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| Refrigerator/Freezer |
One. The Overall Contents of the Refrigerator
a. The contents in my refrigerator definitely scream convenience. There are very few 'raw' contents in the refrigerator for me to make anything from scratch (besides scrambled eggs). However, I do chalk a lot of this up to the fact that my boyfriend and I usually shop on a 'per meal' basis or eat out.
b. I'm definitely surprised by the amount of things that can and should be thrown out. I pride myself in being a tidy, clean and organized person. However, I guess the fridge follows the 'out of sight, out of mind' rule. I also was surprised by some of our multiples. For example, miracle whip, ketchup, Hershey's syrup. I probably don't use those condiments enough to realize how much is left of them and when we do buy something we need these condiments for, we buy another one just in case we don't have it.
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| Cabinet |
c. I'm happy to see avocados, frozen fruits/veggies, milk, wine and the array of V8 Juices. :) I'm proud that I still find a way to incorporate healthy foods in my 'everyday' refrigerator and I'm not totally bound to the ways of frozen lunches and pizzas. I usually eat a half of an avocado a day when they are in the fridge. When I want more than just water, I stick with the V8 Juices instead of pop. Also, I usually have a bottle of wine on hand because at the end of a long day at work, a glass of wine is just what the doctor ordered. Plus, wasn't there some new study that says a glass of wine a day is actually good for you and your heart or something?? :)
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| Pantry |
d. I'm less than thrilled with the cookies, whipped cream, chocolate chip waffles, wine and sheer amount of frozen dinner and pizzas. I'm disappointed to see this because it is a testament to my laziness and desire for convenience. Also, by having these things in my fridge allows me to 'splurge' on them easier and more often rather than actually having to go seek them out at a restaurant (i.e. the cookies, whip cream and chocolate chip waffles). I put the wine in here too because sometimes I have two glasses instead of one. : / It's not even the fact that I HAVE to have two glasses, I just really enjoy the taste of wine.
Two. Convenience items/prepared meals:
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| Convenience Food Items |
a. These items are so helpful for two reasons. First, they have a long shelf life (either being frozen or being made of ingredients that do not perish or get moldy quickly, if at all) and second they are quick and easy to make or grab on the go.
b. The frozen pizzas and Stouffer's dinners, Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, and PopTarts, etc., definitely fit into the 'poor' category of eating. These foods are not healthy for you and are high in sodium, sugar, and/or carbs. I try to limit myself to eating these things once or twice a week, especially since I got the news about my cholesterol being close to the 'high' level. But, again, having these things highly accessible makes it harder to stick to my goals.
The frozen fruits/veggies, and individual cans of V8 fit well into my philosophy of eating. The frozen fruits/veggies are convenient because they have a long shelf life, but are still healthy for you. This allows me to buy them to have 'in stock' and eat at my convenience. The V8 Juice cans are also great because they are better for you than pop and are quick and easy to grab on the go or pack in a lunch.
The Lean Cuisines I have in the 'in between' category because I know they are healthIER for me than the Stouffer's meals, but JUST how much healthier? I'm not sure.
Three. Items that help me eat the way I want:
a. These items help me eat the way I want because they are healthy for you and are all foods I enjoy eating. They are rich in flavor and can be eaten alone or incorporated in so many dishes. Fruits can be made into desserts, put in cereals, or made in smoothies. Veggies can accompany any main dish or serve as a light appetizer or snack. The V8 Juices are a good alternative when water won't cut it. The Truffle Oil is starting to substitute my use of butter when cooking and the Garlic Powder is starting to substitute my use of salt when cooking. They are both delicious ingredients that you only need a small amount of to still taste the deliciousness.
Four. Items that trip me up from how I want to eat:
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| Bad/Unhealthy Eating |
a. For a majority of these items (Cinnamon Sugar Pop Tarts, Cinnabon bars, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Frozen Pizzas, Stouffer's dinners, canned soup and beans, etc), they trip me up because they are quick and easy to make, they are cheap, and they taste pretty good. Butter trips me up because it tastes delicious and its such a common staple in homes that sometimes it is easy to forget that it can be bad for you. Also, the wine is my favorite guilty pleasure. Having one glass always calms my nerves and relaxes me after work, but it's usually followed by a second glass because it tastes good. In the winter its a bit easier to stick to one glass because I drink red and it's heavier. However, the summer is where I run into trouble with whites because they are generally light and refreshing.
Five. Prepared and Pre-Packaged Meats:
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| Prepared/Pre-Packaged Meats |
a. The only one that is a 'staple' is the Chicken. Chicken is a meat that will generally taste the same if you buy it fresh and cook it, or freeze it and defrost it a month later. Also, it is not a meat that Dan and I thoroughly enjoy, so we don't mind having it sit in the freezer for a while. The Brats were something I bought last summer on a whim because I had a craving for them... and probably should be thrown out. The pork chops have a similar reasoning as the chicken. It is not necessarily a 'staple' but it is something we don't mind buying frozen or pre-packaged. There is a large package of rib-eyes that we've also had for quite some time, but I think those are something Dan received through work, as a sample or something. As you can tell, there are very little frozen meats or pre-packaged meats/poultry/fish in my fridge/freezer. This is mainly because we tend to shop for these on as need/want basis when we plan on cooking that night or the next night. Because I live with a chef he knows how good fresh meat can be. So when we do shop for fresh meat and fish we generally go to Whole Foods and cook the meat within 48 hours.
b. Hot Dogs/Brats are generally foods we buy in bulk for parties and barbecues. We do not just eat them on our own for the heck of it. I guess these foods are just easy and cheap to serve and are a sort of party/BBQ staple because of it. People almost EXPECT that is what will be served at a BBQ... along with chips and dip, and alcohol, of course. Bacon is a pre-packaged meat that we usually do not buy unless we have a need for it. It is not a staple in our house and if we buy it, it's because we have a craving and eat it with breakfast the next couple days, or it's because Dan is making some creative dish that he needs the bacon for. I love eating/serving bacon simply because the taste and smell are frickin' delicious. :) Cold cuts are also not something we generally have as a 'staple.' However, when I want to be sure I'm eating healthy and want to be fiscally conservative I buy cold cuts from our deli so I can make sandwiches for a week or two and bring them to work. I don't think we have ever served cold cuts as a snack to people. But I do enjoy eating them. They are lighter than most meats and still taste good. Plus, ham, turkey, and chicken sometimes taste better as cold cuts because they are more moist and can easily be combined with other foods; i.e. sandwiches, salads, alone as a snack, etc.
c. The most important thing to me for prepared meats is quality. I hear such horror stories of prepared meats being the hooves of cows and beaks of chickens, etc., etc. I suppose I would eat them more if I was guaranteed the meats were organic, healthy and not the left-over scraps. When you're a kid you are naive to these things and don't really care what you put in your mouth. But as you get older and you become more aware of what you are ingesting, the idea of eating ground chicken claws really creeps you out.
Six. At Whole Foods we always buy fresh meats form the deli. However, when I shop at Jewel by myself I kind of feel the pre-packaged meats section is a bit overwhelming. Since I am not the cook in the house I do not know by just looking at meats what type of cut they are so I have to read every label. I also find that I never know where the item I'm looking for is. I have to eyeball every meat section I come across to make sure I do not overlook the specific type of meat I'm looking for. I've also noticed that the bacon always seems to be at the very bottom along with the hot dogs and brats.
On occasion, I will buy pre-packaged red meats from Jewel, and when I do I normally hit up the most expensive ones. I figure it's still probably cheaper than Whole Foods anyway. When it comes to some things, like raw meat, I associate price with being a little better quality. However, when it comes to most food, I will generally choose cost (the cheaper, the better) over brand because most foods are already cooked or processed or have fewer choices.
I'd say I associate this section mainly with Dinner. However, I associate bacon with breakfast, and I associate Hot Dogs/Brats with BBQs/Lunch/Party food.
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