Dino Nugget Chicken Parm

Today’s lunch special? Dino nugget chicken parm. You read that right. T-Rex meets Italian cuisine. I’ve hit the stage of life where I’m handcrafting prehistoric chicken into fine dining. Bon appé-freakin’-tite.

This is auntiehood: leftovers turned legendary, chaos turned comedy. One day you’re doing body shots at 21. The next you’re plating dinosaur-shaped protein. Wouldn’t trade it for a thing. Turns out I’m weirdly creative with toddler food. Melt cheese on a dino nugget and suddenly I’m a Michelin chef. I’m also the royal food tester. Bubs won’t touch anything new until I take the first bite. Flattering, really. Sis copies everything too, so I fake enthusiasm for cucumbers like I’m auditioning for Chopped Junior. If I act grossed out, they learn veggies are the enemy. I’m trying to rewrite that story one snack plate at a time.

My rule: fun food comes with produce. PB&J stars? Cool, grab strawberries and peas. Dino nuggets? Great, they ride with carrots. It’s balance, not perfection. And that’s a toddler miracle. Drinks are the real battlefield. I’m a Coke Zero junkie, but if they see it, they want it. So I switched to water around them. Not holy. Just strategic. When they beg for a sip of my “spicy orange pop,” I cave. She earned it.

Every day’s a survival game of labels, lies, and love. I’m not perfect. I just show up with snacks, patience, and sarcasm. If the road to healthy habits is paved with dino nuggets and PB&J stars, so be it. That’s how Auntie does it.