The war on Take Out

The other night I made steak, salmon, sweet potato fries and green beans - all fresh (and on sale). Todd ate the steak. I had everything else. The boys went to bed hungry and complaining.

Whenever I ask "what would you like for dinner?" the answer is something like this

• McDonalds
• Pizza
• Taco Bell
• Chinese
• Can we go to the Diner?

UGH!!!! This mom has had it with food out of a bag or box. It isn't healthy OR cheap to eat like that. Dinner has been too "Convenient" lately and we've all gotten used to it.

I put a moratorium on junk food and take out. NO MORE! school snacks are fruit and veggies. I may even go back to hot lunch on Fridays only.

I may even reward them for good behavior (in a month) with a trip to the Diner.

The Ethanol Rant (I warned you!)

There is great debate among the experts (which I am NOT- I'm just opinionated) as to the "net energy" involved in Ethanol production. In other words, does making Ethanol use more energy than it produces. Don't believe me? look here.

Like I said, this isn't my area of expertise, BUT if the net production of energy is that close, then why debate it? more importantly, why use it?

It certainly isn't any more cost effective - even with the price of oil climbing (again). Well, maybe if you are the farmer it is...

Which brings me to my biggest bitch with Ethanol. Our farmers grow acre upon acre upon acre of corn that is completely inedible. With SO many people starving in this country and millions more around the world, wouldn't it make sense to grow food that we can actually eat? People are starving so that we can pay so much more for an inefficient fuel that we can't afford fresh produce... thanks...

How about we just level Iraq and take the oil? what the hell, the rest of the world is accusing us of doing it anyway....

What do you eat?

that is the first thing people ask when I tell them about our assorted food allergies. we eat a lot of things.. just not dairy, beef, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts or Cheerios...

.. but there is dairy and wheat in everything...

true enough.. read a few labels and you will be surprised at some of the things that contain dairy and wheat ingredients. BUT it is not in EVERYTHING!

sure, there are some things - like Sunbutter -that I need to go to Nature's Way for, but for the most part, I shop a a "normal" grocery store. I can get soy milk, yogurt and Cheese in the whole foods section.

Shop the perimeter

I can't remember who said it to me or if it was in reference to eating healthy or saving money, btu it applies to both. I dont' care what major supermarket you go in, BUT - you find your fresh produce at one end, then usually the deli ( you may need a little extra thought in your deli order to keep it helathy..) then your seafood and meats along the back. the dairy case, eggs and fresh OJ (I get the kind with Calcium and D added since I don't drink cow milk) then your fresh baked goods. then of course, I need to hit the paper goods and cleaning products aisles BUT I am trying to use more re-usable containers and I am shifting to more natural cleaners live vinegar and baking soda.. ones that won't kill me kid if he accidentally gets hold of them....

yes, I do get some stuff in the middle- cereal, some snacks/treats and Todd's diet soda (I do want to stay married... and I am considering the diet part a small victory at this point..) but the core of our diet comes from the perimeter - Fresh, whole, natural foods.

It takes to long to cook from scratch.

not really. chop things ahead. use a crock pot. stir fry! every fresh cooked meal doesn't have to be a Sunday-dinner roast! learn how to recycle left-overs into a new meal! my mom could feed us for a WEEK on one large roast chicken! you cna even make big meals on the w/e and freeze the extra for the week.