I was at one of those mega-market grocery stores the other night.
That night (and all during rationing) my cart contained basic staples like flour, sugar, butter, cheese, bread, a small amount of meat, beans, cereal, maybe a frozen or canned vegetable and seasonally appropriate fresh fruits and vegetables.
This seems very normal to me.
The person in line behind me the other night had three economy-sized packages of frozen burritos, frozen blueberry waffles (artificially flavored), frozen tater tots, several frozen dinner entrees, a few bags of chips and two flats of bottled water.
I have to admit I stared a little; I was simultaneously amazed at how different our two purchases were and by how little real food was piling up on the conveyor belt behind my purchase. I was very aware that a significant portion of the volume of their purchase consisted of artificial colors, artificial flavors, bulking agents, salt, high-fructose corn syrup and other quasi-food substances.
If that's what life after rationing looks like then I don't want to leave rationing.
--Rational Mama
When I started cooking for my husband, he ate primarily bachelor food (canned nacho cheese and chips, frozen pizzas, tuna fish). We began removing all processed foods and he had a bit of a hissy fit. So he got to keep his nacho glop and his frozen pizzas and eat them whenever he wanted. After 3 years, he now purchases them occasionally and they sit in the cupboard. When he eats them now he is rather nauseous and appalled at how they taste.
ReplyDeleteI think if I would have pushed it, he would have never come to this conclusion because he would feel I was taking something from him. I'd let a few things creep back, but only with the new understanding that they aren't really food. You might be amazed at what will happen.
However, my 6 year old just asked for a Totinos pizza for lunch. So, apparently it hasn't worked for the entire family :)
Well, the good thing is that life after rationing doesn't have to look like that. That "food" is just gross to those of us who choose to eat real food--and I think it sounds like you're in that boat. But, I too broke down and bought Oreos (the special red holiday ones) this weekend. I honestly can't remember the last time I bought Oreos, so I figured I'd give them a shot again--you know, for old time sake. HA HA HA!
ReplyDeleteTotinos has been mentioned a few times by the littlest members of your rationing family! We let in a processed food here and there... but I am always happy to pile up the fresh fruits and veggies. One thing that is obnoxious about that cart behind you is the amount of PACKAGING they are taking home, to put in the trash, to travel to a landfill. Lovely.
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