Crunchy Noodles

I bribe my children to make healthy choices.  I am not ashamed and think the system works quite well actually.  If they eat all their lunch/dinner, they get a treat.  That means I never have to coddle, coax, or beg them to eat veggies or fruit.  (Fruits are a way harder sell in our house by the way. Weird, I know.)  When they complain, we say, "That's ok.  Don't eat it."  But they know the realities, "But I won't get my treat?" And we are firm.  The treat system started last November when we had a major surplus of candy in the house.  Even with our reward system and two snitching parents, we had Halloween candy all the way into June!  Of course that said, the candy bowl was replenished with candy from other holidays often and the kids got creative with other treat choices as well.  They like to choose chips, crackers, hot chocolate, even plain old bread and butter.  But the treat choice that cracks me up the most, is "crunchy noodles."  Marielle discovered this treat, but Jenna loves it best and asks for it often. 

What are crunchy noodles?

Dry Ramen.

One day I was tossing some crushed Ramen bits into an asian salad I was making, and Marielle causually asked, "Can I have some of those?" 

"Sure."  I replied, "Go for it."

I vaguely remembered eating dry Ramen my last night in the freshman dorms and somewhat liking it. It was pure love from Marielle.  She wanted more, but I told her she could only have more for her treat. She was jazzed about her new found treat discovery, and requested the same at every chance she got. The next day Jenna dared to try and also fell in love.  Jenna also came up with the name and recently I heard her enthusiastically telling her friend Amelia, "Dese are cwunchy noodles! Dey taste like chips!"

Ryan thinks this Halloween we should give out Ramen packets instead of candy.  If you buy in bulk, each pack is only $.10, so it would be cheaper than buying candy.  Would you come trick or treating to our house? We figure it could at least solve the problem of the "take one" bowl we usually leave out.  Seriously, what young tween would ever dump an entire bowl of Ramen in his pillowcase?  Mmm, hmm. I think not.