groceries – Page 2

First Family Trip

Over the Columbus Day weekend (yes, I’m that behind on things), we finally tested the waters and took our first overnight family trip with Mr. Hadley, now 15 months old. We took a trip to Massachusetts over the summer, but this was the first just-the-three-of-us “let’s see if we can have fun far away from home” trip. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say it was an 8…to 9…depending on how optimistic I’m feeling. 😉

The best part (and what made it, I thought, easier) was that we returned to Vermont — where we had our honeymoon and first anniversary trips. We stayed at the familiar Middlebury Inn. We walked around familiar Middlebury and drove the familiar roads that took us to familiar antiques shops. We stopped for a familiar romp around the Bennington Monument (although we’d never ran circles around the green before…thank you, toddler energy!).

But, it wasn’t a boring trip, by any means. Everything is so new through the eyes of a toddler, and the surreality of being places that we once casually spent hours eating at or were able to peruse without tiny, jutting hands grabbing things from shelves…it was kinda neat. And a little nerve-wracking. But, we accepted that this was how the trip would be, and we admittedly loved every minute of it.

Since it was Parents’ Weekend at Middlebury College, we could only book the Sunday into Monday (fine by us). We arrived in VT early after a pretty uneventful trip (hooray for naptime!), let the folks at the Inn know that we were early, then sauntered over to one of our favorite places on Earth: the Middlebury Co-Op. We’ve been there a few times and love it more each time. There’s cast-off (perfectly fine) soap from a local natural soap company that we stock up on (literally purchase pounds of the stuff in varying scents). Dave ogles the grind-it-yourself coffee. I love finding a vast selection of items I’ve only heard about online, often shouting with unabashed excitement to Dave two rows over. And, for it being one of his least favorite activities, Hadley did pretty well being carted through the aisles. (Key here: Constant motion.)

We purchased a lunch from the place (they have prepared food, too…woohoo!) at which time the antsy-pants took command, so we pretty much took turns watching him. Dave also walked the half-block to the car to store our treasures; Hadley made his acquaintance with several strangers sitting at the picnic tables outside the store, which made me realize that his social streak causes Dave and I to be far friendlier and more outgoing than we normally might be. Y’know, comparable to a puppy.

We then checked in for realsies, rode a “real live OLD SCHOOL elevator” with a teen to operate it, dropped off our stuff, (had the Pack ‘n Play delivered and set up since it had been forgotten; the only small glitch), and headed to the lobby for Dave’s favorite — afternoon tea.

They also have yummy pastries and cookies, so we loaded up a plate and brought our tea (and Hadley’s sippy cup o’ juice) to the “veranda” to watch the quaint traffic and enjoy a moment. Dave was in his glory, as my mother would say, and Hadley was a very good boy…since he was getting tastes of chocolate or lemon cookies, a huge treat.

Dave’s look during tea? Pensive. Pensive. And pensive. (He DOES enjoy it VERY much…believe me!)

We then went for a stroll around town. Unfortunately, since it was Sunday and heading for after 4, most of the stores were closed, but we still enjoyed our walk. I had hoped that Hadley would sleep for a little while in the stroller, to no avail. We then headed back to the Inn to get ready for our 5:30 reservation. Dave was already talking about the cheese plate, which we always order (for whatever reason). I was preparing myself mentally for a hadn’t-napped-sized meltdown from the munchkin.

I was pleased that our timing seemed to avoid any big rush (you never know when people will eat dinner, do you?) so that we’d be disturbing minimal guests with our noisy boy. He ate pouches, and tastes of my pork and the most delicious braised cabbage and whipped sweet potatoes I’d ever tasted. He ate cheese of his own while we feasted on our cheese plate (all goat this time, strangely; usually there’s at least one Cabot since the factory is on the outskirts of town). He played and hammered his hands and utensils on the table and caused a general ruckus, much to our disappointment, but the other guests seemed very forgiving and our hostess kept assuring us that he was very well-behaved and sweet and “nobody minds a bit, he’s so cute!”

We finally decided that, while dinner had been nice, it was time for Hadman to have a bath and get ready for bed (even if it was a bit earlier than usual), so Dave stayed to pay the bill (and get a couple of creme brulees to bring up to our room — I married a keeper, ladies!).

(Looked horrific dumped into a to-go container, but tasted lovely!)

We usually bathe Hadley in the kitchen sink, so this was his second tub experience. I let him play to his heart’s content, then run around the connected rooms (we had our own separate bedroom attached to a kind of living room, where his Pack ‘n Play was set up) before finally calming down, reading a book, and settling down for the night. Dave and I watched crappy cable and read magazines and books, and talked about how much we missed the cats. It was awesome.

The baby awoke far too early the next morning, but we weren’t ready to get up yet, so I brought him in the fluffy bed with us — where he immediately conked out. He has a weakness for comfy pillows, I suppose.

I got ready early and played with the munchkin (and got him ready) while Dave took a shower. We packed up and Dave loaded up the car while Hadley and I tore through the large lobby. (Okay, I didn’t tear through it, but he did…and I came tumbling after.) I finally realized there were a butt load of Morgan horse pictures (they were first bred here! And my niece’s name is Morgan, so what’s better than that?) adorning the walls, so we went from one to the next, pointing and “oofing.” (All animals say “oof”…or is that just what the cool kids are doing?) Daddy came back and we found a short line waiting for the Inn’s delicious breakfast — which made our nerves immediately spike.

With just two or three other tables of folks the night before, we were confident. With an entire dining room full this morning, we felt dead in the water. “Will. He. BEHAVE?!” we both silently wondered. Luckily, they were gracious enough to seat us at a HUGE table in the corner (near windows, though — we didn’t feel relegated to the dungeon) so Hadley could discover his table manners in relative privacy. The huge room, however, was eerily silent (what, were people whispering or just not talking to their spouses?! C’mon, can’t SOMEONE have a public spat??), so every little noise he made echoed. Eh, ya win some, ya lose some.

I had been dreaming of the couldn’t-be-more-perfect waffles for years (they’re the reason I bought a Belgian waffle maker…and still haven’t been able to find the “taste,” so quit trying), so I made a plate with extras for the munchkin of waffles, bacon (just a bit), eggs (which he loves), and some yogurt. Man, those waffles were as awesome as I remembered. We filled our stomachs and the baby let us know that he was ready to go. Off into the perfectly drizzly autumn day for some driving and antique stops.

We only stopped at two antique shops along the way — one run by a kind older man with a friendly pup who follows you around the store, and the other (Branford House Antiques) where we had befriended the owners and purchased a sidebar on our honeymoon. BOTH had “For Sale” signs plopped unapologetically on their front lawns. *pout* I suppose this is the end of an era.

Purchases were kept at a minimum: I grabbed a $10 wooden crate (wicked price, whether it’s an antique or not) and Dave bought an Art Deco lighter to adorn his office at work. Relatively cheap, and no regrets of over-purchasing. Win-win!

We DID over-buy at The Chocolate Barn in Shaftsbury. Maple candy, people! And handmade chocolates!! Great for gifts, and for a lil’ treat. Needless to say, ours were gone in under a week. I think that’s a new record.

And, finally, we stopped in Bennington. It was past our usual lunch by this point (we gave the baby an organic pouch at one stop, but he’s a ravenous lunatic when he hasn’t eaten…like his mama), so we were incredibly lucky to find a little cafe with awesome local food and drinks still open. A sandwich that was killed by how much spicy mustard it contained and more butternut squash soup for me (I’d had some at the Inn the night before that tasted like the best soup I’d ever had…ever), a grilled cheese sandwich for the monkey, and I can’t for the life of me remember what Dave got…maybe panini. Or something. Definitely coffee.
After our late lunch, we went to the Bennington Monument that we’ve been visiting since well before we got engaged and took some new pictures next to our buddies — a statue and a random plywood militia man. Hadley also socialized with anyone he could get close enough to and ran around like a fool. It was awesome.

Yeah. I know. Too awesome for words.

Here we have the last leg of our trip: a stop by Camelot Village (just outside Bennington). This is where things went a tad South. Hadley could’ve easily taken more outside energy-using activity, but instead we brought him into a huge venue full of breakable antiques. Stupid grown-ups. He wanted to touch EVERYTHING and started (predictably) whining and screaming when we picked him up. The stroller wouldn’t have fit through the aisles, either, so he was “on the loose” (I wish I had brought my Ergo, but I’m not sure he would’ve been contained). So, we went to the surrounding areas only to discover that things had changed (for the worse), finally deciding that I’d stay in the car with the monkey while Dave perused the antiques quickly. When he was done (and the baby was asleep), I took a quick walk through. Neither of us found anything worthwhile (or priced well enough to want), so we left empty-handed and happy to be heading home.

The rest of the trip took a couple of hours, so we got home in time to feed the annoyed, ravenous, yet strangely happy cats — it was clear that they had missed their boy, and it warms my heart to think of how affectionate they were when they saw us. They’re usually quite friendly little creatures, but the love that poured out for Hadley was just so darn evident.

While we headed back to work and normalcy the next day, I remain very glad that we took the leap into travel with our little man. We once made a list, while heading home from our honeymoon, of goals to maintain in our relationship and life. One that has stuck out stronger than any others was this: “When we one day have children, we will accept them into our lives, not completely change to suit the children.”

Of course, we knew that LIFE would change with a child (and we expected that when we wrote it), but what we meant — that we still wanted to have adventures, that we wanted to keep searching local, organic and healthier eating options, that we still wanted to go antiquing and history-hunting and the dozens of other things that we like to do — was ultimately that we want to share all those things with our young ones. We also want to acclimate them to a change in routine, the idea that the world does not revolve around their beautiful little noggins (well, the one noggin, for now – ha!), that certain behavior is expected in certain places, and, mostly, that there’s a great big world out there for them to discover, enjoy, and take advantage of.

And I think we’re on our way.

Reset Button

Since Dave started his wonderful new job in the world of PR (and, more recently, after having a health scare with Hadley), his perspective has changed…which means that our family perspective, too, has shifted. While I wish my schedule was more conducive to accommodating his new ideas, I’m generally ecstatic to see the changes.

His mind is far freer to explore the parts of life he had grown out-of-touch with. He’s able to put his time and energy into his writing, but also researching healthy living ideas (sometimes even happening upon articles or websites that I had showed him a year or two ago that he didn’t have the time or mental astuteness to look into), decor for his awesome new office, family activities, and more.

I’ve always loved my husband (obviously…well, maybe not obviously, but I’m saying it here — I’ve always loved my husband!), but I hate, hate, hated what his previous job did to him. I didn’t necessarily hate the job itself, but the fact that he was always beat, always on-call to fix problems or post to the web (or getting called in), always experiencing weird chest pains, always full of stress and anger and anxiety, rarely able to help out around the house (I tried my best to juggle cooking, cleaning, baby-bathing…his one joy of the day that I was glad for him to do was reading the baby his bedtime stories), rarely able to enjoy life…that, I hated.

But, with his new job, even if he tries to stay late, his co-workers will call him out and say that it’s time to go home. *clouds part, angels sing* There’s practically no way for him to over-work. It’s beyond lovely.

So, with this newly-freed mind, here are a few ideas that he has happened upon…

First Family Trip - image blogger-image-173171989 on https://megactsout.com

First Family Trip - image blogger-image-1781733224 on https://megactsout.com

First Family Trip - image blogger-image-1749187499 on https://megactsout.com

These are all part of one topic in our conversation. The Chipotle commercial to which we’re referring is this “Scarecrow” vid (which even has its own game app…yes, I downloaded it, although I simply lack the coordination to play games with a phone. It’s a fact.) which evokes almost every emotion a person can have. Don’t believe me? Check out this article. The guilt, anger and sadness is horrible…the ending, a little uplifting and inspiring that we can, possibly, make a difference in what we eat.

If only we had a Chipotle restaurant in our area. From there, we discussed other things that we can do since any chain restaurants (and a vast majority of the locally-owned ones) have deplorable ingredient sourcing practices. We also recently made the realization that the only places that are 24-hour around our joint are Wal-Mart (we don’t go there) and McDonald’s. When we needed a last-minute prescription for the baby, Dave had to drive 45 minutes away to finally get the stuff (all the local pharmacies closed EARLY…E-A-R-L-Y)!

The local eating website he shared was okay, but I still prefer localharvest.org (it’s easier to search, has more information, and is just cleaner-looking). That’s just how I feel. 🙂

So, what’s the take-away here? We’re going to work on eating better…TOGETHER. It’s not as much of an “I’ll go grocery shopping and try to figure this thing out on my own because my husband’s got more on his mind than bananas” situation (although there are crazy times of the week that I will head there on my own for a few of the essentials). Instead, he’s going to help…and even *gasp* cook from time to time. *clouds part, angels sing*

First Family Trip - image blogger-image-986193815 on https://megactsout.com

Yaaaay, score! We didn’t have much vacation-age going on over the summer since Dave was (all together now) leaving his job (and needed to give them numerous weeks, no vacation time to be used, to help out…worth it in the end, but the summer kinda sucked because of it for him). We usually take one Friday off to go visit Old Forge. They have an awesome farmers’ market, then we hang out by the lake and walk around town doing touristy things, then finally eat at “The Old Mill” (or some other place like that).

So, while we’ve officially missed that train for the year, knowing that we can head up north to take in the autumn scenery (the Adirondacks ROCK for that) and have a casual time of it (read: if the baby melts down, it won’t be in the middle of a nice restaurant or something) sounds like heaven to me.

(I’m also hoping that may be a gateway to finding some family-friendly hiking up north. *fingers crossed* Man, I hope the hubby’s reading.)

Needless to say, I’m very much enjoying this new job situation. 🙂

Grocery A GoGo

Grocery shopping has become streamlined in the ol’ Deli-cheese household. (And, no. We do not eat deli cheese. A student called me “Mrs. Delicheese” as a mispronunciation and I’ve loved it ever since.) Mind you, this doesn’t always mean cheaper, but compared to our old days, the food we’re stuffing our faces with are, on average, a heck of a lot healthier.

So, I thought I’d put together a few of the tips that I use that have made grocery shopping easier in this world of gluten-free/non-GMO/free range/non-dairy blah-dee-blah.

– Tip #1: Look for this awesome little logo on products if you’re looking for a non-GMO certification.

First Family Trip - image 72b6c-nongmo on https://megactsout.com

It means that not only does this company not use GMOs, but they funded the project to fight GMO legislation. It’s also neat to see the companies that have pumped thousands and millions of their own funds INTO the legislation. See, even when something says “organic”, it doesn’t always mean that the product is free of GMOs — especially if it contains corn (one of the most highly modified products out there!). So, when I look at the cereal aisle in the “Organic & Natural” area of Hannaford, it reduces the selection by 75%. Makes it a heck of a lot easier. By the way, our favorites are Nature’s Path Organic Heritage Flakes (kinda like Wheaties) and Corn Flakes (non-GMO corn AND under 5 ingredients!), as well as their granola bars. Sure, I could make these, but I just don’t have time these days. (By the way, although Kashi is now working to get GMOs out of some of their products, I’m wary until I see a 100% change.)

– Tip #2: Bring a list of the dirty dozen/clean fifteen (or an app on your phone) along with you. It’s handy to know which fruits ‘n veggies you can buy on sale or cheaper as non-organic and which to skip over for the expensive stuff.

See, I’d stock up on nothing but fruits ‘n veggies if my budget allowed, but we also need quick meals (like pasta with sauce…which we have at least once a week…and you can’t have sauce without parmesan). So, I always grab organic apples and bananas (and sometimes pears) to put in our lunches, and organic lettuces, carrots, celery — I know they’re some of the dirtier items, so I buy them organic.

Others that we use ALL THE TIME, like sweet potatoes and onions, aren’t as pesticide-laden, so we buy those in bulk on the cheap (and sometimes at Aldi where most things are cheaper). When asparagus is on sale, we grab that (non-organic) since it’s on the Clean Fifteen and you can do SO MUCH with it.

Otherwise, when farmers’ market season rolls around, we have found that a lot of farmers use organic practices but don’t pay the MAJOR CHUNK OF CHANGE to become certified, so we reap the benefit of asking. Although, it’s hard to avoid sweet corn from a farm stand even if you’re not sure about its GMO or pesticide upbringing.

– Tip #3: Marketing is a tricky thing. Take, for instance, the story of an egg…

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/v2vyU-hilrY&source=uds

So, whenever possible, we purchase pastured eggs. How long this term will be unsullied remains to be seen. But, for now, I feel good about our egg choice. And we’ve been using a lot of eggs since becoming part-time vegetarians.

We’ve also been raised to think that because something is lower-fat, it’s better for us. Not always true. So, with our attempts at getting a more “real” diet (one closer to our ancestors who lived a hundred years ago), we’re trying to ease into drinking more whole milk. It’s a transition, and I’m still purchasing 1% from time to time, but we’re gettin’ there. We’ve also made a switch (90% of the time) to Stonyfield’s organic whole milk vanilla yogurt. No more Greek, (okay, I sneak the OCCASIONAL Chobani) since it’s always made to be 0 or 2% fat.

It makes us think a heck of a lot more about what we buy before we buy it. Not everything in our house is organic. For example, our Paul Newman pizzas aren’t, but there’s a trade-off that we agree with their fundraising practices. (I’d like to make more homemade pizzas, though.) Regardless, we’ve had a tough time finding veggie burgers that a) don’t taste like grass and b) don’t have GMOs. Just because something’s labeled “all natural” or touted as a “health food”, use your own judgment and choose what’s right for you and yours.

– Tip #4: Budget for the long haul. For us, this works. I plan on spending a certain amount every two weeks rather than going for a handful of items every week (or several times a week). Because if we do the latter, we inevitably end up getting way more than we planned to get. You know, you just have four things…four simple items on your list. Then, you end up leaving with a full cart and wonder, as you stand in line staring at it, how. The. Hell. That. Happened?!

SIDE NOTE: The look on my mom’s face when she saw us buying one of our “hauls” lately…priceless. Yeah, we’re usually pretty closeted about our organic purchases, mostly because of that inescapable argument that it’s SOOO much more expensive. (It really costs us the same exact amount as it did back in the day when I used to go to Walmart; I used to shamelessly grab impulse items. New sweatpants with my Lean Cuisine (I seriously used to eat that crap!)? Don’t mind if I do.)

So, yeah. Buy two breads, put one in freezer. Buy organic milk — it lasts longer. (And, of course, for the obvious reason. Duh.) Double- and triple-check expiration dates. Plan on lots of salads for a week, week and a half…then make the husband deal with cooked veggies and the like. (Since he’s the one who’s more apt to cry over a lack of lettuce than am I. I’m a tough broad, after all.) If you notice produce starting to spoil, freeze it — ie clean and chop your asparagus or broccoli, steam or par-boil it briefly, cool it down and throw it in a baggie for the freezer. Done and done.

What about you guys? Got any awesome grocery tips? Do you prefer a once-a-week trip or do you push it as long as you can? Do tell!

Why I’m Not a Vegetarian

I’ve read a couple of articles and blog posts about vegetarianism lately, which got my juices flowing (ew. Visual.) and my thoughts drifting back to our eating habits. I’ve talked about my thought process on this before, from flexitarianism to partaking in Meatless Monday (and a follow-up) to my first ever post about our thoughts on Food, Inc.

Our hearts are torn. We’re passionate animal lovers. We live in a relatively rural area with tons of active hunters, and we’re not altogether crazy about it. Our area’s biggest job provider is a gun factory. (Let’s just say the governor’s abrupt push-through gun control act has plenty of folks up in arms…pardon the pun…around our surrounding towns.) Yet, I’m in favor of gun control insomuch as semi-automatics are simply unnecessary for any non-military purpose and the concept that our forefathers were dealing with muskets when they worked on the Constitution seems telling. So, sure, I’m a bit of a hippie.

So, why am I still a dang meat eater?

I don’t crave it. I don’t demand I eat it with every meal. I’m not “carnivorous.” But, I am stubborn. And a tad lazy.

One thing I’ve learned about myself, especially thanks to the awesome self-analysis offered by doing this blog, is that I can only change if it’s gradual. I’m not able to maintain a gung-ho, all-at-once life change, especially if it’s one that involves an immense learning curve and lots o’ planning. Exhibit A. Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.

I gave up coffee while pregnant (and still abstain), but I wasn’t addicted beforehand. Not that I’m addicted to meat, but it’s definitely a lifestyle. Definitely.

I’m Irish-American. We were raised with meat ‘n potatoes. The only time we didn’t have meat at the dinner table was Friday during Lent or when we’d have the rare pancake for dinner (although sometimes we’d have bacon…sometimes not). It was practically taboo NOT to have meat on our plates. Spaghetti must contain its accompanying meatballs, after all.

Not that it was a bad way to grow up. However, as we’ve learned more about the state of slaughterhouses and the food system in America, it’s difficult to eat without considering not only where the food started (and how it was treated), but what it might be doing to our bodies. As it is, I can no longer eat Taco Bell or McDonald’s without getting sick in some way.

The meat we do consume is, at its very basic, not given hormones and hopefully humanely treated. My number one priority, above it being organic, is how it was treated. If I had my way, all of our meat and poultry would be grassfed (not given a “vegetarian diet” which could include genetically-modified corn), lovingly cared for, humanely killed, and organic. It seems an easier feat to achieve in Europe (even with its Mad Cow and what not) than America, which is insane. Oh, and don’t get me started on seafood; that’s impossible to track and it’s a challenge to find anything to feed the family. A Mediterranean diet is harder to grasp than you’d think.

So, it stands; we’re omnivores. We eat less meat than most, but I still feel like a slave to my routine. I’d love to find still more *simple* vegetarian recipes to try to push out my meat-based meals. (And not the hippie kinds. Ones that I can give to the hubs without him thinking a second thought. Ones that blend in with our relatively traditional usual fare.) I’d also hate to be that daughter or DIL who throws a wrench into the works at family gatherings and stuff.

I don’t foresee this always being the way. After all; we’ve got a kid. And, if I know kids, and if he’s anything like this, he’ll be a motivator. If he takes after us, he’ll be an animal lover, too (he’s already nuts about his kitties and the doggies he gets to see at his grandma/sitter’s everyday). I can just see the day when he makes the correlation between what we’re eating…and the fact that it once moved.

Why is it that I can see changing for him, but in the meantime feel like it’s too daunting a task? The things we do for those adorable dimples. Maybe we should start our “slow and steady” race sooner rather than later. Oh, and if we ever take this route, I foresee practicing lacto-ovo vegetarianism — one that involves consuming eggs, milk and honey (as long as they’re collected humanely…not sure if there’s a honey standard, LOL) but no meat, poultry or seafood.

Baby steps, though. Hadley-sized steps.

Love for Paul Newman

Gotta love a guy named “Paul.” Seriously, some of the greatest guys in history (or at least the 21st century) have been “Paul”Ps. Paul McCartney (arguably the best Beatle…clearly I’m biased after literally bumping into him in NYC a few years back). Paul Simon. Paul Newman. Seriously, it’s a sad thing “Paul” is off our baby-naming list, but we’ve both gotta like the name. *shrugs*

We appreciate Paul Newman less for his acting skills (although I love those piercing blue eyes…and Cool Hand Luke? Love it. NOBODY can eat 50 eggs. Ha.) and more for the charity work his company, Newman’s Own, still does, even after his death in 2008. Truthfully, what we appreciate the most is the fact that many of their products are all natural (and some even organic), so when I’m making my grocery buying decisions, I consider health (including a deep look at the ingredients and nutritional facts, when it’s a prepared food – we try to keep it low-fat/low-cholesterol/low-sodium when possible) and value, but when a Paul Newman product costs a tad more, I may still opt for it.

For example, two of our always-have-on-hand food staples (y’know, for those nights when Mama just ain’t up for cookin’…which can be often lately) are the Newman’s Own brand. The first is his jarred tomato sauce. I know, I know, I could make my own and freeze it and blah dee blah blah…but when his organic marinara hits our taste buds just fine (mind you, I do kick it up a bit with my own “method”…which I’ve tried to teach Dave in the event that our kids get a taste for it and something ever happens to me…I’m not morbid, I’m Irish) and save me a buttload of time, I’m all in. The occasional coupon helps on the “value” front, too.

The other food staple that I like to keep in the fridge is one or two of the Paul Newman frozen pizzas. The pizzas are a traditional “frozen pizza-esque” thin crust, but the ingredients are thoughtful. The pepperoni is uncured and nitrate free (except that which occurs naturally), so I feel okay about eating some once in awhile during my pregnancy. While I’m itching to try their supreme, I know Dave’s not a fan, so we pretty much stick with the four-cheese or pepperoni. I did recently pick up the buffalo chicken style since it’s one of my man’s favorite flavors. Update: We tried this last night. Dave loved it. Me…not s’much. There was some heat to it (which I’m not a huge fan of), but not a lot of flavor for my taste. Maybe this means I get to try “supreme” someday as payback. 😉 Just kidding; we try to keep things fair here, especially food-wise. But, yeah, if you’re into buffalo chicken, you may like it.
Another awesome thing about the pizza? Once in awhile, you’ll find a coupon on the back of the package – usually for ANY Newman’s Own product (strangely, not pizzas, though). Dave usually looks for those boxes first. Gotta love a man who’s into a bargain.

That being said, these ain’t cheap. At least, at Hannaford, they’re just shy of $6. We can occasionally get them with a coupon for close to $5. Honestly, I look at it this way – it’s still cheaper than buying a pizza from a local pizza joint (and easier…and faster). Plus, knowing the charity factor involved, I feel better about the price, too.

So, if you haven’t tried any Newman’s Own stuff, go ahead! They try hard to keep the ingredients as-good-as-pre-packaged-food-can-be-for-you. Or, if you’re not in the mood to try their stuff, just watch Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Either way…can’t go wrong with a “Paul.”

Gotta Love Paul Newman

Aldi’s is All That

Yes, I totally said “All That”. And, yes, that was a Nickelodeon show back in the day. Sorry, I clearly didn’t focus on coming up with an awesome title – I just had to share an awesome grocery shopping experience I had at Aldi’s tonight. Unfortunately, it didn’t involve any organic food items. It DID include all-natural food, though. Add that to the fact that we got all this for $36.11 and call me a happy lady:

Sorry for the shoddy cell phone picture. Here’s an itemized rundown of what that small chunk o’ change got us:

– Fresh asparagus
– Baby carrots
– Roma tomatoes
– Fresh salsa
– Strawberries
– Green Grapes
– Variety pack of onions (sweet, white, and red)
– Variety pack of peppers (yellow, red, and orange)
– Lemons
– Limes
– 3-pack of Romaine hearts
– Broccoli crowns
– Frozen peas
– Frozen edamame
– Frozen fine green beans
– Irish cheese (since I can’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the way I’d LIKE to this year ;-))
– Shredded parmesan cheese ($1.99 compared to Hannaford’s $7 tiny wedge)
– Sweet potato chips
– Pita chips
– Croutons (in case you weren’t aware of Dave’s addiction to salad)
(And non-food related…)
– Baking soda (less for cooking, more for hair)

– ONE roll of paper towels (69 cents! We usually purchase an eco-friendly roll or two as needed from Hannaford, but we were out and I couldn’t turn down that price)

While the meat at Aldi’s is far from grass-fed or well-treated, I do like to look over the seafood sustainability. While they had some salmon that was wild caught, it happened to be caught near China…just didn’t sound right. I was shocked to find that the made-from-minced-fish fish sticks actually had a sustainability guarantee AND listed exactly where the fish were raised, how they were caught, and WHAT the type of fish was. Too bad we’re not big fish stick people around here; or, at least, my hubby isn’t. It could be a possibility for Fridays with kiddies, though.

I was also surprised at how many items DIDN’T have high fructose corn syrup in them — including breads (which are VERY hard to find at Hannaford). Unfortunately, all their yogurt options had some form of corn syrup (yuck?!), so we didn’t go there.

The prices on the fruits and veggies I bought were CRAZY! The asparagus was a bit thin (which I see as “tender” rather than the woody, tree-like ones that are sometimes sold), but a pound cost $1.89. The baby carrots were $.89. A pack of numerous Roma tomatoes was $1.69. Strawberries (I believe 2 lbs!) for $1.89?! Grapes (another huge container) for even less?! Compared to our trips to Hannaford (which, admittedly, at least has organic options), it’s nice to go for an occasional stock-up that doesn’t leave you completely depressed — financially AND emotionally.

Oh, and all the chippies that I got are all-natural (and usually include 3 ingredients). The salt is sea salt. See? More and more impressed by what Aldi’s is doing to reach out to conscientious customers. Suh-weet!

Now, the goal is to NOT allow myself to waste all this good food. My biggest challenge, I think, is that I don’t plan meals around the foods that I purchase, so gorgeous food goes to waste. It’s a mortal sin, as far as I’m concerned, and makes me feel terrible when I have to throw anything out. Atop that, I feel worse when I know we’ve spent more (at the farmers’ market or Hannaford) – which is totally worth it, knowing the importance of organic. But, the occasional budget-friendly trip to Aldi’s definitely helps with the ol’ grocery funds.

So, I’m off to figure out tonight’s dinner and map out some other menus for the upcoming week or so. How do you eat healthy on a budget? Do tell!

Aldi’s Is All That

Sorry for the shoddy cell phone picture. Here’s an itemized rundown of what that small chunk o’ change got us:

– ONE roll of paper towels (69 cents! We usually purchase an eco-friendly roll or two as needed from Hannaford, but we were out and I couldn’t turn down that price)

So, I’m off to figure out tonight’s dinner and map out some other menus for the upcoming week or so. How do you eat healthy on a budget? Do tell!

That’s My Husband

So, let me just begin by saying that Dave not only gave me permission to write this entry, but he encouraged it. I wouldn’t have thought to share such a story with you myself, but since he was so, shall we say, ashamed by his actions, that he preempted his confession by outright telling me to write this anecdote. (Feel free to comment your 2 cents, my dear!) I wouldn’t go out of my way to embarrass my husband, truly. That’s not how we roll.

Swordfish? Salmon I can work with, but swordfish?
From topspanishtapas.com

That being said, Dave offered to go to Hannaford for a few “start of the week” items to get us through until the next big haul. I jumped at the chance to not only have groceries purchased but dinner ready by the time he returned — sounded like a win-win to me! And, I suppose it was. I only got one text from him while he shopped. Not too shabby!

Upon his return, a sheepish yet smiling Dave first told me the above (that I’m allowed to write what’s next on the blog). He then told me that he overspent. Mind you, I sent him with a list of 4, maaaayyybe 5 items – including milk, bread, jelly and peanut butter. He knew that it’d be fine to check out the meat if he thought it was well-priced and looked healthy enough.

Of course, I asked to see the receipt. Giggling, Dave denied me. So, I simply asked how much he’d overspent by. The exact number I do not recall — perhaps due to my shock — but “over $50” total rings a bell.

In complete shock (no better word to describe it, sorry to be repetitive), I requested to know WHAT he’d bought for over $50 when the list I’d sent him with could be counted on one hand. Of course, the PB and J were organic…as was the milk…the bread was Heidelberg (a local AWESOME bakery that sells some stuff at local grocery stores)…but $50?! Apparently, it turns out, he visited the fish counter.

Now, we very infrequently purchase fish. When we do, maaaaannnn do we look it over a million times to be certain (as certain as one CAN without catching the stuff yourself) that it’s raised humanely and not in cesspools. Apparently, the seafood looked good to Dave on this particular day. I also presume he blacked out between looking at the seafood and the checkout line because he suddenly realized how much he was spending, also realizing that it’s near impossible to return fish. Ew. Used fish.

Let’s just say…I’ve never cooked swordfish before, but it seems that the hubs has some great confidence in his wife. “You can cook anything!” he joyfully said. Mhmm. Maybe so. But, maybe I never wanted to cook swordfish. Kind of like I never intend on cooking with lobster or caviar. It’s a lot of pressure to cook something that costs so much.

But, of course, I’ll try. I’ll have to! Can’t let it go to waste. I’ve already made his favorite scallops provencal (a Barefoot Contessa recipe) — which uses those up. I’ve still got salmon and swordfish to use up. I’m hoping that we can break out the grill for the process. Besides, Dave’s my grill king — he can take some of the must-be-goldfish-to-be-that-expensive (get it? Gold? Fish? Ha.) pressure off my shoulders and we can share the admittedly funny experience…then gladly bury it with nothing to remember it but this blog entry.

BTW, tomorrow will mark 6 months exactly that we have been a married couple. I can’t tell if I should say “Whoa, that was fast” or “Man, it felt longer” but, either way, we’re still chugging along and ain’t lookin’ back.

Two Versions of Shopping

Last Sunday, my wonderful husband and I did something we don’t get to do together very often; we went grocery shopping. It was one of those down-to-bare-bones sort of trips. Our dinner the previous night was Dave’s very ingenious use of practically every already-opened bag of frozen veggies in the freezer prepared on the grill pan (there was, strangely enough, some smokiness added) and a balsamic and wine reduction to drizzle on top.

It really was inexplicably tasty. I wondered if part of the reason for its deliciousness was thanks to hubby’s practical “use what we have” thinking and absolutely infectious can-do attitude. Whatever it was, it made me want to try to use up the rest of the crap in our cupboards and fridge, much like John and Sherry over at Young House Love the weeks before they moved. But, alas, thinking of the school week ahead and crazy evening schedules starting, we were out of our all natural turkey and a plethora of other items. So, schlep to Hannaford we did.

And, y’know, it was as fun as a really good first date. We worked and talked about what we really needed. We discussed whether Campbell’s pretty-much-all-natural Homestyle soup was better than Wolfgang Puck’s organic stuff, and whether it mattered. We looked at dressings and quickly decided to put them down again — I could make this at home, and cheaper, and all natural in the process. We got exactly what we needed, and nothing that we didn’t. (I do “allow” that we can add up to 5 non-list items, just in case of sale or “gaaaaahhhh I must have that” syndrome, but we did pretty well this time as far as the 5 was concerned.)

Here’s how we did (toilet paper and all):

As you can see, we’re still doing well with our all natural/organic quest. If it’s not organic, at least it’s all natural (and no HFCS, thankyouverymuch). You may notice the word “Goya” a few times. Now, I wasn’t raised to be a beans girl, but knowing that Dave’s now interested in eating more vegetarian meals, and just that he’s verbalized that means that I need to grab it and RUN WITH IT! So, I’m looking for ways to incorporate beans more. And not be intimidated by making them the center of a meal.

Carmelized hazelnuts for salads – or snacks – or dessert. Two homemade salad dressings (my own thousand islands!!!). The Barefoot Contessa’s scallops provencal planned for dinner. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon when we got home.

Then, Saturday, we decided to schlep out to Cooperstown for their occasional winter farmers’ market. While it was a little chilly (it’s inside, but in an unheated building that they have to try to blow warm air into), I think it was one of the most enjoyable farmers’ market experiences we’d had.

Sure, the cool British guy with awesome coffee and true, homemade scones wasn’t there, but it was so much less pressured than usual. During the summer, it’s gorgeous out and there’s such an incredible variety of produce, but everyone’s thinking the same thing: “What a nice day to go to the farmers’ market” or “Gotta do my weekly shopping.” So, you get lots of Cooperstown locals (which, admittedly, is a dream of ours to become, if life could follow that direction), tourists, and folks from 50 miles in any direction. Lots. Of. People. It can get brutal if you’re not in the right mood to wait or put up with a crowd — one reason we don’t go weekly during the summer (plus, our own garden and the cost of the drive).

So, anyhoo, this visit was great. We not only were able to actually look at every vendor, compare prices, pick what we needed, and get out pretty darn fast. We had time to hunt down a cafe and enjoy a local-eggs-and-sausage breakfast sandwich before our regular town walk (although, admittedly, it was fuh-reezing). We ended up picking up some raw milk cheddar that had been soaked in hard cider, maple syrup, some whole wheat/potato bread, and our produce – gorgeous carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, shallots, leeks…

First Family Trip - image bunch-of-carrots on https://megactsout.com

Do you think it’s strange that I get so excited over carrots…and, especially, parsnips? I ended up roasting some parsnips, carrots, a potato and shallots with some seasoning for 30 minutes or so and, holy cow, it was aaaaaawesome. Pair that with some all-natural chicken thighs stuffed with Vermont goat cheese (picked up during the honeymoon) and some salad with homemade dressing and, dang, were we happy! I do have to admit that this whole eating natural and organic thing has turned me into a much more adventurous cook. At times, it seems expensive (although, yesterday, every vegetable we got was $1 per pound, vs. $2-4 for others at the market), but when I think about how much a meal like this would’ve been in a restaurant (especially if it was locally-grown or organic), it would cost, conservatively, twice as much.

So, can we get a hallelujah for two weekends in a row that consist of a food AND relationship focus? Love it!