>Yes, I did. I confess. It was timing, really. I couldn’t make it happen. Here you are: the excuses.

I had three evening commitments on top of teaching the full week. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night were all staff development or class nights. When I have one of those nights in a week or even two, it’s time to bring out the crockpot. Three? No time to prepare the crock, much less plug it in for the day.

Results: I bought myself deep fried cheese curds (stop laughing; they’re a delicacy in Wisconsin during the winter) after a three hour class in analyzing running records for reading instruction. The second night of classes Amigo went out to a (local) fast food joint for a perch-wich and fries. The third (well, really the first night) Husband had a day off and cooked, for which I am very grateful. Without him, it might have been frozen pizza – or worse.

I normally treat myself to a Jo to Go coffee on the occasional (I admit it, frequent) Friday mornings. The rest of the week I set the kitchen coffeemaker and bring my own little thermos to school. I’ve built a good habit of saving money and reusing my thermos and coffee mugs. This week? I’ve been through the drive-through three times. Three. They’re starting to greet me with “The usual?” instead of “Can I help you?”

When I did cook, it was wimpy. A can of soup instead of homemade, frozen chicken patties on buns, leftover potato wedges (I did make them, they were good) and a can of baked beans. This is not my usual locavore standard. The most creative dinner was Sunday’s casserole: leftover spicy rice, cream of mushroom soup, a handful of frozen peas and a chicken breast cooked up together.

I made my own lunch four days and made a second sandwich to take to class Thursday night. But then… I ordered out with the rest of the staff on Friday. We do it as a team; order from a sub shop or restaurant that delivers, varying the place each week. This week, despite Eat In Week, I’m joining the order-out crowd.

Confessions aside, this week is unusual. Since I began moving our family to a more local and fresher food supply, we’ve cooked largely at home. A meal out is an occasion, not an everyday deal. A Special Week isn’t really the reason we eat in at our house; it’s a philosophy that’s becoming routine. Eat In Week, for all its good intentions, is just another gimmick. The real good comes from making eating in the norm, not the exception.