Today, 20th December 2018 my son returned quite subdued from his school Christmas party. New directives from government are forcing schools, including the church school my son attends, to have parties with “Healthy Food”. So he had a sandwich (“uff mummy I have that almost every day”… we are actually trying to invent school lunches that avoid sandwiches), qassatat (“uff mummy that’s the alternative you give me when I want to eat pastizzi but you tell me maybe there is less fat and more ricotta in them”) and a sad piece of pizza (“uff mummy you are the best pizza baker, nothing compares to yours”…well, of course, I drown it in mozzarella, cheddar salami or wurstel.
No crisps, no chocolate, no sweets. What sort of party is that?
The Maltese Government (that is Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Her Highness Michelle Muscat) had no qualms offering the Prime Ministers of Luxembourg, Slovenia and Belgium “tea in a glass and pastizzi on a paper napkin in a room with bathroom tiles” (see article from Lovin Malta of 2 years ago). So why can’t our children enjoy something that is traditional and that belongs to this country and to them? At least on special occasions.
I am so fed up with this hypocritical government and its politicians. And the problem is not just pastizzi at school parties. Problems go way beyond that. It’s also about choice. I was discussing with a doctor the fact that pastizzi and other “unhealthy” food cannot be served any longer at Mater Dei. When a loved one is unwell and people spend long hours in hospital supporting their friends and relatives sometimes there is no harm in some warm comfort food. It all boils down to moderation. And choice. But lets not deviate from the pastizzi subject.
My son hardly ever eats pastizzi. And when he does he burns it in an hour of continuous movement and activity. It is all about choice and personal lifestyle. Many times it is the parents who have to be educated on how to feed their children.
Extremes are not good. But if we do not have the possibility of choice in what we eat what on earth is left of life? And please, do let kids live their childhood and enjoy sweets, hot dogs and pastizzi. It’s all about moderation. (yes, I keep on repeating this like a mantra).
Politicians are already taking away our land, clean air, clean sea, space. We are being bullied out of our homes because of permits being given to build high rise buildings around our terraced houses, because of the cranes, dirt, noise. We are living like cockroaches. So please, at least leave us alone and let us eat our divine pastizzi.
Oh and yes, please do refer to this article related to world politicians eating “junk” food…
One last point: Dear Joseph and Ministry of Education, I made sure my son got over his post-party disappointment when he got back home from school by preparing a late lunch of bacon, eggs, baked beans and wurstel, followed by chocolate. And yes, he’s still alive and kicking.
The pollution around us will probably kill us before our beloved pastizzi will.