10 Foods I’ve Stopped Buying ~ and I’d love to know, what’s on your no-buy list?
#1 ice cream
In fact I don’t even go down the frozen dessert aisle anymore, and when I have to, I literally avert my eyes (if I catch sight of those flavors, I’m a goner.) If it’s not in my freezer I’m not tempted to eat it, and if I’m really craving it I can make a pretty darned good homemade ice cream when the occasion calls for it.
#2 cold cuts
I grew up on cold cuts from the corner deli and I appreciate all they have to offer…roast turkey with coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye?…Heaven! Extra thin sliced Genoa salami? So good. But I’ve learned that they’re ticking time bombs, and I don’t want them in my body.
#3 bean sprouts
This one kills me. I adore sprouts, I’ve been using them since I started out on my own after college, a cheddar and sprout omelette was one of the first things I learned to make for myself. Sprouts are the perfect finishing touch in so many dishes, and I love to pile them on sandwiches, but it turns out they’re especially susceptible to bacteria that causes food poisoning. Even sprouting your own doesn’t solve the problem entirely, so sad.
#4 bagged greens
Even when I annoy the produce managers and methodically rifle through the whole row to find the most recent sell-by date, it doesn’t always guarantee me a fresh bag. It finally dawned on me that using a sturdy salad spinner isn’t that difficult, and the greens are so fresh and crisp.
#5 dairy milk
I’ve made the switch to plant based milks and I’m not turning back. Unless I need it for a recipe I don’t need to buy the ubiquitous quart of milk anymore. I make my own nut and oat milks as I need them, the Vitamix makes it so quick and easy, and I don’t miss that sour milk smell one bit.
#6 baby carrots
They’re yucky, period. They get slimy, and they are’t even real babies, they’re shaved down big carrots! Instead I cut up ‘grown up’ veggies and stash them in the fridge for snacking…much better.
#7 Nutella
I can’t even. I love it too much. And it’s not good for me. Unless I need it for a blog recipe 😉
#8 English muffins
For so long English muffins were my go to breakfast, but after a while I realized I was burning right through them and almost always ravenous before lunch. The latest breaking health news this month calls out the benefits of whole grains and high fiber for longevity and disease prevention ~ I’m going to go back to my favorite rustic whole grain breads, oatmeal, and bran muffins.
#9 fruit juice
I stopped buying juice long ago but clearly lots of others still do because there is so much real estate devoted to it at the supermarket. No added sugar doesn’t mean much since it’s naturally loaded with the stuff, not to mention plenty of calories, too. I’m better off grabbing a tangerine.
#10 salad dressing
Commercial salad dressing just doesn’t earn its spot in my (very small) refrigerator. Why would I buy it when I can get such creative results with my own collection of oils and vinegars?
Broth…I keep a supply of homemade in the freezer!
A very similar list to yours, plus: soda, salty snacks (chips) and sugar-laden yogurt. I purchase greek no-fat instead and add fruit. Oh – and any commercially prepared baked goods…the road to wellville is a long one!
…and a winding one 🙂 I veer off the path all the time.
Sue, Interesting post. I truly enjoy your site/blog . Would you say that the hazards pertain to COOKED mung bean sprouts also? ( often used in Asian dishes)
Congratulation on an interesting site.
Hey Nancy ~ yes, you can cook sprouts and that will do the trick, my only issue is that I don’t like the texture, and most instances where I want to use sprouts they’re raw. But definitely mung sprouts in Asian dishes etc are fine.
good list!
I haven’t yet read the comments but I’m adding ketchup which so many consider a vegetable I think 😀
I doubt I’ll ever give up a thin squeeze of Ranch dressing when I have a salad.
question! I made the best best mushroom soup the other day and it had cream in it. I guess there just wouldn’t be a way to get that rich of flavor from a non-dairy, would there?
Ketchup, I can’t give that up 🙂 Ranch I make myself, and as for the soup, I definitely make exceptions when I have a recipe that calls for dairy. Some might suggest a thick creamy cashew milk, but I agree cream works best.
What a fun post, Sue! Your list includes some of the foods I don’t buy – baby carrots (I can’t tell how many friends and family have also crossed these slimy things off their list), bagged lettuce (off-taste), and most cold cuts and, in addition, I no longer buy low fat, no fat, dairy, opting for the full fat versions instead. Unfortunately, good quality ice cream is always in my freezer! Love your blog and recipes!!!
Thanks Karen <3
Great discussion! I too am an avid reader of your blog and have cooked many of your recipes.
The list is a fun thing to ponder. I think my list is similar. I don’t buy any grocery store packaged bread unless its a loaf made “in house” of a sourdough/ levain. I don’t buy soda, I don’t buy juice (unless for a recipe or rare occasion), I don’t buy anything with HFCS – High Fructose Corn Syrup, or artificial sweeteners. I try not to buy anything with palm oil. I’ve also recently become really choosey about the fats/ oils that I use. I now only use avocado oil, nut oils for very specific purposes (peanut oil for popcorn), olive oil and grass fed dairy cow butter. I choose whole fat products when buying dairy. I also try not to buy packaged/ prepared foods preferring to cook my own meals from whole food ingredients. We also now rarely buy pasta because homemade is so far superior and we try to eat whole grain carbohydrates. It’s startling to think about how much my diet and shopping habits have changed in the past 20 years. My 2 grown (but still young adult) sons and all of their friends have very healthy attitudes about food. It delights me to see how much more aware they are about healthy diets than I was at their age.
I saw a dietitian for over a year and it changed my grocery cart. No low fat dairy, grocery breads, beans except for black eyed and lima, no grains, potatoes, squash, or peanuts, no peas, corn products, only grass fed meats and dairy, no processed meats. Only stevia sweeteners. No bananas, only berries. Sounds bleak but it works for me after some stalls.
Margarine! I haven’t used it in years and years, but apparently people are still buying it because there are so many options and varieties out there.
I wonder why people are still buying it, strange!
Usually because 1) they don’t know better, or 2) like my hubs, they can’t have dairy. I love grassfed butter but am about to embark on the low fodmap diet and elimination diet. We actually buy “vegan butter” but it’s still oil based.
Bottled water!!!!
Amen!
Sue your Breakfast Tart is one of my favorite breakfasts. Have to try making my own granola.
RE. Sprouts, aren’t they just young veggies?
Thanks Michael, I’m glad to hear you actually make that tart, I think some people are intimidated because it looks complicated. As for the sprouts, the issue is that they’re grown/sprouted in warm, humid conditions, which encourages the growth of bad bacteria.