The Best Grocery Trip Ever

It wasn't the actual TRIP that was the best ever. It's the perfection that I brought home.

I've always had trouble eating in a healthy way. I have never been able to get the hang of having "plenty" in the frig and pantry that can be translated into many, many delicious meals. I've been able to buy things on sale and stock up, but I have never, in one trip, felt that I had everything that I needed. Instead, I'd end up with nothing healthy to put together before the next grocery shopping trip and end up with my standby of spaghetti and sauce and no vegetables.

Until this particular trip, that is.

It's probably just me, but the picture above is a visual of the bounty that I see when I open my refrigerator. Except my frig stuff is better! I have an array of fruits and veggies, all tasty. I have a variety of meats that are healthy. I even have grain choices to finish the meals off. It's just a beautiful thing and I wanted to share.

Here's what I bought:

• Bottom round roast
• Roaster chicken
• Boneless, skinless chicken
• Ground turkey
• Shrimp
• Bay scallops
• Sirloin steak

That's just the meat! Here are the fruits and veggies:

• Brussels Sprouts
• Red peppers
• Bananas
• Apples
• Collard greens
• Oranges
• Green cabbage
• Baby Bella mushrooms
• Grape tomatoes
• Onions
• Strawberries
• Cauliflower

And the extras:

• Milk
• Whole grain spaghetti
• Sprouted grain bread
• Brown rice
• Omega 3 eggs

I can make some serious meals with this assortment! On top of that, it is enough food for three people for at least 2 weeks. For $150. (There are multiples of many of the items listed.)

I feel healthier just typing my list. Normally I gain weight when I read a fattening recipe, so this reversal is new for me.

Tonight's offering? Grilled sirloin steak, roasted red peppers and sweet onions over brown rice, and a raw multi-veggie salad with oil and lime juice dressing.

Woo Hoo! I even get to cook more tomorrow! (Wait, who said THAT?)

Vintage/Modern School Lunch Comparison

I haven't read much but the headlines to date, but apparently Michelle Obama is making an effort to increase the nutrition levels for our nation's children. I don't know the details yet (but I will be researching later). That's not really what this post is about.

What it IS about is the memory lane journey that the headlines produced for me.

I attended elementary school (public) in the late 60s and early 70s. (OK, I just gagged a bit after typing that.) My hometown is Tampa, Florida. There was (is still, I think) a huge Cuban population there and ALL of my elementary teachers were Cuban-Americans.

Well, apparently all my "lunch ladies" were, too. A typical cafeteria lunch for us was the following:

• Black beans and rice
• Green salad
• Orange quarters
• Whole white milk
• Small piece of chocolate sheet cake

Compare that to what I saw in our paper today:

• Cheeseburger
• Green beans
• Pasta Salad
• Choice of white or chocolate milk (2%)
• Blueberry Crisp

I did a quick calculation of the two lunches and determined the following (I rounded figures and used THIS site for general figures):

• 1973 Typical (Tampa) lunch: 600 calories, 20 grams of fat
• 2010 Typical (Up North) lunch: 1120 calories, 50 grams of fat

When I was in school, a child who was overweight was so unusual that it was conspicuous. Now it seems the numbers are considerably higher. Perhaps the above quick calculation gives a hint as to why?

As an overweight person, I know exactly why I am fat. For me it has nothing to do with thyroid or any other beyond-my-control issue. It has to do with the abundance of easily available junk food, processed foods, and fast food restaurants--and my struggle to stay away from them.

It appears that our schools have transformed their cafeterias so that what is served is not a lot different from the corner fast food joint.

Perhaps Michelle Obama will be able to do something about what is served in our schools. Perhaps she can even provide some sort of motivation to parents to purchase whole, healthy foods for their children (and also direct their developing taste buds).

What are your memories of school lunches? For what elementary years? What do you think about this entire subject?

Getting another running start. . .

A few of you may remember that I had a diet blog. My last post was in September and it was a post of defeat.

Since then I have allowed myself to wallow in indulgence. Thankfully I haven't gained any weight, but, of course, I haven't lost any either.

After waking up FIVE times last night because of overweight-related discomfort, I have had enough. I've decided that I'm ready to do this thing, do it right, and succeed.

I'd like to make a request. I find it very useful to have comments that encourage and even give some constructive criticism. If you're willing to cheer me on and give an occasional swift kick when needed, I would very much appreciate it.

Click on the picture of the smiling lady on the scale (not me--yet), and it will take you to my blog.