Thursday, September 16, 2010

Too much food


My son's school had asked me to send idlis for six children. I got up really early, so I could make enough idlis for six very hungry kids- you don't want food to run out, do you? Almost all of it came back, uneaten.
A bit of questioning, and the story emerged. Each of the 25 children had been asked to get food for six children each- there had just been too much food!


They do this every year. Couldn't their instructions have been more precise? And instead of sending it back, why didn't they just donate the extra food?
_____
drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.




17 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

How about bring enough for 1-2 kids?

Anonymous said...

Rayna - Those idlis look delicious! I agree with you that it would have made sense for the teacher to consider just how much food would be needed and be clear about it. And what a lesson it would have been for the children to provide food for others, too. It would have given them a chance not just to eat wonderful food, but to share their fortune with other people. A pity the teacher didn't think of that....

Natasha said...

@ Alex - precisely. Or they could have specified a number. If everyone gets enough for six kids, there is going to be a whole lot of food!

@ Margot - we ended up doing just that- the kids and I found a lady who looked like she could do with the food, and we gave the idlis to her. But it would have been so much better if she got them when they were fresh.

Jules said...

I never read instructions, lol! I'd have cooked enough for an army.

I don't know what those are but they cute as can be. I like the one not smiling that looks like its eye was poked out, poor thing. :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Hope the teacher is better at communicating with the children.
It hurts to think of all the people who could have benefited from the "extra" food.
How wonderful that you always find a lesson for your own children in everything.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

That's so frustrating! Hope the teacher will do a better job in the future of communicating--maybe if she emails parents directly?

I'm with Alex...if everyone had sent in just enough for their child then that probably would have been perfect.

LTM said...

those are the cutest little cookies I've ever seen! The only way they came back... well, the only TWO ways they came back are #1-I wasn't there; #2-they were too cute to eat. But that never stops me... :D

Natasha said...

@ Jules- idlis are made by steaming fermented rice batter in a mould. The veggies are my extra.
And even if I had been asked to send for two I would have sent for two very hungry kids - why take chances?

@ Mary- I think she is. The kid loves her at any rate.

@ Elizabeth- I've suggested it, but none of the other mothers supported me. They like to make a social occasion out of these meetings (and in this case, it was not even decided at a meeting).

@ Leigh - those are idlis - steamed rice batter - but I can easily whip up a batch for you if you like. And I would have polished the lot off too!

Anonymous said...

What delicious bites! And how frustrating that there was too much food!

Southpaw said...

They are so cute in your picture! I agree about the waste though. I sure they are trying to cover for those who forget or are unable to bring them, but they should try to work it out a little better.

Sueann said...

Wow! That would have been a lot of food. I agree! They could have donated the extra. Been a blessing all around then!
Hugs
SueAnn

L. Diane Wolfe said...

How about sharing with the other classes?

Carolyn Abiad said...

Sometimes I think the teachers are still learning ;)

Unknown said...

They do look delicious! I wonder why they don't sell it for money for the school?

CD

Patricia Stoltey said...

I love the looks of the little idlis. Fermented rice batter...do they taste sweet?

Patricia

Julie Musil said...

Oh no! Yes, their instructions could have been clearer, and the rest could have even been give to the staff!

Natasha said...

@ Fiona - what a waste is all I could think. Would have been so much better if the kids had been staggered, so everyone got food for six, but over a week.

@ Holly- even if half the kids forgot, there would still have been too much food!

@ SueAnn- I wish they had done just that.

@ Diane- the other two sections of the class had the same project too. And the younger kids would be too young to eat very much.

@ Carolyn- I do hope they write this down somewhere, and not repeat the mistakes.

@ Clarissa- that may have been a bit difficult. Who would they sell to?

@ Patricia- not sweet, but not spicy either. The non-taste of bread is the closest I can come to describing it.

@ Julie- most of the teachers seem to be on a permanent diet ;-)
If there were older kids, they would have polished off the lot.

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