"Dear Food Thoughtz:" Decisions, Decisions

This edition of Dear Food Thoughtz features a flow chart.  If you want to see more flow charts in future posts, then by all means write in to food.thoughtz@gmail.com.

Dear Food Thoughtz,

My two favourite foods are spaghetti and kimchi ramen.  I recently came home after a long day of work craving both but knowing full well from past experience that I cannot have both in one sitting.  Do you have any steadfast rule for prioritizing these two equally delicious meals? Is there a hierarchy or flow chart I should follow?

Please help.

The Spag Fag

PS> I am hoping for an answer that does not involve metaphysics.

Dear Spag Fag,

Thank you so much for your question.  This is a problem that I often struggle with myself.  Usually decisions are made for me because there are so few things I will eat, but every once in a while I am presented with two options that I love equally and it is maddening.  Not to diminish your experience or anything, but it's probably a lot harder for me because it's so rare. 

I actually do have a flow chart ready to go because I took a business class once, and these were typically the kind of exercises we had to do.

I hope you found that as helpful as I always do.  It actually is pretty helpful because if you let yourself fall into panic-mode, you will make a decision without realizing you're making it, and then voilà, problem solved!

But if you didn't find it helpful, I think there are a few questions you could ask yourself the next time you're in this situation.  The most important one is how much energy you're willing to invest in preparing food right now, and which option is going to require the least amount of energy.  Do you really feel like cooking right now, or do you just want to kick back with some food and enjoy Dallas?  Another question you might want to consider is how much of either option you have on hand, and what it will take to procure more.  For example, if you only have one serving of spaghetti sauce left, you might want to ask yourself whether or not you would enjoy it more a different time.  If you only have one ramen left but a few servings of spaghetti sauce, you might consider the time it takes you to make spaghetti sauce versus the time it takes you to pick up another ramen from the store.

This is a really tough spot for anyone to be in.  It seems so simple: if you love both, why not just close your eyes and pick at random?  But the worst part is that no matter what you choose, you might find yourself regretting having not chosen the other option, and then you won't even be able to enjoy the meal that you would typically have really relished.  Sometimes I take these tough decisions as an opportunity to pick a third option that I hadn't even considered in the first place and that I probably find less appetizing, but is perhaps a more nutritious.  Just remember: when God closes a door, he opens a window ;)