I am a child of the eighties. Well, technically I guess I am a child of the seventies, but when I was born 1979 was kicking out its last few months, so it only very barely counts. As a child of the 80s, I grew up with Nintendo. I do remember playing Centipede and Pong on the Atari, but my generation saw the rise of first the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System, and then the 16-bit Super NES.
We cut our teeth on Pong, but our real buddies were Mario and Luigi, Link and Princess Zelda. And Nintendo, with its iconic figures and legendary games, still remains wildly popular today. My kids play the same games I played, along with their updated newer versions.
One huge favorite in our family is the Legend of Zelda series. I never was very good at the original game, but I rocked the SuperNES version, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Man, I loved that game. I spent countless hours swinging that sword and refilling the heart bar. It was, and remains, one of my favorites.
And I have passed that love on to at least one of my children. G-man is a huge Zelda fan. His favorites include the simple-but-complicated Majora's Mask, the story-driven Ocarina of Time, and the more recent Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess games. He and I have spent many conversations comparing techniques, discussing strategy, and debating the attributes of one story line over another. My own interest in playing video games may have dwindled over the years, but being able to connect with my child over something he cares about is priceless.
So for my sweet, smart, funny eleven year old, a Legend of Zelda lunch:
Not the most colorful or health-conscious of meals, but it's perfect for my sensory-sensitive picky eater. A few potato chips up in the corner, with apple slices, chocolate coins, yogurt, and a quesadilla. Foods he likes and will eat, always important when you're dealing with food aversions.
Two of the most consistent features throughout the game series is the search for Rupees and Hearts. Here, those are represented with chocolate gold coins and an apple slice Heart Meter.
And no Zelda lunch would be complete without the Tri-Force. This Tri-Force is made with small triangles of plain cheese quesadilla skewered together with plastic toothpicks.
