I had forgotten the forceful hunger that overwhelmed me with my first pregnancy until it hit me this second time.  Hunger is no longer just a rumbling in my belly, but a desire to rip food out of other people’s hands and wolf it down like a starving animal.  And then there are the cravings…

With Roscoe, my cravings were quite eco-friendly and appropriate.  I needed sushi all the time but held myself away from the raw fish varieties for safety reasons.  When my husband took me out to a Japanese restaurant for Valentine’s Day I didn’t allow him to speak to me while the sushi was melting in my mouth because it was such a sacred culinary experience.  (He was gracious enough to forgive the fact that my romantic feelings seemed to be more about the food than him at that moment.)

But this second time, I have deep cravings for double cheeseburgers.  That might not seem so bad, except that they need to be made from paper thin beef patties layered with American cheese.  Yes—only fast food burgers will do.  There are a million reasons why we steer clear of fast food restaurants—the disposable food containers, the less than eco-friendly business practices, the fact that the origins of the food are completely unknown and definitely not local.  I also don’t want my son to get hooked on fast food.

Both my husband and I went to fast food as children when our families wanted to provide us with a special treat.  The big chains have worked hard to draw children in when they’re little so they equate the fast food dining experience with positive memories for the rest of their lives.  Roscoe has never been to fast food yet, but this baby has already eaten a handful of double cheeseburgers without ever leaving the womb! 

If only Burgerville, the most eco-friendly fast-food restaurant on the planet, were here in Eugene!  They use local beef and produce and run their delivery trucks on bio-fuels.  I think I’ll have to lobby them to move down here and open shop in the next two months!

Please give me your input on creative ways to overcome these cravings.  I’ve thought of making my own burgers with free range beef at home, but I would have to use American cheese to fully get the cravings resolved and there’s nothing good about buying individually wrapped cheese slices.  Help!