Changing My Shopping Habits

I remember watching a presentation on PBS (you know all the cool kids watch PBS, right?) where author Michael Pollan was talking about his book, The Omnivore's Dilemma.  He talked about how bad processed food is and that when he goes to the grocery store he only shops the perimeter of the store because that is where the fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy are located.  I can remember that I thought it was a cool idea, but totally unrealistic.  How could you not have cereal, pasta, soda and Easy Mac (well, I could avoid that, but I know people that love it)?

Today, I am starting my third week of healthy eating and guess what!  I am shopping just the perimeter of the store.  I buy just vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy (Greek yogurt and cheese) and eggs.  Lots of eggs.  Today, I bought two dozen eggs for this week.  Now, you are probably thinking that I am going to drop dead of a heart attack in a day or two, but I eat primarily egg whites and very few yolks.  Last week, I made a dozen frittatas which contained 8 egg whites and two egg yolks and they served as my lunches at work.

I didn't think I could do it, but I can.  I can make healthy, filling and tasty meals without adding in a ton of processed food.  Instead of mayonnaise, I used a teaspoon of olive oil and two tablespoons of lemon juice to mix up my tuna salad. It tastes great!  One thing that this type of lifestyle is that it does require effort.  Hamburger Helper is easy, fast food is easy, but real food takes a bit more effort.  So how do I deal?

I meal plan on Saturday so I have a game plan for Sunday.  Then after church, I go to the grocery store with list in hand and buy everything I need for the week.  As a single gal, I can keep it down to around $70 a week.  Then I go home and the work begins.  I wash, chop and bag my veggies that will go in salads.  I cook or roast veggies and bag those for lunches and dinners.  Then I season and cook my meat.  This makes the rest of the week so much easier.  I have planned each of my days and I know what I need to eat and all I have to do is grab it and go.   It took more effort on Sunday, but it pays off later and helps prevent me from making "convenience decisions" when it comes to eating.