Kids are often picky eaters. They might love mac and cheese one day, then claim that they never liked it the next. They dislike certain textures that only they can see, before putting the food in their mouths. Smells, appearance and even parental pressure affect how children react to food.

            Because of this, meal time can often turn into an all-out war. Parents insist the child try one bite of everything, the kid refusing to eat anything.

            But, there are happy memories of meals shared as well. Try to recall your favorite childhood foods. Were they connected to a grandparent, perhaps the way Grandpa trimmed the crusts off your bread? Were they family affairs where a variety of foods were put out on a long table?

            Your task is to write a story about eating a meal, making sure that the protagonist is a child. To make things interesting, include in the meal foods the child likes, but also those which she detests. Use sensory details to make the story pop.

            Was anything mushy? Burned? Undercooked? Who was sitting at the table and how did that affect the experience of the meal?

            Were there rules in place, such as eating everything off the plate before having desert? Carrying dishes into the kitchen when finished? Remaining at the table until being excused?

            Have fun with this one.