What I Ate Wednesday: Cozy Home Meals and Daily Eats

I arrived home yesterday afternoon for Thanksgiving break and it feels wonderful to be with family. My grandparents are flying in this afternoon, which makes the visit even more special.

One of the best parts of being home is the food, so I thought I’d do a What I Ate Wednesday recap.

Breakfast was my usual bowl of oatmeal after a morning run at school.

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For lunch I had a honeycrisp apple and a homemade frozen burrito. These homemade burritos are so much better than the store-bought kind, though those can be good too.

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After my last class I drove home with my sister and found a fun package waiting at the house. I always love getting boxes in the mail—my grandma sent a Thanksgiving present: a cute baking dish with my name on it.

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I tried to pick up my dog Gracie when I got home, but as the least cuddly fluffball she wasn’t interested. I gave up.

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I made my favorite snack that I can only prepare at home—roasted cauliflower. It’s simple, satisfying, and something I always look forward to when I’m back.

My brother was baking monster cookies—peanut butter, oatmeal, M&M, and chocolate chips—so I may have stolen a bit of cookie dough while he wasn’t looking.

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For dinner we had a side salad and pasta e fagioli soup, a cozy and comforting meal that’s perfect for cool weather.

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We also played the “sliver game” with a pan of cornbread—cutting off tiny slivers and trimming to even it out. It’s a harmless little ritual that can go on forever.

For dessert, while my sister and I watched the latest episode of the Mindy Project, I had a bowl of moose tracks ice cream.

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Eating at home has its pros and cons. At school I stick to a steady routine and nothing extra is around, so it’s easier to avoid overeating. At home there’s so much tempting food—my family generally eats healthily, but treats abound during visits. Knowing I’m only home for a few days makes me want to savor everything, which can lead to feeling uncomfortably stuffed. Enjoying special foods like ice cream, cookie dough, and endless slivers of cornbread is part of the fun, but I’ll need to pace myself if I want to avoid a full-on food coma.

Questions:
What’s your favorite kind of cookie? White chocolate macadamia nut!
Do you play the “sliver game”? Yep. I learned it from my grandpa, and since he’s arriving today we’ll probably drive everyone a little crazy doing it together.