So I know the month is already almost half-over, but can I just say I can’t believe it’s June already? I always associate Fathers’ Day with summer, and it totally just crept up on me. I’m spending the day with my family, and in the same vein as last year, I have a post on my dad’s favorite foods.

Thanksgiving Photobomb–one of my favorite family pictures ever

To make a long story short, my dad and I basically have opposite eating habits. I feel weird if my plate doesn’t have at least 3 or 4 colors on it, whereas he’s totally comfortable with sticking to brown & beige. My dad grew up eating stuff like instant mashed potatoes (“real” ones, when he was dating my mom, were a total revelation), canned vegetables, white rice, canned gravy, and white bread. I was spoiled by a mom who’s a fantastic cook and who always encouraged my sister and I to try new things.

Still, I have to give my dad major credit for trying to like green stuff! I love that he’s at least curious enough to ask me questions—and that he tells me the truth about the fact that he’s just never going to like kale.

A few of my dad’s favorites:

• Steak
• Hamburgers
• Mashed Potatoes (aka, the reason he married my mom)
• “Greek Macaroni” (elbow macaroni with ground beef, onions, canned diced tomatoes, and spices—I think oregano?)
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Chocolate Haggen Daas (which he calls “the nectar of the gods”)
• Apple Pie

He’s very proud of the time my mom tried to cook him, like, tofu and brown rice, and when I (the ever-curious toddler) asked what was on his plate, he said, “Something Daddy doesn’t eat.”  He giggles every time he tells this story. It’s kind of endearing.

I can basically guarantee my dad would never eat this.

Massaged kale salad with roasted peppers, avocado, and tempeh bacon in miso tahini dressing.

Or this. 

My dad is also very proud of the time a priest gave him the requisite pre-wedding survey on religion. When he got to the part where it asked what his thoughts on Jesus Christ were, he wrote, “Infrequent.”

I won’t lie, I kind of love that story too. My dad is who he is, no apologies, no bullsh!t. What can I say? He taught me all my best swearwords, even if that wasn’t his intention…

So, Dad—even if I do still cringe whenever I think of that time you told me Jules and I were the best things you ever made, I love you. Happy Fathers’ Day!