Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Kitchen Slack-off Plan


Okay, so I'm actually really embarrassed and pretty reluctant to write this post. But I'm going to write it anyway. Because right now, at this exact point in my journey, this is the advice I have to offer...

When push comes to shove and the thought of cooking brings tears and nausea, just slack off. I have an abundance of chicken breasts, ground turkey, sausage links, and all manner of veggies in my freezer right now. I can barely stand to look at them, let alone come up with a meal plan for preparing them. I'm in the first trimester of a pregnancy and, while I am blessed and thrilled and overall doing great, I am also tired and nauseous. No big surprise.

And so, when my husband got paid and my monthly grocery money rolled in, what did I do? I'll tell you...

I went through my coupons and pulled out all the ones for frozen meals and Hamburger Helper. For chicken patties and ready-to-bake pizzas. For soups and "rice and sauce"-type side dishes. And I hit the store.

As I rolled my cart through the check-out lane, my cheeks flamed a bit. I don't usually shop this way. I can usually take pride in my array of fresh produce, lean meats, and my giant bags of flour because I bake all my own breads. I sometimes glance at others' carts and wonder how they can pay so much for convenience...

But you know what? The teenage cashier didn't bat a lash. And I think my husband was kind of excited to see some of the types of things we used to eat in college. And, as I served my children Lender's bagels spread with peanut butter instead of Mommy's homemade this morning, they didn't notice.

But everyone's happier when Mommy's happy. Slacker or not.

For more tips, check out Kitchen Tip Tuesday!

6 comments:

FishMama said...

I am SO PROUD of you! ;) It's a season and it's what will best get "food" on the table this season. Sending cyber frozen dinners your way.....

Matt Pfingsten said...

And, hey. Whats wrong with a little Easy Mac once in a while?

My rule for grocery shopping: squint your eyes and look at your cart. If it looks mostly green, you're doin' great. If there are a lot of bright colors like reds and yellows, you are definitely paying for convenience.

My cart last week? Red and Yellow. I'm with you all the way.

SuzeQ said...

Congratulations!!!!!!! I have read your Birth story and it was soooooo amazing! Thank-you for sharing. Prayers for a 40 week baby this time. I was born in Indy myself and grew up in rural Muncie and am familiar with Riley Hospital they are an incredible group of folks there. Love your post and your blog!
Blessings to you,
Susan

Anonymous said...

I, too, was sick when pregnant. I shopped and ate the same way! Thank you for being open and reminding us that we are all doing the best we can (even when we don't think that what we're doing is The Best ;) Hope you feel better soon. Congrats!!

Trace said...

Awesome post! This is just the way it is sometimes! I figure everything in moderation is fine, you have to eat and sometimes life just takes over. And we shouldn't feel guilty for slacking off when that happens!

Heather Benza said...

This really doesn't count as slacking! I am in my first trimester and last week we ATE OUT 4 times because I could not bare to stand upright long enough to prepare even sandwiches!!! So I'm impressed with your stamina even while you slack off. :)