Cheeseburgers at 2 PM

I haven't had a real deal cheeseburger in years. The truth is I stopped eating them. When the cheese on them bothered my belly, I gave them up.

I haven't eaten a burger with cheese at this nursing home in the last four years. I also don't get them when I go out. There are just so many other foods I'd rather eat. I always enjoy salad and hope when I go out the produce will be fresh. Since the salads here are small, going out for one is a treat.

Despite, how large, or small, lunch is, an hour and a half later, the residents have their snack. They usually eat snack foods, like cakes, candy or cheese curls, since some residents need soft foods for their lack of teeth or neurological problems.

On this particular day lunch was a turkey and cheese wrap, with little turkey and cheese. It what have been better with shredded lettuce on it. There was also a tomato and cucumber salad with vinaigrette dressing and a small pie tart with tapioca and whipped topping. It was a light lunch on a warm, humid day.

After lunch I was back in my room working away on my desktop. My aide knocked and said the facility was treating us to McDonald's double cheeseburgers at snack time. She wondered if I wanted one. I thanked her and told her I didn't.

I thought maybe this was some special event. But the facility does this periodically. They usually pick a reasonably priced McDonald's sandwich or treat and provide it free for the residents, on no particular schedule. I'm sure the residents were pleased.

But I was thinking about it. Is it really such a good idea to give these residents, many of whom are overweight, such a calorie laden snack? I know it's a treat, and it doesn't happen often. But, I really think that another summer treat would have been better. What about old-fashioned big watermelons cut up for the residents to eat? Some type of ice cream snack (frozen hard) would have been good also. The ice cream would've had less fat than the double cheeseburger.

Oh, I guess I should just be quiet. I'm sure the residents appreciated an unexpected snack. My roommate must've found it filling because she skipped dinner last night.