GroceryQuest: A Mixed Bag

Yesterday I took steps to convert my kitchen to a non-cooking zone. I made my way to the grocery store, determined to find non-processed, labor-free food to fuel a healthier new lifestyle.

There were mixed results. There are foods nobody has messed with. Shelled almonds and pecans seemed less bad for me than popcorn with mysterious 'butter flavor' chemicals. Frozen vegetables are already chopped and nuke-ready. I added those to the cart.

Organic grass-fed burger meat was $8.99 for a 1-pound package. I guess the drought has made grass scarce, so the price of Bossy's diet is being passed on to consumers. I kept walking.

There were other affordable meats that would fit in the crock pot without fuss, so  I got those. Slow cooking is still cooking, and it creates a dirty dish, but you can ignore it for hours without consequences. and the meals-to-dirty-dish ratio (3:1) is pretty good.

The deli had pre-cooked ribs and the butcher had chicken cordon blah (it's kinda bland, but there's nothing weird in it). The produce section had chopped onions, mushrooms, and broccoli. So far, so good.

We were in a hurry, so I grabbed a few things based on their easy cooking instructions. There were meals-in-a-bag in the frozen vegetable section. One throws the whole bag in the microwave and that's it. No piercing, flipping, or stirring. Cool.

I also picked up a popular egg substitute, thinking it would be easier and maybe a bit healthier.

Back home, as I was putting things away, I read the ingredients of the 'healthy egg substitute.' Good heavens! It looked like a chemistry experiment from Hell. Alarmed, I turned to the vegetable meals. Sure enough, a big string of 8-syllable chemicals.

Imagine inventing such awesome packaging and then putting garbage in it. Why couldn't the ingredients read: "vegetables, brown rice (not genetically modified), olive oil, chicken broth, salt" ?

So the trip wasn't perfect. I need to keep looking for Perfect Packaging and Portioning Paired with Pristine, Palatable, Healthy Treats. I need to forward that message to food manufacturers... PPPPPHT!