Applesauce Wars (Posted 10/20/2008)

Originally Posted 10/20/2008

Ever since my kids quit eating the ultra silky smooth loveliness that is baby food applesauce, they've refused to eat any other type of applesauce. I've tried and tried and tried and finally gave up. My husband likes it. I can take it or leave it. I usually take it.

I then figured that perhaps it was store bought applesauce they don't like. So when I began the Applesauce Marathon of 2008, I thought FOR SURE my kids would LOVE my applesauce and eat it with a vengeance (Don't you love how cocky I was?). The whole time I was making the applesauce, I kept singing it's praises to my kids:

"You're gonna love it!"
"It's way better than store bought!"
"It's like apple pie without the crust!"

And so on. Out of what can only be described as utter love and devotion toward their Mommy, all three gave it a try. All three small bowls came back full and apologies with them.

"I'm sorry Mommy, I don't like it."
"Don't be offended, but it's not my thing." (THAT was the 7 year old!)
"I don't like it."

When it was all said and done, I had canned nearly 2 dozen quart jars of this glorious applesauce and only 2 out of the 5 people in this family will eat it. However, I am determined to win this food war. Oh yes...it is a war!
I am finding all different ways to put applesauce in things. I happen to think my kids need this nutritious food I SLAVED over for weeks! It has nothing in it but apples and cinnamon. So good for them! No sugar! They.Will.Eat.It.
I put it in pancakes last tonight. They don't know that. They think it was just regular pancakes. They gobbled them up! Wanted more!
Mommy = 1
Kids = 0
I plan to be undefeated. Oh yes I do......
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This post cracked me up when I reread it 9 years later. Ultimately, my kids began to love my applesauce and now they all eat it by the spoonfuls. So I guess I won the war? :) I've canned a lot of things in my life and my kids loved and hated different ones. Pickles? No. Pickled green beans? Yes. Applesauce? Yes. Canned peaches? No. Apple butter? Yes. Jam? No. They're so funny.

I started growing and preserving during a really bad time no our life. We were losing our business to the economy crash of 2008 and I wanted to make sure my family got fed. Sometimes it was pay the mortgage in order to keep our house and there was no money for groceries. So we ate what I had preserved. It might have felt like a chore to do all that, but I honestly loved it. I haven't canned a great deal in the past 3-4 years. Now that my kids are all grown and most of the time don't even eat at home, it's hard for me to want to can so much when it's just my husband and me. I'm sure I'll get back to it at some point when I find balance in my life. Right now, I'm trying to juggle work and home. Our rental house isn't really set up for a great garden. Most of my days off of work are spent trying to catch up on housework, errands, and such.

However, since our property has 3 acres of blackberries, we have started to think of ways to use them. My husband wants to make blackberry wine and blackberry infused vodka. Yum. I made some jam. We have a you-pick farm down the road from us and I might see what I can find there next year. My small garden this year has tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, chamomile, basil, cucumbers and carrots. But in very small quantities. I've been drying the herbs.

I do plan on canning salsa....to which all 3 of my kids licked their lips and let me know how much they approve of this! :D