Deliciously Non-Nutritious
A few months ago, some friends and I went to a church event together and afterwards went to McDonald’s for a little treat.
I got some french fries and was horrified to discover that I no longer liked McDonald’s french fries (also, I know this was a not a fluke because I’d, erm, had some of their french fries just a couple of weeks earlier and noticed that they had this horrible metallic aftertaste).
And, really, this wasn’t an isolated experience. As I’ve gotten older and also as we’ve moved away from processed foods and toward more of a whole foods diet, there are more and more items that I used to like that I no longer have a taste for.
But. . . there are still some horribly junky, processed foods I still love. No matter how much I read about the Western Diet and how we’re on a one-way street to death, no matter how much swiss chard I happily consume, I still love some pretty horrible foods. And I like it.
A brief list, if you will, of foods that I willfully ignore the ingredient labels for:
- Ramen. I know. I just. . .can’t help myself.
- Poptarts. Especially those brown sugar and cinnamon ones and the frosted strawberry ones.
- Cheetos. Only the crunchy ones. But, LOTS of the crunchy ones.
- Rice Krispy Treats. Look, I’ll eat homemade ones or the disgustingly wonderful ones that come packaged from the store. I do not discriminate.
- Fresca. I am deeply opposed to fake sugar. And I don’t even really go for soda. But if someone brings a bottle of Fresca, I will be forced to have some.
- Swiss Rolls. These must be eaten in the following manner: all chocolate coating eaten off. Then the cake unrolled and frosting licked out. Finally eat the cake. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them.
- Teddy Grahams. What, am I five? Yes. Cinnamon, please.
- JIF peanut butter. We only buy natural peanut butter with a two-ingredient list and I like it. But then occasionally I’ll have some regular, corn-syrup laden peanut butter somewhere and I die a little at how much better it is. So smooth and creamy and sweet.
Feel free to share your shameful delicious favorites. Because what I really need right now is a list of more things to crave from the grocery store.
I haven't had Ramen in ages, but I get it. Sometimes when I'm feeling sick it's all that will do. M
I'm with you on the Cheetos and Rice Crispy Treats. Man, those things are good!
I'm also a sucker for a good hot dog. The 100% beef ones that plump when you cook them. Sooooo goooood!
I didn't eat a lot of ramen or mac and cheese in college, so unlike many of my friends, I can still stomach it and will buy it occasionally to eat as comfort food.
I don't like soda, but I will drink Fresca from time to time (though I never buy it myself). Also, someone recently introduced me to San Pelligrino, and I must say, it was quite good.
That's exactly how I feel! There is so much processed foods that I don't really want anymore or am happy to do without. However, for my birthday this year, my husband bought me Honeycomb cereal for breakfast and for dessert, made homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches…but they were rolled in crushed Oreos. That's love right there.
Wait, you mean that Swiss Cake Rolls must be FROZEN and then eaten layer by delicious layer, right? Okay then.
(Oh, and I covet McDonald's fries with a passion. Once every six months or so I break and stop and go through the drive-thru and get a small fry. I wolf them down and drive around with the windows down to get the smell out of the air. I am cool. And I will never NOT love those fries.)
I'm with you on the rice crispy treats, and my life was forever changed by these: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/salted-brown-butter-crispy-treats/ I will never make them the old way again. Ty even notices the difference, which is saying a whole lot.
Also, for me, Oreos. Something about unnaturally black, not-quite-chocolate, crumbly cookie-like discs on either side of sweetened Crisco just… does it for me. In fact, I'm going to go have some right now. And… I might also make some rice crispy treats.
(Darn you, Janssen!)
My list includes ramen, poptarts, oreos, doritos (actually…chips of ANY kind really), sour-patch kids, diet-coke mixed with dr. pepper (the ONLY soda I ever EVER crave..I know it sounds weird but it is amazing) and lastly, sugared cereals..they get me every time.
This list made me so happy! I graduated in public health and nutrition and feel like a hypocrite always for loving these things! But I can't help it! I just avoid the isles where these reside most of the time!
The skittles in the aqua package (mixed up? confused? something where the flavors don't match the colors). Raspberry zingers. Fruity pebbles. Plain Lays chips. Buttered popcorn jelly bellies. Flavored coffee creamer AND sugar, real sugar, in my coffee. I TRIED to go sugar free or fake sugar and I just can't.
The fact that you named Swiss Rolls and strawberry PopTarts makes me like you even more… I knew we should be friends! 🙂
I make a killer homemade mac and cheese, but I will never stop loving Kroger Brand Box Mac and Cheese. (Kraft is gross. It must be Kroger brand.)
Chili Cheese Fritos are my weakness in life. I can down a whole bag in one sitting. (I don't think it's a pretty sight to see!)
Have you ever had a spoon half-full of processed peanut butter and half-full of Nutella? <—Heaven on Earth
Krispy Kreme donuts, oreos, chips ahoy cookies, and any kind of sugary cereal. OMG, yum!
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Cheeze-Its! I could eat them by the box full. Doritos used to be on my list (only Nacho Cheese flavor), but lately these have NOT been working. Maybe it's pregnancy? Maybe I'm finally growing up? (Doubtful) Ramen is still a guilty pleasure for me, too. And Cadburry Creme Eggs. Food coloring AND corn syrup. I know, I know. Also the old school Gummy Bears in the gold packge…I don't remember the name, though.
CHIPS – any kind of chips except for those "healthy" baked ones. And Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. I make a boss homemade version, but dang, that Kraft crap is good.
Every once in a while I get a craving for Velveeta Shells & Cheese – even though logically I know I could make a whole pan of macaroni and cheese that would taste a million times better, sometimes all I want is that salty fake cheese glop.
And Welch's Fruit Snacks. I could eat a whole box of those in one sitting, which is why I've had to ban myself from the cereal aisle. 😛
Oh man, my list is really long. Gummy fruit snacks, Kraft Mac n'cheese (but don't bring Velveeta anywhere near me), Chex Mix, Cheetos, Girl Scout Cookies, Ego waffles, etc. etc. etc.
Also, I use Jif all the time, and may or may not have had Ramen for lunch today…
I swear we do eat real food for meals most of the time, it's just the snack foods that get me usually. I'm a muncher.
Hostess cupcakes–I've been craving them the entire pregnancy but still have yet to buy them. (Let's be honest, I may have been craving them since before I was pregnant.) Granny B's giant, shortening-filled pink frosted sugar cookies, Hostess lemon fruit pies, and any bismark doughnut. (Apparently I crave the cream-filled pastries.) I also sometimes embarrassingly buy Spaghettios and then Honeycomb–the best-to-snack-on cereal. I'm with you on the Cheetos. 🙂
The Whopper Junior value meal. No ketchup thank you very much. Burger King fries get better all the time.
The whopper junior! We're soul sisters. 🙂
Poptarts- brown sugar are definitely best
Circus Animals- those disgustingly delicious frosted animal crackers
Diet soda- I know it's not great for me, but I LOVE it
Those are my big ones. I've also noticed that as I eat healthier some things that I used to look now taste too sweet or just plain weird (Reese's Pieces sadly). Although, I think probably some of that has to do with all the artificial ingredients, because homemade baked goods still taste great & not too sweet. I do love McDonald's fries (and pretty much everything at Taco Bell) but I don't have trouble staying away.
The french fry thing could be pregnancy related! When I was pregnant with Daniel, I couldn't stand aspartame in ANYTHING. I couldn't even eat yogurt with aspartame. It was weird. Also, hard for me since I'm a big diet coke fan.
I love this post! My philosophy is that if I'm being conscientious in the majority of my food decisions, then when I have a treat I should go all out and enjoy the treat even if it is unhealthy. There's no sense in trying to disguise the indulgence as anything else. My current favorite is chocolate covered pecans. It's pretty easy to make too (microwave chocolate chips, dunk pecans, put in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, and voila!) I also really love graham crackers and Teddy Grahams, and sometimes fruit snacks.
I craved ramen noodles for the whole first trimester of my last pregnancy. It was the only thing that tasted good. So I ate ramen noodles. A lot of ramen noodle.