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United Kingdom flagAndi
italki Student Activity: Breakfast Porridge for Breakfast During the winter months I like a hot cup of coffee and a bowl of porridge for breakfast, instead of cornflakes or other cereals. As a child my mother made porridge for me every morning when it was cold, from a recipe that had been handed down for generations. Or, so she said. I now understand that my mother’s secret recipe was, in fact, simply a normal recipe that everyone uses, but as a child it sounded mysterious and exciting. I don’t use a recipe anymore. These days I just pour milk into a saucepan, about 1.5 cups, then throw in about half a cup of oats, a half teaspoon of salt, and a handful of sultanas (raisins). When it starts to boil, I take it off the stove and serve it in my favourite blue bowl. In the photo you can see my cup of coffee, my bowl of porridge, some salt, some oats, and a few sultanas. My kitchen counter is tiled with these wonderful brown tiles, but it can be very difficult to keep them clean. There is a tradition in Scotland, where I come from, that porridge must only be stirred with a wooden spoon, and must always be stirred clockwise. I’m not superstitious, yet I still do this, and I would never think of using a metal spoon to stir my porridge. Beginner Activity: 1) What do you eat for breakfast? 2) Do you have a special recipe for it? 3) Write a short paragraph (30-40 words) describing breakfast in your culture. Intermediate/Advanced Activity: 1) Porridge is considered to be a slow release carbohydrate, and can help to lower cholesterol. Write a short essay (150 words) about your normal breakfast, and discuss its health benefits or disadvantages. 2) When you were a child, did your parents tell you they were using a secret family recipe for any of your meals? Write a short essay (150 words) about encouraging children to eat, and whether you agree with tricking children into eating their food.

Corrections · 18

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Andi, I enjoyed reading your entry and I like your mom :) Actually at home we stir anti clockwise because we know it gives positive energy to the food(,") You're not superstitious, your mom must have an explanation for stirring clockwise using the wooden spoon.

 

My Breakfast and Dinner:

I wake up daily craving instant coffee or green/black tea! I can't say they are considered real breakfast or healthy drinks to start the day specially if they're taken alone, yet they wake me up & put me in a better mood. I always had this wish to have a breakfast, a healthy one I mean but it's hard for me to eat in the morning, therefore I wish to speak about my dinner:) Because I love Porridge when weather gets colder in autumn & winter. I didn't know it's called porridge till now! I just add some oats to half cup of hot milk with half teaspoon of honey and it's ready:) I like it very much because it makes me feel warm & full, knowing it's very healthy & less in calories than other kinds of food is satisfying as well. One more advantage for porridge is that it's very light on the stomache & makes it easier for me to exercise after eating n two hours.

 

PS:  Andi, before I proceed to write about encouraging kids to eat, may I ask if what I wrote above is considered an essay?

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Encouraging children to eat

Few years ago I lived with my sister & her family for a while, back then she had 2 daughters & the youngest was so dear to my heart. This little girl didn't like food or the process of eating, the more she's pushed to eat, the more she gets stubborn and refuses to try any kind of food, so she was thin & below the weight standards for a five years old girl. Actually, I could relate to my niece & I knew she only needs to take her own decision, so I found an easy way. One day I prepared some food & put it on the kitchen shelf & asked my little niece to watch it for me because no one is allowed to eat from it. I did that for 3 days & she felt so honoured she's protecting my food from being eaten! The 3rd day she asked me to eat a bite & I agreed on one condition; that she tells no one from the family because this is a kind of magical food that only I should eat. She was so flattered & had her bite. I didn't give her extra because I knew she would feel that I'm tricking her to eat, I only gave her what she asked for. The next day after her watch she told me she likes our little secret & she wishes to eat with me? I asked her to give me 5 minutes to think about it, and then I told her she can join me:) From that day on we used to eat together, she didn't feel pushed by me & it was her choice. After a while she gained weight & you could see that she looks healthy. My way with her was unconventional & needed patience, but it worked better than any other way her family tried before.

 

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There is a Russian movie called "Gentlemen of Fortune". It's a very kind and fun film.
And there is an episode: the breakfast-time in the kindergarten. Children are eating unwillingly and a nanny doesn't known what to do. A kindergarten teacher comes and says: "The breakfast is denied today. We are going to fly on Mars by a space rocket. So take your space-spoons and eat thoroughly because our rocket won't return on Earth until the lunch-time." And then all children start to raven enthusiastically.
When my son doesn't want to eat I sometimes use this approach. I take his spoon and wander it in front of him. I say something like this: "This is a spacecraft and it's looking for a base for landing..." My son usually laughs and opens his mouth. I doubt that he comprehends the meaning but it works.

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In my case, I have two children and they eat very well and I think it's because we are patient and we don’t obsess about food. On the other hand, I think is very important that we don’t (1) have to trick children to eat but we have to educate them. We have to teach children they (2) have to should always eat (3) always in the same place and we (4) trying to make (5) eating food fun. When I eat with my children we always (6) are talking about their school (7) day, their friends, the things that have happened in the park, etc. and (8) therefore we make the meal fun. However, if we observe that the child eats really (9) badly I think you have to go to the paediatrician to check that it is not a health problem.
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In my case I have two children and they eat very well and I think it's because we are patient and we don’t obsess about the food. On the other hand I think is very important that we don’t have to trick children to eat but we have to educate them. We have to teach children they have to eat always in the same place and trying to make food fun. When I eat with my children we always are talking about the school, the friends, the things that have happened in the park, etc and thereby we make the meal fun. However, if we observe that the child eats really bad I think you have to go to the pediatrician to check that it is not a health problem.

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