just imagine...

I went to the grocery store today. One of my least favorite tasks these days; I have to go with a very specific lists for these new recipes and I will inevitably forget something so I even write down "butter" and "milk" so I don't leave without these essentials. Here's the scoop: I spend about $15 more now on groceries (for just me) than I did pre-food allergies. Granted, food prices are going up, but a lot of people ask me about that and I realized that today. I used to always think meat was one of the most expensive things I bought before too, and I don't buy that anymore.

Anyway, here's the point of what I wanted to get at today: put yourself in my shoes. I know many people my age cook on the weekends and then have food to eat during the weekdays. I do this too. But so imagine...it's Wednesday, you just got home after a long day at work, and you open the refrigerator. No leftovers. You open the freezer and the cabinets: nothing to eat. Nothing quick. Everything takes at least twenty minutes if not more. Can you put something in to cook while showering? An option, but that'll just yield you some biscuits or something. How quickly can you shower if you want to set water on to boil for pasta...etc etc.

There are a few demons I fight daily with these allergies: I can't eat anything out of a box and a daily battle with nutrition. A bit back I wrote about poptarts and threw in a few references to FiberOne browies; they're one of the few pre-prepared foods I can eat (AND both have egg whites in them). I have cans of fruits and vegetables I can eat, but that's not a filling meal (nor is a package of poptarts). I love the baked potato soup recipe I just posted because I eat it and I feel full, a foreign feeling for me in the last few months.

Food occupies so much of my time. I will be finishing up dinner and seriously consider if I even ate ANY protein yet that day. Did I get some milk with my cereal? What about fats? Most people would never consider that they haven't eaten enough fat in their diet; the American diet has lots of fat and cholesterol in eat. Some cholesterol is essential, as are some fats. I often don't get them in my diet. I already add Ensure powder to smoothies to balance out other micronutrient deficiencies, but sometimes there are other gaping holes.

I've switched to eating Greek yogurt because it has more protein in it, though I don't particularly like it. I've stopped buying reduced fat items because I need that fat in my diet. I don't even concern myself with sodium like I used to; I don't eat anything that's from a box, just add water and thus has mega-grams of sodium in it.

I reassure myself that my diet is super-healthy, and it is if I do it right and take my vitamins. But the amount of time I spend thinking about food is really ridiculous.

And here's one last thought to occupy you, a question I frequently ask: have you read your food labels? It's not the apples and strawberries that I find myself avidly avoiding--it's the yeast, malt, rice flour. Even sesame oil pops up in weird places. Consider what is in your food and whether or not you really want to be consuming it.

But next time you come home from a long day at work and pop that lean cuisine in the microwave, remember your blessings. :)