Monkey Platters WAS Wanting to Unschool food
Sylvia Toyama
I think everything the Monkey Platters page is helpful. Even the pink plate. <g>
If you don't want messy dip bowls and marshmallow things at the gatherings this year, then ask folks not to bring them. Seems to me the food is easier to transport without dips and such.
I've never done the monkey platter thing at home with my kids. We bring snacks and treats to share with friends at park and the like, but at home my kids ask for food when they're hungry -- or I notice if someone seems to be hungry/grumpy and offer to fix something -- and since they have very specific ideas about what kinds of foods they want to eat, I just make what they want as they ask for it. It's not like I'm doing anything more important than feeding my kids. Sure, it means that some days I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but this is so much better than the dinner table torture and abuse I grew up with -- and briefly inflicted on my firstborn, who resolutely refused to comply -- that some extra time in the kitchen is no big deal.
So, Sandra, more importantly I guess -- at least for me, since I'm not a gifted Monkey Platter preparer -- is what kinds of food would be most welcome at the gathering? Maybe things that don't travel well, since I'm local and know where to find desired treats here in town.
Sylvia
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If you don't want messy dip bowls and marshmallow things at the gatherings this year, then ask folks not to bring them. Seems to me the food is easier to transport without dips and such.
I've never done the monkey platter thing at home with my kids. We bring snacks and treats to share with friends at park and the like, but at home my kids ask for food when they're hungry -- or I notice if someone seems to be hungry/grumpy and offer to fix something -- and since they have very specific ideas about what kinds of foods they want to eat, I just make what they want as they ask for it. It's not like I'm doing anything more important than feeding my kids. Sure, it means that some days I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but this is so much better than the dinner table torture and abuse I grew up with -- and briefly inflicted on my firstborn, who resolutely refused to comply -- that some extra time in the kitchen is no big deal.
So, Sandra, more importantly I guess -- at least for me, since I'm not a gifted Monkey Platter preparer -- is what kinds of food would be most welcome at the gathering? Maybe things that don't travel well, since I'm local and know where to find desired treats here in town.
Sylvia
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-So, Sandra, more importantly I guess -- at least for me, since I'm not a gifted Monkey Platter preparer -- is what kinds of food would be most welcome at the gathering? Maybe things that don't travel well, since I'm local and know where to find desired treats here in town. -=-
Not- horribly-messy things. :-) Things that really, truly don't need plates or forks or bowls. Honestly finger-food.
If people bring what they like, there seems always to be some other people who like it, too.
The setup will be three rooms with openings, so I figured having some food in a couple of places in each one would keep people from needing to leave to eat during discussions. There will be a lunch break each day, I think. So it's smaller things to cover the three hour or so gathering times. Small is fine. If there's not enough food for people, Keith could go to Costco and bring something back. Or Albertson's.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Not- horribly-messy things. :-) Things that really, truly don't need plates or forks or bowls. Honestly finger-food.
If people bring what they like, there seems always to be some other people who like it, too.
The setup will be three rooms with openings, so I figured having some food in a couple of places in each one would keep people from needing to leave to eat during discussions. There will be a lunch break each day, I think. So it's smaller things to cover the three hour or so gathering times. Small is fine. If there's not enough food for people, Keith could go to Costco and bring something back. Or Albertson's.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]