“Chocolatey covered molar adhesive” TRUTH in candy advertising. Also: “Banana” flavored anything is vile. You hear me, Laffy Taffy??
Turkey, provolone and tomato on whole wheat “flat bread” (because… flat is so much healthier than poofy?) with mustard and mayo: Today I made a sandwich in the shower. Nah, I didn’t have a weird craving for soggy bread – it was courtesy of my two youngest children who while they can easily undo a buckle, three zippers and a magnetic clasp to find the gum in my purse, couldn’t figure out how to open the shrink-wrapped sandwich goodies and condiments. They were also terribly impatient and aren’t old enough to care about seeing mom naked, not to mention terribly pleased with themselves that they had the foresight to bring it all to me – in the shower – including a plastic knife with which to spread the mayo. So I just went with it. Living with children makes every day a Seinfeld episode.
What does it say about me that I was just so glad they hadn’t used my shower time to sneak down to the lobby and fill their pockets with free cans of soda (again) that I happily made them a steamy sandwich? And then let them eat it in front of the TV? Watching Spongebob?? IS NOTHING HOLY ANYMORE?!?
Apparently not. Since living on the lam, er, in limbo, I’ve found many of my complicated food “rules” getting stripped away in deference to convenience and/or desperation. And it’s not just shower sandwiches. (Don’t worry I’m not going to bring up butt brownies again!) While our hotel room does have a fridge (that freezes everything rock solid) and a microwave, it’s not very conducive to healthy meal making. Suddenly I’m having a lot more sympathy for people who have to live like this all the time. It’s really tough to eat as healthy as I like to when I don’t have things like my Vitamix (for making green smoothies) or my cast-iron skillet (for iron-fortifying my morning eggs-n-hummus) or even simple things like a glass bowl to steam veggies in.
So I’ve been asking myself that question a lot lately: What does my food say about me? About my priorities? About my neuroses?
Lesson 1: Good protein is valuable. And the hardest to find. Sure you can walk into any McD’s and get a meat patty I guess but I’d rather go back to being a vegetarian than eat factory-farmed meat product on a regular basis. No, good quality protein is hard to find, hard to cook and hard to store. Since I’ve yet to find a jerky that I’m comfortable eating, I’ve been chowing a lot of eggs at the free breakfast buffet every day. Like, a lot of eggs.
Lesson 2: Food is everywhere but good food is scarce. It’s relatively easy to find a cheap source of food – my husband discovered our first day here that the local bank hands out free doughnuts every Saturday! – but finding healthy, delicious food is tougher. There are some restaurants that cater to this but even the cheap ones are pricey and so I’ve been eating a lot of bagged fruits and veggies, boxed salads, packets of nut butter and foil packs of tuna fish or sardines. (True story: a half-eaten packet of tuna spilled in my car, on a 100-degree day. The smell is still giving me nightmares.)
Lesson 3: Work with what you have. Even simple veggies like celery sticks take some minimal preparation. I grabbed a bunch at the store without thinking about it and then when I arrived at the park ended up rinsing them off in the drinking fountain and trimming the dirty ends off with toenail clippers. Before you start gagging, know that I washed them first. With hand sanitizer. (The clippers, not the celery.) Sure I’d prefer to eat one of my yummy salad concoctions but I don’t have the time, money, refrigeration or cooking space for that right now. So instead I’m making do with toe-nail fungus celery and peanut butter packets from the breakfast buffet. And it was actually super satisfying and delicious.
Lesson 4: Sometimes you just need a slushee. (Or slurpee or icee or snow cone or Hawaiian ice or whatever you call them where you live!) It’s crazy hot here right now. Half the state is literally on fire. And sometimes the only thing that will remedy that strange combination of weather and disaster is some comfort food. We made two slushee runs today. And I’m not sorry.
Lesson 5: Accept help. We’ve been so blessed to have already been invited over to people’s homes for lunches and picnics and dinners. (SO blessed!) And while part of me feels guilty for letting so many people help me without being able to return their generosity in kind, when new friends cooked us salmon, steamed green beans, brown rice and fresh berries for dinner I nearly wept with relief. (As did my tied-up bowels. Don’t picture them weeping though. Seriously stop it. Gross.) It was SO good. Gratitude really is the best seasoning!
Lesson 6: Enjoy your food! Whether you’re on vacation or in between places or simply trying something new, food is an adventure. Have fun with it! While I was pondering about what my stripped-down food priorities say about me, I came across this article in Parade mag “What your favorite movie treat says about you.” In it they analyzed people’s fave movie treats with their scores on a personality test and came up with very admittedly pseudo-science-y but still fun results. I was mostly amused because I love self quizzes (duh!) and also because they nailed me! Here’s the Cliffs Notes version:
Junior Mints: Intellectual types who work with computers. Creative. A thinker.
Peanut M&Ms: Easy-going, level-headed and calm.
Low-Fat Popcorn: Imaginative, reflective and open to new experiences.
Raisinets: Charming, engaging and social.
Yogurt-covered Pretzels: Flirtatious, commitment-phobic, energetic – the life of the party
Weird self-serve bin candies: Immune to peer pressure, don’t care what others think
Sweets in general: Kinder, more likely to volunteer to help others
Nothing: Opines the author, “Those who avoid snacks tend to be controlling and have a functional relationship to food. They’re fearful of indulging too much, or losing self-control. (So don’t bother sharing your last Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup with them—they won’t enjoy it as much as you will anyway.)”
So I’m a Junior Mints girl all the way at the movies!! (Either that or I eat nothing, which, sadly, they nailed me there too. Curse you science!!)
Now I’m curious: What’s your fave movie theater food? Did they get you right on the list? What are your go-to foods when you’re in a place where you don’t have access to your normal eats/way of cooking??
P.S. A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who’ve taken the time over the past couple of weeks to give me sympathy, encouragement, kind e-mails, tolerating my whining and even gym recommendations! You guys are the best and I can’t tell you how much your support has meant to me and helped me! I don’t tell you all thank you nearly enough but you – yes you – have really helped me through this difficult transition and I’m so so grateful for you guys!
Bahaha. Perhaps (?) you’ll be happy to know that their science failed me miserably. I’d either choose Raisinettes (and I’m an introvert to the core), or Peanut M&Ms (and they must be mistaking my husband for me with the “easy-going” part).
Anyway, I can’t even imagine doing what you’re doing with a whole bunch of kids, to boot. We recently relocated abroad, and spent our first month in an extended-stay hotel. We had similar challenges, except we were only trying to prepare food for two AND we had a stove top, and several sharp-ish knives. Still, I kept finding myself coming up short, AND not wanting to buy a bunch of stuff we’d eventually have to move. And like I said, I was only feeding two mouths (or sometimes just myself), not a bunch of kiddos.
Hang in there – the end is coming. Gratefully accept the help, and IN GOOD TIME (aka, don’t feel obligated to bake 20 thank-you cakes the moment you have your own kitchen), you will repay – and pay forward – the generosity you’ve experienced. There are seasons to give, and seasons to receive. Take each in its time. You’re doing great!
THIS: “Still, I kept finding myself coming up short, AND not wanting to buy a bunch of stuff we’d eventually have to move.” Yes!! And thank you for the reminder to be patient with this “season” 🙂
OOH SEE? I had no idea. and I LOVE LOVE LOVE ME SOME RAISINETTES.
xo
No Trader Joe’s in your new city? They have some wonderful premade salads.
Actually no:( There are no TJ’s in Colordo AT ALL!! I checked their site though and there are two proposed stores for Denver and Boulder. No ETA yet though
I tend to me a no movie snack type of person. I justify it though by saying that typically I go out to dinner or lunch directly before the movies so I’m legitimately not wanting a snack (or in one case I was running late so I had my friends who were eating nearby order me some boneless wings so ‘dinner and a movie’ literally happened at the same time). If I do get a snack at the movies I go for the Kids Meal. At the theater by me that means a small drink (and by small I mean about 12 oz as opposed to the adult small which has to be about 32), about 2 cups of popcorn, and a packaged fruit snack! Can’t beat it!
I love those little kiddie trays!! And I love that your friends brought you wings:))
Mmmmm, chocolate covered raisins! I don’t buy them for probably obvious reasons. But yeah, I’m definitely not a social butterfly so silly pseudo-science. But yeah I’m normally the no snacks person and that definitely fits me too!
Good luck with the food! 2 years ago we moved cross country and drove us and our 2 cats for 5 days. Did you know when you can’t leave your cats in the car when it’s 100+ degrees you can only eat drive-through? I haven’t had fast food since. I thought I was going to die. So in comparison I think you’re doing rather well, all things considered! Just keep reminding yourself it’s only temporary.
I’d never considered the logistics of travelling with pets until we just did it and I totally feel your pain! I wanted to take the kids to see a famous monument here (before we were checked into the hotel) but when we arrived I couldn’t find any parking in the shade and I didn’t dare leave our cat in the car in the sun (eeek!) so instead I drove around the block like 5 times screaming at my kids to “LOOK AT ALL THE HISTORY” every time we passed it. Yep.
Hahahahahaha! Wow, thank you for the laugh this morning, I needed it 🙂 That’s amazing. Seriously.
It’s so true though! That was my husband’s 1st cross-country road trip and he saw nothing but I-40, poor guy.
Twizzlers at the movies (how did they not make it onto the list?)–I think they’re called Red vines in the U.S.
Haha – yeah, I don’t know how licorice didn’t make the list!! It’s delish! What does it say about you though… that you’re twisted?? 😉
Guess I am a creative thinker! I love junior mints.
Popcorn & sour candies.
Mmm… sour candies are the best!!
Junior mints! Totally creative and I work with computers!
But my second fave would be PB M&Ms…and if you told my husband I was calm and level-headed, he would laugh.
Yeah, my husband would too. (Not laugh at you – he’d laugh at me. Except I don’t like M&Ms. ANYHOW.)
I’m with Nicholle: Twizzlers (any version: bites, ropes, traditional, mmm) . Clearly this means we’re awesome 😉
Healthy food with a microwave: microwave eggs, healthy request soups, those steamed veggie bags that you poke with a fork and pop in, you can even make kale chips in the microwave , go wild! (I have made salmon in the microwave before, it was good but plan to leave the apartment/air it out after)
Hang in there, it will be so much easier soon!
Yeah we have been doing some of the steamer bags (and I try not to freak about microwaving in plastic – I mean a few times won’t kill me, right??) but I had no idea you could do kale chips in the micro!! I’ll have to try that!
When I travel, that is pretty much how I eat. Road trips – I stop at the grocery store and get precut veggies, salsa/hummus, and fruit. You can buy little vented plastic (BPA-free, even) bowls that steam veggies in the microwave. I use one at work and it works like a champ. Add some steamed veggies with some canned meat (I like crab, tuna, chicken – not ideal, no, but it works in a pinch) and some sauce and call it good.
As for your post yesterday abotu the gym, I don’t think it’s asking too much to have everything you want. You are giving them a lot of money, and you should be happy with it. But, also know that your gym in MN was BOMBER and will probably not be replicated elsewhere. It sounds like you have enough stuff to make a good home workout at least a few days a week and then you can maybe use the Y with childcare the other days? Or just save the money altogether and use it to pay a sitter for a couple hours a day? By the way – I got a Jungle Gym (the “generic” TRX) for only $90 and it is GREAT. Plus it is much easier to use outside on trees and stuff. Bonus for the kid factor.
I’ll have to look for one of those steamer bowls – sounds super handy!! And good to know about the Jungle Gym. I always wondered why the TRX was so pricey…
So I love yogurt covered pretzels but the only thing that sounds like me is the energetic part haha
So what does it say if I’m someone who smuggles in energy drinks and Twizzlers?
Maybe it means I’m a highly energetic guy with a twisted sense of morals.
Meh, I’ll accept that 😀
Hahahah – I love it!!
Peanut butter + pita bread. I can live on that combo for extended periods of time if I need to.
So I like to mix peanut M&M’S into my popcorn, and the descriptions of both pretty much fit. Also love me some Jordan almonds!
Mmm… Jordan Almonds! Now I have a craving…
Thank you! My husband thinks I’m weird because I love Jordan almonds. Nice to know it’s not just me.
For movies, though, it’s Junior Mints all the way.
We have totally different candy over here! Although I pretty much eat anything! You’re doing a great job with the move. Must be so tough with all those little ones. Will be so nice when you can settle in!
I have to disagree with you on the banana Laffy Taffy. I love the stuff, but that might be because I HATE real bananas.
My go-to movie candy is Reese’s Pieces.
I’m with Nicholle and Amando O, gotta go twizzlers. Even better is nibs. Do they still have those? Like mini pieces of twizzlers.
For on the road, I’m always hunting for eggs and salads to get protein and reasonable quality. Since I don’t have to travel all that much for work, I do look at the trip as an adventure and tend to enjoy a little more on the road, but swing by the hotel gym for some cardio to even it out.
Love the sandwich in the shower…
If you have Costco, check out their Indian curry pouches. They are shelf stable and heat up in the microwave in 2 minutes each. Not sure if kids would like them because they are spicy. That’s what I live on when I travel. If you can find an Indian grocery, they may have the curries in more varieties, but only some have enough protein. My favorite of all is Kadhi Pakodi, which are chickpea flour dumplings in yogurt, also one of the highest protein.
I also eat 50% reduced fat Cabot cheese because it doesn’t need refrigeration. Because it’s reduced fat, it has more protein and the oil doesn’t separate and get gross. It can stay out for 2 weeks without going bad. Not sure if they have it in the West, but Target’s reduced fat cheese that I discovered today may be similar.
Of course there’s always protein powder.
A favorite travel food memory for you: Once I ate a bag of frozen corn purchased from Target in downtown Minneapolis while walking down the Mississippi River in August. It was a good snack for a hot day. Good luck.
Pingback:It’s Moving Day! [Take a Tour of My New House and My Neuroses as we Unpack Our Baggage, Both Figurative and Literal!]
Good way of telling, and pleasant post to get facts about my presentation focus, which i
am going to deliver in school.
I for all time emailed thiss website post page to all
my contacts, bexause if like to red it after that my links wilpl too.