Childhood “scars”

It’s funny how certain childhood experiences stick with you no matter how inconsequential and banal they actually were. Of course, they didn’t feel that way at the time or else we wouldn’t be sharing “war stories” 20 years later.

At the mere mention of wheat germ last night, Hal’s face contorted in disgust. “I had a bad experience with wheat germ” was all he said. This is our bedroom talk; so romantic, huh? He further explained that when he was in his early teens, his mom went through a wheat germ phase and put it on everything. He didn’t eat hot cereal for years because it had been destroyed by the wheat germ. And other foods were casualties as well - yogurt, and its breakfast peer, oatmeal. No wheat germ will be entering our home, ever, apparently.

Puffed Rice cereal, that was my wheat germ growing up. While kids across the country were eating cocoa puffs and Trix cereals, I stared at a bowl that was filled with the most unappealing breakfast a kid could imagine. Tasteless and chewy, it was an edible version of Styrofoam. I could be overdramatizing the situation but as a kid I don’t really recall there being a middle ground when it came to food. You either liked it or hated it. I hated puffed rice.

So when I got to college, I was determined to eat all the cereals I was deprived of throughout my childhood. Cocoa puffs, cinnamon toast crunch, lucky charms and pretty much anything that turned the milk a colorful shade of sugariness. Then I discovered Kashi cereals and decided to board the healthy fiber train. As my dad refers to it, I ate those twigs and gerbil food like it was my job. It was as if I came full circle and was back to eating no fat, no sodium, and no taste cereal. I eventually got off that train when I came to the uncomfortable realization that one can have too much fiber in her diet.

It’s been at least 15 years since I last ate puffed rice but I swear, I bring up the memory of it at least once a year to someone. I don’t know why. I really should move on. So in my attempt to do so, for breakfast I had hot chocolate and a pop tart. And it was delicious!