(Warning: This post contains disturbing close-up photos of my thumb.)
I went to visit my parents in July. My parents are lovely, sweet people who set out to feed me everything I love during the one week I spent with them.
It quickly became clear that I love a lot of crap. Here is a small sampling of the foods they loving purchased for me:
– Hotdogs
– Hamburgers
– Mountain Dew (notice I did not say DIET Mountain Dew)
– Red Wine
– White Wine
– Beer
– More Beer
– Tacos
– Steak
– Salami
– Mom’s Homemade Potato Salad
– Potato Chips
– Tortilla Chips
– Salsa
– Cheddar Cheese
– Beef Jerky
– Mini Snickers Bars
– Pizza
So. Wow.
Also, Mmmmmmmmm. Hotdogs and beer…. Droooooollllll….
Now, I am not going to pretend that my parents CONDONE my poor eating habits. But they wanted the week to be a treat for me, so they bit their tongues and loaded up on all these goodies.
And I am a loving, grateful daughter. So instead of saying something like, “ACK. I am already ridiculously overweight, there is no way I can eat this stuff as much as I want to!”
… I dutifully (and with great gusto, I might add) ate everything they bought for me.
By the way, if you haven’t had a bowl of my mother’s potato salad for breakfast, you truly haven’t lived.
ANYWAY.
When I got back home from this Festival of Gluttony, I vowed to my husband that I was going to change my behavior. Not only was I going to commit to eating smaller portion sizes (which is where MyPlate came in), I was going to start eating better foods.
Are you familiar with Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food, and his six-word mantra about eating?
“Eat food. Not too much. Mainly plants.”
In an article for the New York Times, Pollan says, “You’re much better off eating whole fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation to eat ‘food.’”
(I highly recommend you read the full article. It’s illuminating.)
An unabashed connoisseur of processed foods – shredded cheeses, low-fat yogurt, frozen pizza, all manner of Weight Watchers foods, 100 calorie packs, and diet soda – I decided to go cold turkey, cut out the processed, chemical-infused crap, and start eating food.
Except for the soda (sometimes nothing tastes better than a Diet Coke on a busy workday), I have been very good about sticking to this plan.
(Although on the occasions when I’ve strayed, I haven’t been too hard on myself. Because sometimes you have to eat a chicken “enchilada” on an airplane.)
But the plan hasn’t been so excited about sticking with me.
I’m looking at you, cheese.
For the past few years, I’ve turned to shredded cheese for all my cheesy needs. Sargento, Kraft, store brands… All yummy in my tummy.
But they contain lots of extra ingredients. I know the ingredients are mainly intended to keep the shreds of cheese from sticking together, but I am trying to stick to the “five ingredient” rule. So my husband and I have been buying regular old block cheese.
And the block cheese does not like me.
We have a big stand-up grater, which I use to grate the cheese into little shreds for pizza or tacos or what have you.
Every time I do it, I grate my thumb.
Every time.
The things we do in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, am I right?
Ha, I’m a bit slow.. every time I use our peeler, I lose part of a finger. I don’t know why.. but I have a suspicious feeling that my lefty fiance bought a lefty peeler – because I cannot figure out WHY I can’t just grate the darned carrots/potatoes? It’s crazy! Anyway, random comment to say I FEEL YOUR PAIN. (And also.. cheese.. yum.)
I hate grating cheese for the same reason!
Oh no! That looks very painful!
I stopped buying shredded cheese a few years ago due to the ingredient content, and the fact that it is actually cheaper to buy a block and shred your own. However, I NEVER try and grate it by hand. I’m afraid that I’ll do the same thing to my fingers! However, if you have a food processor you can use the grating attachment. It’s amazing how quickly it can shread a huge block of cheese!
If you don’t have one, I promise it’s totally worth it. Just use that thumb of yours as leverage!
I’m on the same quest to cut the processed crap, and my advice is not to beat yourself up when you trip and fall a little…. quitting cold turkey is tough! Also, I hate grating cheese. It takes too long!!
you’re taking the words right out of my mouth! i love to eat! its my problem! and 2 months ago i said i was going to do better… and i’ll lose couple lbs, gain, lose, gain…. but then i won’t be too hard on myself… BUT, really want to just lose… maybe i should be harder on myself. what you think?
btw, thumb looks painful. thanks for the warning. 🙂
T is the official cheese grater in my house since every time I do it, I grate myself too. It’s a nasty thing.
Good on ya for eating better!
Thank goodness I’m lactose intolerant…I’d totally be doing the same thing to my finger, too, if I had to grate cheese!
mmmm your menu at home sounds like it was delightful…I wouldn’t be resisting any of that food. At all. Potato salad for breakfast? Yum…makes me want some cold pizza for breakfast.
Sorry for your thumb 🙁 I’ve gotten better about it but if I’m in a hurry shredding ANYTHING it’s expected I cut myself somehow. You think I would learn to just take my time, but nooooo…I always think I’ll turn out victorious one of these times.
I’ve been trying to do a similar thing but…well.. natural ketchup? Sucks. I’m sorry, but it sucks. Also, as frustrated as you are with block cheese, I would kill for some cheese right now. I HATE BEING LACTOSE INTOLERANT.
I second the food processor recommendation. We have the small one and it’s so much better than hand grating. If I do have to hand grate, I have a system where the grater attaches to a tupperware container and lays flat. It’s MUCH easier to control.
I commend the diet change. That’s a great way to go. We’ve moved more in that direction, but haven’t gone all the way (still love the chips and chocolate). Do you have a Trader Joes near you? They have organic grated cheeses that don’t have as many extra ingredients.
This won’t help with finger grating, but I have this cool cheese grating tool from Sur la Table that I just love. It has different grater attachments that go on the top of a container, and it also has a regular lid so you can store any extra cheese. I’m obsessed. Here is a link if you want to check it out: http://www.surlatable.com/product/654764.do
Also, your list of foods your parents got you made me SO hungry for junk food on Monday morning!
Both Whole Foods and Central Market (HEB, the giant local discount grocer, owns CM, it’s like WF) sell shredded cheese by the pound that they shredded off the block. It’s still more expensive than shredding it yourself, but maybe you should invest if there’s a store around you that sells it that way? Poor little thumb!
Well, you enjoyed your week and now you are back! I too love a good hot dog (sssssshhhhh, it’s franken) but I really need/want to eat about 3 in order to feel satisfied SO no hot dogs for me. Block cheese is better and cheaper but I HATE the grater. When I do use cheese I end up just cutting it with a cheese knife into small blocks because it is so dumb. 😉
Too funny. 🙂 Sorry for your pain. Michael Pollan is great. Read the Omnivore’s Dilemma. Yay for cutting out processed foods!!
I also suggest the food processor method. But only if you’ve got a big hunk of cheese to grate. Otherwise you’ve got wash the freaking thing when you finish, and to grate cheese takes 5(?) separate parts. The one I have is dishwasher safe, though I am not able to take advantage of this because I don’t have a dishwasher.
Or you can ask your lovely husband to grate cheese. I often try to pawn off tasks I dislike to my significant other.
and GO YOU for making a lifestyle change!!
I would love to eat only non processed foods, but as I think about it, that would mean I would have to throw out everything in our fridge and pantry pretty much. That’s scary. But I’m glad you are keeping with it and I hope the thumb gets better and doesn’t revolt against you! hah
The best part about going to my parents house is eating ALL the crap I can… including everything you have listed on your list!! lol
how can we resist?
I always hurt my self when I am grating cheese too… what’s up with that?!
I hope you can stay on the “eat healthy” path. I have been saying it forever but I REALLY need to do that too!!
I buy block cheese for the same reason, and, thus, I have a similar relationship with my grater. I tell my husband it simply adds a little more iron to his meal. Well, that and a little more red coloring.
Yep, I’m on the same food program as you – eating “real” food, and not processed, factory-made stuff. Love me some Michael Pollan. However, I also excuse myself so that I may indulge in some Diet Coke with lime every once in awhile…or maybe every day. Whatever! I figure if that’s the worst I do, I’m doing pretty well.
Also, do you by chance have a food processor? I’m all about buying the blocks of cheese, and hated doing the manual shredded like you are, but then I recently figured out how to use the shredding plate with my food processor. I’m pretty sure I heard angels sing.
I always manage to hurt myself while cooking. I thought I was the only one!
Um, wait, shredded cheese has mystery ingredients? I HAD NO IDEA. I used to buy 2 percent shredded cheddar every single time I went to the supermarket. I haven’t bought it in a long time, though, so since I don’t miss it, I’ll just quit it completely as I also am trying to get rid of the processed stuff in my life.
I regularly grate my fingernail. It’s annoying and I’m starting to wonder how many nails I’ve accidentally fed my poor husband.
Dude. I’ve totally done that. I was attempting to make mac and cheese from scratch and I grated three of my knuckles pretty badly. I’ve since avoided the grater like the plaque. I’m sorry that happened to you! I know it’s painful!
I have been trying to incorporate a similar lifestyle change – I’ve been trying to shop the edges of the grocery store, where the proteins, fruits, veggies, milks and cheeses are. It’s going okay, but I’m definitely still purchasing some bad things. Diet Coke – definitely one of them. I wish more of the things you listed on your home eating list were found on the edge of the store. Particularly pizza and beer. 🙂
Sorry about your thumb. I think freshly grated cheese tastes so much better than the preshredded. And now you can get it in the 2% milk – I love that!
Cheese, all types of cheese. That is my weakness. Many a time I have grated my thumb while simply trying to treat myself to a well earned snack.
Oh well batter luck next time haha
Happy Tuesday!!
My hubby almost totally grated his finger the other day. Not good!