My food obsession

Today I choose to talk about food.  Both because I just went to the grocery store for the second time (yuck) this week ... and because I said I would talk about it.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the grocery store.  I could spend days in there just walking up and down the aisles looking at stuff and reading the labels.  However I DO NOT LOVE going there multiple times in a week.  I cannot tell you how many people I know who go to a store every day, every other day, to buy enough for one or two meals.  Gross.  Get me in the store once a week or twice a month, I will be set with all of the food I need.  The crowds and stupidity that walk around their blocking aisles makes me want to vomit.  

Whew, now that I got that off my chest, moooooooving on!

At the beginning the year I made a goal to cook more adventurously in 2014.  The goal was to cook one new recipe a week (two recipes a month minimum cause one a week may be excessive).  The recipe could be anything - a full meal, a dessert, a chicken - whatever.  So far, I have done really freaking well.  I slacked off a bit through the month of March BUT I got so far ahead on my goal (like making 4 recipes in a week multiple times) that I cut myself some slack.  Through this whole time I have only threw away one, maybe two recipes after making them.  Not the food, that's insane, the printout itself.  I subscribe to multiple blogs and websites to get these recipes.

I have a really really busy end of this week coming up as well as a really really busy weekend / next week, that is why I ended up at two stores tonight for the second time this week.  I had to plan ahead for the next week.  I bought enough stuff for about 5 new recipes and a couple repeaters.  

For me - other than already having gone last weekend, I love that I went and I am done.  I am a planner through and through.

Enough about my OCD and shit.  I want to answer some common questions people ask me and also share some tips and tricks because believe me, I have found some.  

Common Questions??

1. How do you do it?!  I hate this question.  With a passion.  The only answer is - I just do.  You make time if you want to follow a lifestyle or anything of the sort. Period.
2. Why do I do it?!  Because it all makes me feel good.  Planning ahead lessens my anxiety and gives me so much extra time in life.  Think about it.  How much time do you spend in traffic, parking, going to the store, and cooking every.single.day?  Yeah.  I spend half or more than that - really not a long time. Also, my body and well being feels good.  I don't feel shitty or groggy or anything - I feel clean.
3. Will you prep food for me too?! No.
4. What stores do you shop at?  Or find the best deals.  This is a multi answer question.
• Trader Joes: cheap, unique, amazing.  No bullshit in this place.  Everything is well labeled.
• The Wedge CoOp (my local coop): reasonably priced, no bullshit, easy to navigate, HUGE variety, hard to find products.
• Farmers Market: I think this one's obvious.
5. How can I do what you do?  Do your research.  I read books (Primal Blueprint), Websites (Mark Sisson), Blogs (too many to list), Google stuff.  
6. How are you always so "good?"  Easy.  I treat myself.  That goes for everything in life.  You will fail at anything you try if you don't give yourself a break or treat yourself.  You're damn straight I'm sitting here drinking a beer and eating Sun Butter Cups and have zero shame.  Just make sure you monitor it and don't do it all of the time.  We're adults, you can make your own decisions, you should know what is going to happen if you eat a box of candy vs. just one piece.  It's simple really.
7. But it's so expensive!!  Yes, it can be.  If you plan and shop at the right places, it shouldn't be.  My meals for the week (or two) I plan out so they have similar (or the same) ingredients in them.  If I want chicken, I pick out enough recipes to use through the week with chicken.  Same with fillers or sides.  Its the best bang for your buck - buy something once, use it multiple times. 

Tips and Tricks??

Now this is going to be an abbreviated edition.  No way I am going to be able to list everything but through time, you will see more and more in posts and on my Instagram.

• Buy local!!!  Go to your farmers market, buy as much as you can there.  In summer, I can go once a week, spend $20 on fruits and veggies and eat for 1-1.5 weeks every time.  If I spend $30, it's because I bought fresh flowers, which will last longer than that produce.  If I ever spend more than that, its because I stocked up on meat.  Best.place.to.buy.meat!  Example - I spend $75 (probably less actually) about a month ago on meat from my favorite peeps at the market and I will just be eating the last of it in the next week.  Plan ahead, watch the prices (you can get 1lb packs vs 2.5lbs and spend less with them in the long run, fun fact).  Do your research, you'll thank me.
• READ!!  I read blogs.  I read magazines, Facebook, etc. etc. etc.  I get awesome ideas from people and then copy them.  Some of my best discoveries have come from other people. Examples ... 
•  I have friends who are sponsored athletes (they do too).  Most times, they get free stuff, including food.  If they are good people, they will be honest and not feed you a line.  They also wouldn't want someone with a shit product rep them.  This is how I found SRBars.  Local VA company (where I used to live) and also Cave Cravings snack boxes.  Reasonably priced, small companies (which I LOVE SUPPORTING) and unique.  I would never find or buy half of this stuff otherwise.
• Try New Things!!  If something is on sale or in season and you have never tried it.  Buy it.  Think about it.  Would you rather spend 25 cents on a beet in season or $3 out of season?  You can google recipes later.  It will open your world.
• Check stores and don't shop at just one.  Yeah, can be a pain in the ass, but if you are a cheap ass like me, you will thank me.  I also have an affection for some specific products I don't want to substitute elsewhere.
• Trader Joe's:  I love that they have different and unique brands, they are really inexpensive.  I am lucky enough to pass one on my way home too. Win.
• Local CoOp: supports local companies and farmers, well priced, I now have stock in them and get money back for being a stock owner.  Oh, and its down the street.
• Farmers Markets: I don't think I have to say more.
• Whole Foods: I rarely, rarely go here because I think their prices are a joke.  But, there are some things that I know I can get there and nowhere else every time. So, as bad as I want to boycott them, I never will.

That's pretty much it.  Really, my eating habits aren't that terrible.  Yeah, you may think it takes more time than what you do or have time to do, well then you can keep complaining.  I don't mind spending a little time on Sunday (when I'm home anyway) or another day if I am home longer, cutting veggies, prepping food, etc.   I love cooking so it's fun to me.  It also opens my eyes to a new world when I am forced to prep and cook.  Yeah, it was harder to get used to and I used to over buy a lot a lot a lot, but you get it figured it out.  You need to do research and figure out what works for you and just do it. 

I get it.  I'm single.  I don't have kids.  I don't have animals.  Well, ya know what?  I have plenty of other shit in life going on.  If you really want to change something OR want to be healthier, you have to take action or else you will bitch for the rest of your life.  No, I don't have sympathy.  Remember, I used to be a fatty.

I wish I had a more deep, thought out answer for you, but I don't and I wont make one up.

Everything in life is a choice.  When you want to make choices to change something/add something/etc.  You will and you will be happier.  Until then, keep your bitching to yourself cause I don't want to hear it.  

OH.  I also am not a nutritionist, I don't have a degree in anything related to food, this is all stuff I figured out or researched.  So, don't take any of this as the Bible or that it will change your life.  But, I hope it if you want to change, this could help you.

To end today's thoughts, here are some pictures of things I just mentioned.  In no particular order. And, because I like visuals.

SR Bars - The Swolasaurus Rex is their mascot, need I say more?

www.srbars.com

This is what approximately 15lbs of meat looks like for me.

Cave Cravings - Mail order paleo snack box (genius) (and cheap) (and easy)

http://www.cavecravings.com/#!

This is my stock from tonight.  I spent $79.  No, that's not a typo.

With the meat left from the above haul - I will have dinner and lunch for the next week and a half.

I will also have snacks for that time and probably at least an additional week 

(I'm making granola).

#srbars #barfivemeats #traderjoes #cavecravings #mealprep