Of Tiffin boxes and the like...

The family, for the last two years, has been strictly following a no-plastic rule when it comes to packing lunch/snacks (to be returned full) for the kids. All the plastic ware (any ware) now store various items, including the ingredients from which the said lunch is made.

With lack of colour, there is now organic chaos in the kitchen. The stainless steel boxes all looking alike, one day we marched to the store, kids in tow to buy shiny Tiffin boxes. Now, a few years and as many boxes later -thanks to the lids being loose, buckles coming off, elder kid complaining about too many compartments and the younger one on the lack of it- we have now settled for good old round dabbas handed down over generations. That means similar looking boxes with uncannily dissimilar lids.

Then, there is the question of side dishes. The older child wants a separate box while the younger one wants a box in the box. Many a times the kids come home fuming because they had to suffer the ignominy of going to each other's classrooms at school as Amma had most inconveniently mixed the lunch boxes.

If that is not enough, the older child has a peculiar habit amongst his many other peculiar habits. This was discovered when one day the washing machine made an abominable noise and stopped working. Cursory investigation led to the discovery of a steel box among the clothes, not to mention the stains of sambar and a stray brinjal skin. The child had wrapped his box with the napkin and had mechanically thrown both into the machine. In the process a great mystery was solved. For many days the house help would hand over a spoon fallen on the floor, particularly after I finished drying the clothes on the line. Clumsy as I am, I concluded that the spoons kept falling down from the kitchen counter or the dining table as I couldn't see with the clothes piling mile high in my hands - It was not to be so.

All these days the boy had neatly folded his napkin around the spoon and we kept blaming his extremely annoyed sister for continuously staining the napkins with food. Looks like he just decided to get a tad more adventurous by sending the box for a wash. Adding to these are the continuous fights between the siblings, on who puts their boxes in the sink first leading to neither of them doing the said task.

Not that the plastic boxes would have mitigated any of the above. It is just that this is more healthy and entertaining!

If food gets stainless steel containers can flowers be far behind? They get a dedicated box to be stored in the refrigerator. All goes well until someone decides to take charge and make unnecessary changes.

The other day there was the sweet smell of jasmine all around the kitchen. Particularly emanating from somewhere near the stove. A good half an hour was spent in trying to locate the source. Food smelling of jasmine is not as sweet is my extremely frustrated opinion. The conundrum was solved when the cooker that was merrily making idlies was opened. The batter was stored in the box that was for many months housing flowers.

Malipoo idli anyone?