The Next Go-To Food

Every mom has "go-to" foods for their child -- those never-fail-to-please, easy-to- prepare/no-cook, nutritious (usually) foods that are always on hand. String cheese, mac-n-cheese, graham crackers, peas -- ring a bell? My go-to foods for Caroline are fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. Since mid-July, we have been eating (more like gorging on) fresh tomatoes, cherry-size balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil. With a drizzle of high quality aged balsamic vinegar (or a cheap one mixed with a pinch of brown sugar) and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, this combination of foods is the perfect summer dish. We take small 4 oz Ball canning jars of fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese on plane trips, to restaurants, to parks, and to the doctor's office. Caroline eats them up every time. And she eats them with gusto as if it was the last time she was going to eat fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. Well, it is almost mid-October and her last time (this year) is just around the corner. I must admit that I already feel anxious. What will replace her go-to foods? Will tomato season end as abruptly as cantaloupe season did? What if she doesn't like winter squash and root vegetables?

Caroline's Lunchbox Menu, October 3: Breakfast - O's, red raspberries; Lunch - chicken, 100% whole grain bread, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, zucchini; Snacks - watermelon

Childcare Center Menu, October 3: Breakfast - peaches, blueberry muffins; Lunch - turkey sandwiches, cucumbers, oranges; Snacks - taco shells, salsa