Not as good as I remember

Yesterday my daughter wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home with her. Anyway, it's been awhile since I've done a decent grocery run, so lunchtime rolls around and I realize there's nothing really quick and easy around the house for me to eat, or that I want to eat, I should say. I'm routing around the deep recesses of my pantry when I come across a can of Chef Boyardee mini-shells and meatballs that never made its way into my daughter's lunch bag during the school year, so I think, "Cool, Chef Boyardee."

When I was younger, I used to really like Beefaroni a lot and, generally speaking, I always liked any Chef Boyardee product well enough while I was growing up. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten Chef Boyardee, though, because I normally think of it as kid food. But I used to always save meatballs for last because they were the best part of the meal, that much I remember. So I dump the can of shells and meatballs into a bowl and nuke it. When it's done, I sprinkle a little parmesan on top and grab a spoon to dig in. After my first mouthful, I realize the meal does not live up to my expectations. I mean, it wasn't good. I ate it because I was hungry, but it was bland and generally not good. Granted, it wasn't beefaroni, which might still be as good as I remember. But how different can the shells and meatballs be in taste from the beefaroni? It can't be that big of a difference. It comes from the same company. How different are they going to make their various pasta and meatballs meals taste? There was also a faint metallic aftertaste to it. Truthfully, I only ate until I didn't feel hungry anymore, and then I pitched the rest.

I have to say it's sad when you start realizing you just don't have a taste anymore for childhood favorites. Like I used to LOVE Captain Crunch cereal. As an adult, it's just not as tasty to me. I'd really rather have my All-Bran bran buds. It's the truth. I mix the bran buds with vanilla yogurt and fresh blueberries. It's trés delicious. Sigh.