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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#162: Bon Appétit

With National Tofu Day, International Bacon Day, Cheese Pizza Day and World Salami Day (I promise I’m not making these up) coming up in the next 7 days, it’s only fitting that this week's prompts take inspiration from one of our greatest sources of happiness — food. 


From being barely nibbled on over a first date, to being wholesomely prepared and wolfed down at a family gathering, or shared between friends meeting for the first time in years, food sits right at the heart of our cultures, relationships, and memories. So, time to dish out your most delicious story — after all, some of the best ones are told over a plate of food!

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone looking at a restaurant menu.

Middle School – 82 stories

Write about a character whose love language is making food for others.

Adults – 39 stories

Write a story where a character’s life completely changes over the course of a meal.

Adults – 73 stories

Write a story in which too many cooks spoil the broth — literally or metaphorically.

Adults – 10 stories

Start your story with one character trying to convince another that they make the best grilled cheese in the world.

Middle School – 37 stories

Stories

“Brie-liant ” by Lily Grothe

“Gouda?! Are you insane?” “Are you? It’s perfect. It’s rich; it’s nutty. It melts in the mouth, literally and figuratively. I cannot with you right now. You’re a peasant for not liking gouda in your grilled cheese.” I sat back on the couch with a small smirk on my face, enjoying myself immensely. I had turned off the tv a while ago to better focus on the show before me as Gavin and Jesse ...

13 comments 13
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“The Meal with Repercussions” by Hannah Barton

It was the meal that would change everything in my life. I remember everything so very clearly, as if it were happening right this very minute. At the time, I thought it was saving my life, I needed sustenance so badly; I needed my thirst to be quenched like nothing I'd ever needed before in my life. Unfortunately, the meal was but a temporary and fleeting happiness, for the sadness and misery it bore lasts a lifetime.

23 comments 23
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“Just a Dinner” by Mustang Patty

When Richard mentioned going out for dinner on Friday, Leslie was more surprised than excited. Richard rarely made any plans for the two of them. She couldn’t remember the last time that he’d spontaneously suggested anything. Their marriage was in a place her mother warned about the night before the wedding. Mom said that marriage wasn’t a bed of roses, and there would be times when life was stale. But Le...

14 comments 14
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“Drowning, hope” by Salmah Ahmed

CW: natural disasterAslam sucked on his lower lip, concentrating hard, as a rogue wind lashed against a glossy pamphlet in his scrubby hands. It was a menu card from the recently pulverised Rose Honeymoon Hotel in Swat, Pakistan. He had memorised it better than the multiplication tables he was made to rote learn in school under the auspicious rosewood cane his tutor, Shahab Gul, (known tyrant for all ten year old dissidents like him) held like an extension of his arm. It wa...

18 comments 18 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“The Cook” by Kendall Defoe

My best friend is a cat. I don’t mind. At least I can understand a cat. And the cat can understand me. My name is Toby, and I am six years old. My cat friend is Mikey, and he is at least two years old (I am not sure what it is in cat years). He is my best friend.We live in the suburbs of Lister, a small town that is about sixty miles from the big city. My family is my father, my mother and my younger sister, Diana. She is four years old. I am not sure how old my mother and father are (I always forget). Daddy works in an office in t...

15 comments 15
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“Last meal.” by Mel Dingwall

Trigger warning: Swearing. Descriptions of violence, death, mention of suicide and the end of the world.I hadn’t even finished my breakfast at the diner when my whole life, the whole world, changed. Sometimes I wonder if I did actually die that day and the past twelve months have been my own personal hell. Especially on days like this. When the screaming goes silent and there’s just that clicking. That incessant, aggravating clicking. I’m not gonna miss that.Man, I would give everything, every las...

11 comments 11
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“Ridding Themselves of 'The House He Built'” by Mike Panasitti

“Justin Chase, you love yourself a Clayton’s Deli grilled cheese sandwich, but I know you find the variety I make with Kosher pickle chips, veggie bacon and a side bowl of creamy tomato soup to die for,” says Mother. She always refers to you by name when she is trying to rouse you out of one of your down moods.And you most certainly are in a funk. Mother doesn’t want you stewing in depression after the manic swing you rode before sunrise this morning while putting the finishing touches on the motionless halluci...

21 comments 21
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“Rhoda’s Hot Buns” by Sharon Hancock

    “You are not a pretty girl, Rhoda. Best you know the truth now.” Her mother made sure she understood her limitations, which Rhoda appreciated. “Learn to cook. Food’ll take a man’s mind off your face.”       She took her mother’s advice, throwing herself into the art of baking. Turned out, she had a knack for it. While other young people her age partied and dated, Rhoda honed her skills and fed her passion for ...

14 comments 14
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“Dinner Theatre” by Mustang Patty

“You’re going to love this. I can guarantee it. My grilled cheese sandwiches are world famous. Once you take one bite, you know deep down, you’ve tasted the best-grilled cheese sandwich in the world.” “Sure Dad. Sure.” You had to give it to him. My dad didn’t have any illusions about being anything less than the best. He told me that anything and everything he did was ‘the best.’ Since my mom died t...

7 comments 7
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“Special Ingredient Must be Butter.” by Brian Rains

They stood around, competing with ideas, by the kitchen stove and arguing about what would be the best grilled cheese in the world and who could make one. Eventually, both Sara Miller and Josh Brewer decided a friendly cookout competition would solve this 'grilled cheese' dilima. After grabbing frying pans and placing them on the stove, they dashed to the refrigerator excited about this cookout in unison."Hey! I got here first." Sara blurted out. She got pushed back and she raised her hands, followed by rolling her eyes ...

8 comments 8
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“Susana in Recovery” by Melissa Taylor

TW: Mental health; addiction; abuse of powerThere were too many choices, it was overwhelming. I thought about the advice Gordon Ramsay always gave the owners of the restaurants he was trying to rescue. Trim the menu down, do fewer things and do them well.When the waiter came to take our orders, I panicked and ordered a Caesar salad with grilled chicken. Pretty hard to screw that up. Lance ordered a rare ribeye steak which would undoubtedly be over or under cooked. I would have to listen to him complain about it al...

9 comments 9
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“Mayonnaise” by Molly G

“Mayonnaise?”            “You’ve never heard of this? It’s really not exotic.”            “I’m not saying it’s exotic; I’m saying it’s disgusting.” Jess rolls her eyes at this and turns her back to me to tend to the sizzling grilled cheese sandwiches on the stove top. She presses them down with her spatula and holds it while the mayonnaise pops like static under the pressure.    ...

5 comments 5
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“Talking to a Toastie” by Graham Kinross

I had to go mad. It was the only sensible option. The weekly grilled cheese entered under the door.“Thank you, Dory. You make the best cheese toastie in my world. Then again. My world extends from this wall to that,” I gave the painted door a smile. It smiled back as it always did. Stoic would describe the metal door. It was always there to listen, never said a word.My withered hands picked at the paper around the toasted sandwich. “My, aren’t you beautiful.”“Hands off, buddy. You’re not my type.” It was the grilled c...

15 comments 15
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“Job Done” by Hazel Turner

Nettie slips through the door of the old bakery; closing her eyes, willing the smells of freshly baked bread mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to fill her senses and seep into her hair and skin to savour the joy. She can almost feel the silky flakes of coconut caressing her fingers as in her mind’s eye she dips the small half sponges into apricot jam, rolls them in desiccated coconut, and sandwiches them together wi...

4 comments 4
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“The Gift ” by Cynthia Prokarym

One more ring and the call would've gone to voice-mail. Perhaps I should've let it go, but it was my boss.I'm her right hand, but also her number one flunky.Being the assistant manager isn't all its cracked up to be, especially at this particular convenience store, but at least I don't have to drive far to work. It's only a half mile from our house. The back and forth there is sometimes unbearably different from my life at home with my wife. Susan is the one who restores my heart when I've lost hope in the world.<...

3 comments 3
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$250

Prize money

241

Contest entries

103

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 09, 2022 EST

Won by Seán McNicholl 🏆

Title: And the Radio Said, “There’s Another Shot Dead”

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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