On the whole, my kitchen is stocked with unprocessed goods. If I haven’t gone to a farmer’s market that week, my first stop in the grocery store is the produce section; only after my basket is nearly unbearably weighted down with fresh foods do I venture further into the store for a few other staples.
Cooking and health are an inseparable pair for me – choosing to work with healthful ingredients is an important factor, but I also get a lot of joy out of combining them using assorted spices and methods. So, in the supermarket, I tend to ignore the shelves of jarred sauces, the endless bottles of dressings, and the powdered mixes designed to save us all time. While I understand the convenience, purchasing a pre-made sauce deprives me of the fun of preparing it myself. On top of that satisfaction, I receive two other bonuses: my grocery bill is lower, and I know that the ingredients in the meal are 100% wholesome. [The drawback: time consumption].
But clichés are cliché for a reason: there is an exception to every rule. For me, it comes down to cereal. Granola with just a touch of sweetness, chopped nuts and dried fruit, hints of spice. A wheat-y raisin bran, a box of nutty flakes, a crunchy package of mixed grains – the possibilities seem infinite. Cereal is by far my favorite addition to yogurt, and I eat yogurt every day.
Oddly, the fact that cereal comes in a box, unlike most of my groceries, doesn’t usually bother me. Of course, I’m not buying Lucky Charms. But as long as the grains are whole and the sugar isn’t outrageous, I tend to be a bit liberal with what I buy.
I know I could make my own granola [I have, and when I perfect the recipe, I'll share]. But just because I can make my own, doesn’t mean I always should. Sometimes, it’s ok to accept that we live in a modern, convenience-oriented society. My grocery cart is always full of unpackaged vegetables and bulk bin grains; so, sometimes it’s ok to purchase a box or two with a shelf life and an ingredient list.
Cereal is my exception and boxed food of choice. What’s yours?
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completely agree with you on the cereal. i love kashi, nature’s path, barbara’s — can’t live without it!
i also love blue corn tortilla chips and jarred salsa. i don’t see myself making tortilla chips anytime soon, so this processed good is gonna stick around in my kitchen for sure.
cereal as well. I think it’s my only vice :D
Now that I think about it, cereal is probably mine, too – I mean, I always get healthy cereals (organic granola, etc…) but I never bother to make my own.
I should say also that I am dangerous around cereal so I try not to buy it often. It’s not hard for me to accidentally eat half (or more) of a box in one mindless sitting.
Cereal is a good one. I don’t eat much of it these days, but I used to be super addicted. Well worth it though.
Definitely cereal! I also buy jarred pasta sauce because it’s such a time saver and you can find pretty unprocessed ones easily.
I completely agree. I have made my own granola, but I simply like the taste of store bought granolas, particularly the clumps (I loveeee that crunch) Making my own doesn’t achieve that. But I buy granola from bulk bins, which saves on packaging, and the ingredients are wholesome so why not?
Annie’s shells and white cheese. The shells are whole wheat, but that powdered white cheese is something else.
i totally agree. i like the cereals that are natural and whole ingredients. no hfcs.
as i could not live a day without puffins, i have to agree and say cereal is my boxed love. now that i think about it, i dont really buy a whole lot of packaged foods, save for tofu and veggie burgers….
I never really thought of it..but the only boxed thing I really buy is cereal or Annies Mac n cheese. I never buy boxed cookies or meals unless I’m crunched on time and can’t make my own. But I really do prefer to make my own food…especially baked goods since vegan opitions aren’t really available around me.
Maggie