There's just so much that goes into it.
And because my life is not interesting, and I have nothing newsworthy to share with you, I am going to delve deep into the world of grocery shopping to some of it's more thought-provoking aspects.
1) Preparation
This might be the worst part for me. I know I mentioned that I enjoy making lists, but I have to clarify: I would rather make a to-do list for my day that includes "make grocery list", than actually sit down and think up meals.
Because that, my dear friends, is the hardest part of the whole endeavor.
I'm sure I've cooked more than 5 meals in our 8+ years of marriage, but darn if I can come up with them when I sit down to make my list.
So then I'll browse online looking for new recipes. The criteria include: easy, quick, and only ingredients that I recognize. I can't tell you the trouble I had the first time I looked for pimentos in the store. I almost just bought olives so I could dig them out of the middle.
Once I finally get a list together, I attempt to clear out the fridge and pantry of those almost-empty items and science projects that are taking up space.
This is what happens when I neglect that step:
Point 1: Three boxes of fruit snacks. Two of which have only one package left in them.
Point 2: Box of Ritz crackers. Actual cracker count: 3
Point 3: This one's off-topic, but Josh often takes a can of pineapples into work and calls it "lunch". He works for 12-14 hours a day. Then he comes home and eats an entire casserole and says "Is there anything else for dinner?" This leaves me with no leftovers to send in with him for lunch and then the vicious cycle starts again.
Point 4: Bag of chips that contains 2 whole chips and the crumbs of tens of chips. Read on to find out why this is my husband's fault.
Point 5: New loaf of bread thrown hastily on top of old molding bread.
Get the picture?
2)Unloading your cart
This is a point of contention between Josh and I. Typically I find segregation appalling.
In this case, however, it is the only acceptable way to take on this task. Frozen should be kept with frozen, toilet paper should not be torn away from it's friend the tissue box. Keep the canned brothers together. Joshua, do you know what you do to me when you send our Baked Tostitos down the belt followed by the gallon of milk? You are dooming them I tell you.
Bread and tampons do not go together.
Sigh.
I fear it is genetic. Pat the Bunny does the same thing.
(ps- I've been missing 'ol PtB around here, haven't you? After all, without her, the Boy Scouts of America may never get to camp.)
3) Paper or Plastic
Does anyone else out there feel guilty when asked "paper or plastic" and you choose plastic?
Confession: 90% of the time I know I'm going to ask for plastic. They are so dang handy for lining trashcans and wrapping up poopie diapers.
But I sense the bagger's displeasure at my choice.
When they ask me what I want I pretend like I'm thinking it over and then say "Hmmm...plastic today, please." As if it is a rare day that I ask for it.
Deceitful. Wicked.
*head hung in shame*
But I've heard it's not easy being green.
I'm doing my best not to find out.
4) I'm sorry that I just posted about grocery shopping. I promise I'll try to do better next time.
Sincerely,
Boring in Idaho
7 comments:
I do the same thing when it comes time to meal plan. I cook dinner every night. Yet, I can't think of more than 5 meals. As a challenge, you should totes start posting your weekly meal plans.
Do it.
Do it.
I won't.
But you should.
I flat out REFUSE to go grocery shopping. Period. I'm pretty sure I put it in our vows. I'd rather let Bryon take on a concubine than go to the commissary. We do our meal planning 2 weeks in advance and occassionally I help with that part, say 50/50 and he does the shopping. I figure what with me doing EVERYTHING else, that's his job. When he works less than 15 hours a day, we'll talk.
WHAT? I love meal planning. When I was in college my mom bought me a subscription to Quick Cooking (now Simple & Delicious). I have ten years of those in sheets protectors and in binders sitting on my counter top. The recipes I like are highlighted on the index page. I've moved on to Healthy Cooking since it's not so easy to lose those pounds as it was in college. Ok, so I'm a little Type A about my kitchen.
Oh, I totally have to bite my lip when the kids "help" me unload the cart. But, I am teaching them that cold goes with cold and so on.
It's not genetic! I sort my cart to avoid the fruit getting squished by soup cans. Maybe that means there's hope for me after all?
I kind of like grocery shopping, but I do hate how long it takes from start to finish.
Next time you're in a meal-plan bind, check kelly'skornerrecipes.blogspot.com - her recipes are always delicious (especially the pork tenderloin, but that could be a tough sell for kids) and I recognize all the words. BooMama always has good ones too, though they're harder to sort through since she has so many. Also, I am always game to make suggestions, if you ever get that desperate. But we eat a lot of the same meals over and over too.
Maybe I should clarify...Type A, yes. Sheet protected recipes. Yes. Binder divided by type of meals, to put on said menu plan, yes. Will I do it? Yes. Will I actually then go to the commissary? No. It's the execution. Hey, I'll cook the meals. I'll procure the office supplies that go into organizing the procurement of food. I just won't go to the commissary.
"Breand and tampons do not go together." Perhaps the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. But then again, not much does go with tampons.
And I bought the re-usable bags at Meijer in my attempt to be green (my favorite color is red, so I am not good at being green) but I never remember them until I am halfway to the grocery store, so I too end up asking for plastic.
I totally sort my stuff when I put it on the belt to pay and have been known to rearrange it when my children "help".
And you know what Erin wrote about in her comment? I had her do that to my cooking magazines, because we are related by marriage and thus I do not share that Type A gene. It is very helpful, but I NEVER would have done that on my own.
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