza Hotel. Give him a lot of credit. He introduced Italian food to all of America during the 1920s , allowing families to have not only variety, but also nutrition in their lives.

No matter where you are in the world, fish  fingers or fishsticks were probably a big part of  your childhood diet. It was a Friday favorite and an introduction to the British classic fish and chips.The company still makes fish sticks however they have been given a healthy twist, Gone is that oil soaked crust and in its' stead  a baked low calorie meal. The side of chips has been gotten rid of as well. If you 're craving something similar ,Jake's Wayback Burgers has a  dish with three pieces of fluffily battered cod deep fried to an oily crisp . A generous side of fries is also offered. Of course every Yank grew up with  SwandonTV dinners. These were a wild mix of differently made  meats, sides and dessert. The originals were tasty, cooking up in metal trays which produces crispy stuffing and brownies.The turkey was always the best because it has an ample amount of gravy and turkey slices.Swanson also had corn  niblets , improved by a massive glob of butter on top. Then there was Rice-A-Roni, that quick mix of pasta bits and rice, flavored with all sorts of spices  - and  - well additives.It was a real treat as it accompanied roast chicken or a slice of steak. Even better was when the steak juices mixed with it ,

We're all like Marcel Proust, One whiff or bite of a childhood fave brings us back to a happier time. It's always nice to go back, if only for a quick meal.