Supermarket Slobs!

[snickerdoodle]

I love this discussion! I think (I hope) I can still consider myself to be a young mother at 29 years old with 3 kids ages 4, 2 and 1. I didn't grow up with much exposure to the kitchen aside from the occassional batch of chocolate chip cookies. My grandmother on my mom's side cooked a lot from scratch... but she wasn't what I would call a great cook and I can't say I learned much from her. So... I am self taught I guess you could say. I have loved cooking for most of my life, just never had many opportunities until I got out on my own, and even then, did my time with ramen noodles, mac n cheese, eggs and PB&J sandwiches.

It wasn't until I brought children into the world that I really woke up to the quality of food that is available. I will say, it has been a challenging endeavor getting to where we're at now with the food at our house. I quickly learned that being able to create healthier food for one's family while keeping it affordable requires a good amount of culinary know-how, which I was lacking (still am in some areas!).

My grocery cart used to look a lot like the cart described by the OP. I see those carts at the store every time I go shopping and, yes, I do look at what other people buy. Having 'been there, done that' I'm not too quick to pass judgement on them. Plus, I have my own guilty purchases I'm not proud of on a regular basis (frozen chicken nuggets/fish sticks, chips, sugary granola bars/cereals, Chef Boyardee *gag*, frozen pizzas, etc.) But I hope that whoever is looking at my cart also sees all the other good stuff that would imply I know my way around a kitchen. And to think I actually ENJOY cooking... it must be very difficult for someone who has no interest or dislikes cooking altogether to make that shift over to slower food.

I think GW summed it up pretty well in his post. As a side note, most Yoopers I know seem to have this all figured out! We visited dh's family in the UP for the first time over the summer and I was in 7th heaven in our host's kitchen (his aunt). I learned a lot in that week, including how to make homemade chicken noodle soup.

 

[joesfolk]

Snickerdoodle, I hope you got her pastie recipe! Most self respecting Yoopers make pasties.

 

[snickerdoodle]

LOL, you know, I'm sure she has one... and I really pushed for a day of female comradarie in the kitchen making pasties but it didn't happen. Love me some pasties!! I have since collected recipes here and there but have yet to try any. The big downer is that dh doesn't really like pasties (what?!?)... He's a 1/4 Finnish and doesn't like pasties???

 

[Fabiabi]

I don't think that lack of time or money should stop you from eating healthy. I just went to the fruit shop and thought how reasonably the veg was compared to frozen ready meals; Also it's not hard to prep a bit of veg,, I often just chuck it in the oven pan with olive oil and seasoning and cook - not hard or time consuming.

 

[Secundinius]

I suppose that my working up to 70 hours a week might be seen to be excessive, but work has to be done as I own a motorbike garage and I can not afford taking on more staff. So I go home with my Sainsbury's Cumberland Pie/Fish Pie ready meal, feed my boy and feed myself. But I am a high earner, so can afford to buy high quality ready meals, and suppliment it with fresh fruit for desserts. You earns your money and you spends it likewise.

If, however, I was a stay-at-home-wife, my culinary life would be far different.

At weekends, eating is far different. Everything is cooked. One is relaxed and happy; less stressed. Boy's face is filled, dishes are consigned to the dishwasher and then I'll join my family and watch TV.

Society will always be a high paced mess. It's the sign of the times I'm afraid, and eating has often to be on the hoof.

My apologies if my post was misunderstood. There's nothing wrong with a hard days work, especially if you are doing something you love. Just people near me seem to use a long work day as an excuse to not spend 30 minutes cooking. No matter how long your work day is, no matter how tired you are when you get home, it is ALWAYS worth the extra time. And sure, there are some of those "quick" meals that are better, but they come with a prettier price tag. Anything is used as an excuse to save a buck here, even if people are knowingly damaging their body.

Food, Inc. is a great eye-opener, but I'm sure most, if not all of you here have at least heard of it.

I don't like where our civilization is going. But each of my children follow a path that will fulfill their lives, and give their children the best chance of growing up healthy, happy, and with self respect and dignity. And that's how I work to make the world a little better place, by starting a legacy of loving families who care about each other, and so take the time to try to do things to the best of their abilities for each other, and for their communities. That's my answer to our runaway civilization.

And yep, I know that my way isn't the only way. But in my opinion, it's the best way I know. Let's here it for the Slow Food Movement.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

I don't have many "fond" memories of my childhood, but a few of the more special ones were the family cooking meals together. I can only see myself doing the same for my children, when I finally have them. Spending the time with them teaching them the importance of fresh grown, home cooked meals. For the time being, I can only concentrate on making that future for my fiancee and myself so we can walk the right path... and of course, copying some of the great recipe ideas from forums like this one.

Here's to trying many new dishes!

 

[suzyQ3]

"No matter how long your work day is, no matter how tired you are when you get home, it is ALWAYS worth the extra time."

I happen to be one who really does prefer a healthful, fresh home-cooked meal. But I don't agree that such a preference necessarily means that it's ALWAYS worth the extra time, regardless of work hours or level of exhaustion.

After all, pushing yourself that way could negate the benefits of the meal itself. I'd suggest it's better to be discerning about this whole issue. If such meals are important, prepare them on the days when you feel up to it; otherwise, buy something relatively fresh and healthful.

I don't see this urgency that some others seem to feel about doing something no matter what.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I happen to be one who really does prefer a healthful, fresh home-cooked meal. But I don't agree that such a preference necessarily means that it's ALWAYS worth the extra time, regardless of work hours or level of exhaustion.

After all, pushing yourself that way could negate the benefits of the meal itself. I'd suggest it's better to be discerning about this whole issue. If such meals are important, prepare them on the days when you feel up to it; otherwise, buy something relatively fresh and healthful.

I don't see this urgency that some others seem to feel about doing something no matter what.

When I was working 12-hour shifts, I didn't have time to cook on those days. Just getting the sleep needed to work those hours was hard to come by. Consequently, I did my cooking on my days off, cooking enough to get through my work days. Now, with 10-hour shifts (recent)...I still find the same time constraints. I do have some extra time each day, but I'm still trying to figure out how to juggle them to get the most of the time I do have.

There are other added considerations, I'm cooking two meals for each meal to accomodate DH's needs.

So, yes...time is needed to cook the way I want to

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

During the week for breakfast we eat healthy oatmeal and cereals quite a bit along with N.F.C. O.J. and homemade Mochas. For lunch, we make salads (sometimes with bag-o varieties if pressed for time) along with a hunk of bread we purchase from a local baker Saturday mornings and keep in a ziplock. For dinner, twice a week we make a big pot/pan of something from scratch - usually Sunday and Wednesday night. Roasted veggies and sausage, meatballs, stew, baked beans, etc. We each do a pot - so we each only cook once a week for dinner.

Friday night is eat-out night at a local restaurant. Saturday we do our shopping, and tend to eat little things here and there as we shop (along with leftovers from eating out Friday night). Sunday we have brunch (usually at home, but sometimes out), and potluck/BBQ dinner with friends/family - except when I'm buried in work.

So really we each only cook once or twice a week (I don't consider pouring a bowl of cereal or chopping a head of lettuce "cooking").

That said, we do have our faults. Twice a week I go directly from work (nights) to my University, and don't have time to stop home for my breakfast or lunch. I tend to skip breakfast, and then eat a lunch much to large at school in the form of a 12,000 calorie salad (taco/buffalo), or 15,000 calorie bowl of noodles with vegetables, tofu, and Sriracha. On these days my wife tends to buy lunch at work, which is sometimes less than healthy.

 

[Poppi G. Koullias]

My apologies if my post was misunderstood. There's nothing wrong with a hard days work, especially if you are doing something you love. Just people near me seem to use a long work day as an excuse to not spend 30 minutes cooking. No matter how long your work day is, no matter how tired you are when you get home, it is ALWAYS worth the extra time. And sure, there are some of those "quick" meals that are better, but they come with a prettier price tag. Anything is used as an excuse to save a buck here, even if people are knowingly damaging their body.

Food, Inc. is a great eye-opener, but I'm sure most, if not all of you here have at least heard of it.

Hey, that’s very kind of you to write back to me. No, I didn’t misunderstand your post. More really my looking quite seriously at the path I was heading on. Because after a long day’s work during which time my boy was being nannyed, I was losing touch with what true family commitment really meant.

Since my last post on this thread, I’ve stopped working the hours, and this was thanks to my partner getting onto me, quite rightly, that I’d become grumpy and quick to fly off the handle at any little thing. And being borderline alcoholic, there was always that terrible temptation to hit the bottle again. Believe me, having now cut back my hours to just 30 a week has made a huge difference!

Also, I was intending leaving England to return home to Kalymnos, but the financial climate of my country has brutally ruined businesses, so I have no hope of going back except to Mummy’s house on holiday.

I haven’t heard of Food, Inc. But I’ll have a look sometime.

Just want to thank you very much for writing back. Although a newbie, I’m find it tough here.

Poppi Georgina

 

[PattY1]

I don't think that lack of time or money should stop you from eating healthy. I just went to the fruit shop and thought how reasonably the veg was compared to frozen ready meals; Also it's not hard to prep a bit of veg,, I often just chuck it in the oven pan with olive oil and seasoning and cook - not hard or time consuming.

Maybe true. But........these things are expensive.

 

[Caslon]

Is this thread about knocking premade dinners like Stouffers and the like?
They are getting healthier every year.

If I'm tired and don't feel like boiling pasta to make spaghetti and meat sauce.
Stouffers to the rescue.

If I have to have a premade dinner, I will try to round it out with everything else being fresh. At least some heated up garlic bread and a fresh salad and rolls.

Same thing goes with Swedish meatballs and noodles. I'll cook some green peas with it along with a fresh salad and rolls.

 

[Secundinius]

"He who is without sin cast the first stone". I'm uncomfortable with the pethora of judgemental comments in this thread. I can say I have never looked in other people's carts to see what they are buying. I have never looked in someone's grocery bag, read their receipt, and cast judgement on what they are buying or why they are plump. Maybe they're buying it for a invalid friend. Maybe their stove is on the blink...or maybe their kitchen is being renovated. When I go to a grocery store I'm on a mission and I'm all about me, my family, and friends. I don't pay any attention to strangers there...why would I? Am I the only one?

I know you're laughing at my seemingly naive statements...yes, the supply of processed food is there because the demand is there, but my point is that we have no business judging strangers in a grocery store. It's arrogant. No?

Furthermore, I see improvements...in America anyway (i'm not familiar with other countries). Educational materials and mass media attention have reached many. More people know about processed foods, exercise, portion control, pyramid w/dailyrequirements, when to eat, why to eat, what to eat, etc than ever before. The awareness is there. It's the other factors that are too many to mention here...will-power, stress, physical issues, and emotional issues are at the top of the list.

Maybe they just lost 100 lbs but they're having a bad day and are feeling weak for one day. Anyone here ever had a bad day?

Some people have more of those issues than others so give'em a break.

You make an excellent point here, Mollyanne. And although I do agree with you, for the most part, I do have to disagree a little.

The information is out there, sure and some people are paying attention, but overall, the obesity rate isn't going down. Obesity is still rising. Mainly due to the low cost of crap food compared to the price of good food. Why buy healthy food for one meal when you can get three meals of crap food for the same price?

I've always admitted I am just as guilty, the difference is, I do something to keep myself, somewhat, regulated. I went from 150 pounds 5 years ago to 210 (which I reached about a year ago) while my fiancee gained around 10 pounds in the same time. But her weight gain, admittedly, is from trying to keep pace with me when we go out to eat. My doctor says I should get down to 165, but there is no way I will hit that weight without losing muscle mass. I continue to go to the gym and eat better foods, though sometimes in larger portions then I should, but I've been increasingly better about this.

Problems with it are simple. When you get to park in the handicap spaces because you are overweight (they actually call it a disease these days) and you ride around in a power cart while doing your shopping, there is a problem. We didn't evolve to eat all day. We evolved in a time of limited food sources and actually having to hunt down our food or go gather it. Our body, as I'm sure most here already know, is built to store food (energy in the form of fat) so eating the way we do, coupled with less exercise (travel to hunt/gather) equals fat people.

Should I pass judgement on these people? No, but seeing them in my job constantly (formerly worked in an OR and currently work in a rehability facility) and hearing them complain about not being about to walk around on their own, but then they order all the extra crap with their meals (which IMO should be better regulated by the dietary staff) and do nothing but lie in bed when they are done with their therapy, doesn't earn any of them any slack. Sure, I know a few people who have real medical issues that cause them to have an extremely rough time with their weight, but that is not the norm.

Sure, everyone has bad days. I've had days where I don't eat and I've had days where McD's makes up every meal I have. Bad days don't make you fat. Bad EVERYday does. Besides, it is hard not to notice the 400 pound lady on the cart with $250 worth of frozen meals, soda and potato chips on line in front of you. And I highly doubt that just because someone doesn't open up and post or actually say out loud what they are thinking, that every other person that sees that has a similar thought.

More work still needs to be done to educate people on the effects of these types of foods and something needs to be done about the prices. It's really difficult to buy the good food when the crap food is so much cheaper for so much more.

 

[spork]

Terrific thread, everyone! Worth the time to read from page 1. I could've gone the fast food route and just read/replied to the last page's post, as we admittedly sometimes do, but the payoff to doing something, like discovering cooking or discussing life, slowly, is context. I like to cook for my family because, to me, it gives our repast a deeper meaning.

I've never had much of an opinion about people's shopping carts containing processed or junk food. It's relative, after all. The guy at the front of the grocery check-out line has a take-away box of penne from the deli, the gal behind him has a frozen microwave dinner box of spaghetti and meatballs, the woman behind her has a can of Chef Boyardee, I'm behind her with a bag of dried pasta, the man behind me has a bag of flour and eggs, and there's a man behind him pushing five shopping carts full of golden wheat stalks and carrying a live chicken under his arm. Well, okay, ya, sometimes I do notice what people have in their shopping carts, but mostly that's because I enjoy striking up friendly conversations with strangers at grocery stores.

 

[lyndalou]

I have a hard time with anyone calling people "slobs" in this forum. I agree that we should be a lot less judgmental and worry about what's in our own carts.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I have a hard time with anyone calling people "slobs" in this forum. I agree that we should be a lot less judgmental and worry about what's in our own carts.

Thank you!

 

[Hammster]

I have a hard time with anyone calling people "slobs" in this forum. I agree that we should be a lot less judgmental and worry about what's in our own carts.

Thank you!

I second Fiona's thanks for Lyndalou's comment.

 

[Zhizara]

Me too! I was upset by the way the thread was worded and thought to myself why get upset by what's in someone else's cart. As Dear Abby would say, MYOB.

 

[Poppi G. Koullias]

Is this thread about knocking premade dinners like Stouffers and the like?
They are getting healthier every year.

If I'm tired and don't feel like boiling pasta to make spaghetti and meat sauce.
Stouffers to the rescue.

If I have to have a premade dinner, I will try to round it out with everything else being fresh. At least some heated up garlic bread and a fresh salad and rolls.

Premade dinners are healthier in our British supermarkets, but I have to pay a premium for them. I don't do "budget" that have no real nutritional vlaue.

Like you, if I'm tired and don't feel like cooking, then I'll slam one of those into my oven or, nuke it. I can't do garlic bread unless the butter is minimum, and the bread has to be wholemeal brown, not white. It's because I'm diabetic.

Yes, premades save busy stressed people from the drudge of having to cook when they get home tired and shattered. But we are not "slobs" as the OP first wrote. Far from it.

I'm not interested in what other have in their trollies. because at the end of long day I want to select the premades off the shelves, scrurry to the checkout, pay, get in my Jag and go home.

 

[4meandthem]

I wasn't going to comment either but I agree with the MYOB unless asked.I really don't know the person's situation.I may not care either but I try not to judge.

Poppi-It sounds like England has some sort of ranking system for their pre-made meals.Is this true? Sounds like a good idea.

 

[bakechef]

prepared food manufacturers have worked really hard at making people feel better about feeding their families their processed foods, just look at the commercials, they are very heartwarming.

Just about everyone has times where a frozen dinner comes in handy and they take the easy route, and nothing is wrong with that in my book. Then there are some who eat a constant diet of this stuff, and that can't be good.

I think people are waking up, slowly but surely, and maybe over time these products will become healthier and better quality.