Hello all. Here we are in the middle of another week. Our days sure do pass quickly. I hope you are all doing good.
It is another chilly morning here, in the upper 40's. This week will be cooler than what normal should be for this time of the year. We had rain yesterday and last night AND MORE RAIN!!!! Once it started, it just wouldn't stop. Just a small lake in the backyard this morning, I thought it would be larger.
Goodness, the choir outside is amazing this morning. It was almost loud out there, with all the different birds singing. So many could be distinguished, others just brought up the chorus. Amazing.
I prefer home cooking and as many natural ingredients as possible. I am not a fan of packaged food or restaurant food. I KNOW this is not for everyone. Convenience makes many people happy - as they just don't like cooking. Remember - you do you and I do me. No problems.
Now that is not to say that I don't buy some occasional 'junk'. I do like a chip now and then, and I love yeast donuts! I do try to limit those things, however.
I guess I am wondering - what do you prefer that is NOT homemade vs. what is? What store bought item do you just love to buy and eat? I am curious.
There isn't much that I can think of for me.
I love Mexican food. I could probably eat about every day. I do prefer my own.
Stir fry and oriental dishes are also preferred here. I can add the flavors I prefer and delete the ones I don't like. There is absolutely no limit to what I can throw together - using things on hand and throwing in leftovers and I can make a fine meal.
Pizza - goodness, I like pizza. I had some pizza when at the birthday party Saturday - and may I say - I was not impressed. It was flat and lifeless and virtually tasteless. I want a pizza with substance! I want a pizza with about everything but the kitchen sink. A slice or two with a side salad is a meal kind of pizza. Whether a flat bread, tortilla, Italian bread or a regular crust - it is all good to me.
My niece purchased 4 pizzas at the party, and it was almost $120!!!!!!!!!! That is just insane (they weren't huge either). Then you had to purchase drinks separately - don't get me started on that. They also had to buy token cards for kids to play and bring in their own cake. 2 hours cost her about $400. I will stay home and save my money and my sanity. The last pizza I ordered years ago and had delivered was over $30. Crazy! I will eat it just the way I want it, and in comfort.
But then again - I can make them just the way I want. I know what is in them - and can use natural ingredients if I choose.
I did mention I love a good donut. Now that doesn't happen often - but I do splurge now and then. I think donuts and brownies are probably my favorite goodies. Of course, at the holidays there are all the special cookies, candies and goodies that are made.
INGREDIENTS are my preference. I do love knowing that whatever I eat is really food, and not things that my grandma wouldn't have had a clue about. I love the ingredients that I can pronounce and ingredients that I actually know what they are.
There is not much that I can say I prefer store bought over homemade.
I truly do like the flavors of homemade over store bought. You can make it all taste so good.
I am genuinely interested to hear what store-bought items or restaurant items you LOVE! It often pays to have pre-made things on hand for emergencies or those special times no one wants to cook. I would like to know the best things and options, that I could keep here.
What say you??
Have a super day - smile and be kind.
My food preferences are just like yours and, of course, homemade. Once I learned I could make chips in the airfryer or microwave, it was game on. So easy. Make thin slices of a fresh potato place in ice water and refrigerate for about on hour. Drain and pat the slices dry. Toss with a little oil of choice and lay out flat on a parchment liner. Sprinkle with salt. Air fry at 350, turning the slices over about every minute and a half until nice and crispy. Chips anytime you want them without guilt. Blessings, Cookie
ReplyDeleteYES! My mom used to make homemade chips when I was a kid, but it was in grease. Thanks for letting me know you make your own in the air fryer. Game on!!!!! I will be doing that real soon. Those fryers sure come in handy.
DeleteI can't say there's a food or meal I like so much that I have to buy it out. Because years ago I would come home from a meal and teach myself how to recreate it and thus I had no need to go buy it again!
ReplyDeleteIt took me awhile to master Chinese food. I kept at it until I got it the way I liked it.
Now of course, I've learned over the years to cook well and like you just prefer my own cooking.
I made a loaf of bread yesterday that smells and taste like it came from a bakery. I also made some quick blueberry jam. Together it was a delightful snack last night!
My family agrees my pizza is fantastic. I recently taught my brother how I do it and how I cook it and he now sends me pictures of the pizzas he makes! Lol. It's incredibly cheap to make your own pizza. My daughter now makes her own and says she doesn't like restaurant pizza any more (too greasy, salty, etc). Pizza doesn't have to be junk food!
I'll be honest if I didn't have to cook I wouldn't. It's not a hobby I'd choose to spend my time on. However, I like good food, healthy food, so I cook. It does give me pleasure when my family enjoys it. It pleases me to know I'm eating well.
I have done that so many times - just figure out how it was made and trial and error finally get it.
DeleteYou treat last night sounds heavenly.
Nothing like homemade pizza. It can truly be a healthy food.
Same here. I like good food and healthy food - so I make it.
Mostly I like PLAIN food. Chicken is my mainstay, baked thighs in batches and then reheated in the microwave. No sauces. Add in some frozen veggies. (I keep a few cans of canned veggies on hand, don’t really like them.) No potatoes, rice or pasta. For store-bought food for dinner I like Stouffer’s French bread pizza, usually once a week on Friday. Two in a package for $3.33 (on sale). I eat one. (Bought 2 pack of these on sale yesterday.)
ReplyDeleteFor store-bought lunch food I like Aldi chicken salad, specifically the cranberry chicken salad, $5.49 for 16 ounces. Lasts me about week or more. I eat it on its own or as a sandwich with toasted bread (store-bought at Aldi $2.50). Sometimes I’ll have cheese and crackers. Cabot cheese bought on sale B1G1 $5.24. I’m picky about crackers, Publix unsalted $3.29 (way up from $1.99 before the pandemic). Or store-bought salsa (24 is. $2,29 at Aldi but price could have gone up.) and crackers. Sometimes I melt the cheese on toast in the toaster oven. Or maybe I’ll have eggs on toast. Along with this I have FRUIT - apple or grapes or orange or mandarin or several of those items. I do splurge sometimes and get a deli Italian wrap at the Publix deli ($6.99 for two 1/2 wraps that I eat over 2 days.)
Breakfast is usually old-fashioned oatmeal ($4.09 at Aldi lasts me about week month) with soy milk ($3.49 for a half gallon). No nuts, fruit or other toppings. Plain. Last two weeks I had a craving for Cheerios so I’ve been eating those. Bought B1G1, can’t remember the price.
My only real dessert/sweet splurge is frozen yoghurt, Publix brand, $6.19 for a full half gallon. I do not really like cakes, cookies, pies, candy. I’ll eat a piece of cake at a party or have pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Those frosted cookies in the photo make me feel SICK. We never had dessert growing up.
I go out to lunch with friends once or twice a month. I’m going on Friday with a friend to my very favorite Thai place.
Everyone is different. I don’t like to cook. Single all my life and grew up with a mom who was not a great cook. Mom never learned to cook from HER mom who was too immersed in religion to do anything else. What cooking she learned was from her customers of my grandfather’s store. She delivered the orders. (Home grocery delivery was the old way of doing things.) Barbara M.
It sounds like you have a good plan that works for you. That is all that matters. I do love fruit as well - I always try to have fresh fruit on hand.
DeleteI have to admit I am a flavor person. The more flavor and pizazz the better.
Everyone has a different palate, so you do your thing. I am impressed that you eat just what you like and know where to get it. Not all people had mom's that cooked a lot, so didn't really learn. My mom had to cook, as there were several mouths to feed and little money.
I do believe IF one wants to cook - it really is easy. If you can read a book, you can follow instructions.
Glad you have found your flow.
I would have to say the store bought item we prefer is tortillas because I am too lazy to make my own. LOL That counts, right?! hehehe
ReplyDeleteLOL - yep that counts. I do those too, when I am not in the mood to make them. I always have some on hand.
DeleteVery little premade food comes into the kitchen. I do buy flavor boosters, i.e., powdered chicken base, bbq sauce, hoison sauce, chicken stock. butter chicken sauce. When on sale, I will have a few frozen pizzas (Dr Oetker's spinach which is losing its appeal but good in a pinch when I don't feel like cooking) awa other entrees like ginger beef, dried boneless pork ribs which are served with veg stir fry or pasta. If I've gone to a pizza place for lunch, I will get the 2-for-1 and wrap individual slices for the freezer for a quick bite. I seldom buy processed meat other than when I'm planning a pizza which is done on naan bread or sometimes on homemade dough. Soups are always homemade tho there are usually a few cans of tomato & mushroom soup to be used in sauces. Cheese is a staple in this kitchen. The majority of the bread & bread products are purchased tho I do bake bread on occasion. I make my own sweet treats. I seldom eat out & when I do, it's usually a celebratory birthday lunch for a klatch member. One of my favorite restaurant lunches to order is a reuben sandwich. And I can't go to the coffee place without a boston cream doughnut, a special treat.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we do a lot of the same things. I love pizza on naan. Canned soups for add ins of casseroles here. Cheese is a food group in my kitchen!!!!! I like cheese on everything and everything to be cheesy! Can't have too much in my opinion.
DeleteI only eat out when with old friend or family outings. I NEVER buy restaurant food while out running or doing errands to bring home. Never for just me.
Ours tastes in food are very similar. Tex-Mex, stir fry and pizza. We like a good skillet meal that can morph into soup the next day also. There are a ton of videos on YouTube revealing what is actually in restaurant "food" and how it is prepared. Most of it comes in precooked and is just heated up. You are paying big bucks for basically a TV dinner. Avon has a ton of restaurants on Rockville Road/ US 36. They are almost full all the time. Don't know where these folks are getting their $$$.
ReplyDeleteWe have had enough rain for a while, thank you ever so much. Maybe tomorrow will be dried out enough to do some weeding.
How is your sister faring? Hope she is able to get around on her own.
I like a flavorful meal. Yes, if leftovers can be made into soup or another dish - great.
DeleteIt amazes to see how full all the restaurants always are. Fast food and nice restaurants both. People scream no money - but dang the food places and coffee places are making a killing.
I am done with rain here too. Weeds should come up easy!
Thanks for asking, sis is doing good. Goes to the dining hall once a day for meals (it is a long walk) and eats in room for everything else. Back to playing Bingo!
Specialty breads ( most bread) like naan, potassium, and bagels I'll buy. I used to live tge occasional Panera or Bruegers bagels with flavored cream cheese, but with neither near me, I just buy David's and the occasional tub of garden or honey walnut cream cheese. Whike I make very good pizza, I'll buy Lozza Mozza when on sale for the freezer and buy Take and Bake at Papa Murphts or from grocery store. I still eat out on occasion, but with people as entertainment/ social connections not as part of meal planning.
ReplyDeleteI do like naan and bagels. I usually get a lot of bread for free at the thrift store - but do get naan at store now and then.
DeleteYou can get so many fun flavors of cream cheese and it is easy to make you own flavors. I have never had Papa Murphey's. I have purchased a fresh one at Aldi before - but still jazzed it up.
Yes, eating out is a social event for me too.
Great post Cheryl. I had to really think about this one for a bit.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, restaurant food started to really change in the mid to late 2000's. I used to really enjoy eating out and we did it probably once a week. I did a post on my favorite restaurants a couple of years ago and when I went back to read it I realized how much things have changed. Four of the restaurants I've named were locally owned and only one of them is still open.
https://culinaryadventureswithlori.blogspot.com/2023/02/5-favorite-restaurants.html
Now, a lot of places have cut corners on the quality of the food they are serving, and I don't enjoy it at all. We do have a couple of places that we eat at maybe once a month or for special events, but that is really for the social aspect which honestly, was always a big one for us all along.
I don't really buy much of anything other than ingredients and whole foods.
Bagels were a big one on my list to learn to make and now that I have, I am a happy woman again. I was used to quality made bagels fresh from the oven at a bagel shop in Florida and you just can't get that in a packaged bagel and Panera just wasn't what I was used to.
I really enjoy eating good food and luckily, I equally enjoy cooking and baking and gardening.
Glad it made people think. I agree, many places just aren't the same. Yes, it seems many have cut corners. So many closures and new ones popping up - it just is a volatile market.
DeleteLove my ingredients. I would like to try to make Bagels sometime. I have heard it isn't that hard. We used to like Panera - but it changed for me a long time ago. I loved their tomato bread, and found a recipe to make it at home, so quit going.
I agree 100% with the last sentence.
You need to try the recipe on my blog that I use. It is really easy and they even freeze very well. I think you would enjoy them.
DeleteI will - thank you!
DeleteI guess my store bought thing would be Boboli pizza. I'm just lazy when it comes to making them. I would rather eat my own cooking than go out.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had that. I did get a free crust that I think was that name. I didn't know they make a whole pizza. LOL - it really isn't that much work. But, heck you like them and do what works.
DeleteSame here - I just know my kitchen. I worry a lot about cleanliness.
My favorite restaurant closed after that big hurricane we had - they couldn't afford to fix and insurance was being a problem. I used to go there several times a year with my cousin, because they did a fried catfish that was out-fo-sight yummy. Now we are kinda looking around for some substitute, but nothing has surfaced so far. The places that are open are either fast food or they're heating up already prepared stuff, like someone up the page called tv-dinners.
ReplyDeleteI like eating at home, and my meals are very simple. A Ole's mild cheese dip for cauliflower, catsup for okra, barbecue sauce, onion soup mix sprinkled on top of frozen brussels sprouts... these things make dinner more interesting. :) I think my biggest expenses are fruit. I *love* fresh pineapple and my grocery usually has that available. Mixed with red grapes it is just #1 in my book!
MaryB
Sorry you lost your favorite restaurant. Catfish is so yummy - when fixed right.
DeleteI like eating at home too. Simple sauces or toppings is just right and gives things a boost. I have gotten to a point that I like Ranch dressing on many things. I am a big fruit lover too.
Making your own is always better. I do believe the additives they add to food can be addicting.
ReplyDeleteI think you may be right - and they sure aren't good for the gut either!
DeleteI buy: pita chips, tortilla chips, hummus because I just don't want to make my own. Restaurants I order things I do not want to make at home even though they aren't hard. I honestly don't need the calories that go with Bearnaise (eggs benny), Pasta carbonara, Biscuits/gravy, Pizza, Onion Rings, Prime Rib (my birthday and Anniversary choice). All that to say between them all I don't have something every month. But these are my go-to foods when out.
ReplyDeleteBoxes in my pantry? 3 Rice/Roni for when I'm feeling lazy. Bags? Only the above mentioned.
I totally agree with that photo-not much food/nutrition.
I like tortilla chips for making my nachos. I do make biscuits and gravy now and then. Oh and onion rings!!!!! YUM
DeleteI don't do runny eggs - so that isn't a draw.
Good list though - it gives you something to look forward to!
You really do well with eating fresh foods.
I much prefer homemade, unless like tonight I am aching and extremely tired so Hubby said to order pizza. There is only one place I will order pizza from as they make their own crust and the taste is wonderful. Tonight when I phoned we get some free dried ribs with it. Got to love free and we do like dry ribs. I will pull out the plum sauce I made a bit ago to use as a dip for the ribs.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Sorry you are so tired and achy. Hope tomorrow is a better day. FREE ribs - woohoo!!!! Sounds like a win.
DeleteEnjoy
Now I am on my own I have a limited and repetitive diet, mostly food I make from scratch and fairly frugal. Though I do eat lunch out once a week with a group of women, rotating through several restaurants and I always order something that I am unlikely to make at home. Another indulgence is chocolate, I would rather have an occasional bit of the good quality dark chocolate than buy cheap Cadburys/herseys.
ReplyDeleteYou have a plan that works. That once a week outing, is something to look forward to.
DeleteI like chocolate, but have never had that much of a desire. Get what you like and enjoy!
One of the snacks that I enjoy is peanut butter pretzels.I also like dried pineapple for hiking. I could theoretically make that at home, but don't. Other things I purchase: cottage cheese (I think you can make this? Never checked), yogurt (I know you can make this, but don't have time at this season in my life), granola (same as above). We generally eat meals that one of us preps. I also have college students around at times, and while they generally eat meals with us, they also have some boxed options (Mac & cheese, ramen, etc) that they will eat if it it's in a pinch between work, etc. - Hawaii Planner
ReplyDeleteThose sound like healthy snacks. Dried pineapple is so good. Sure some things can be made, but may not be worth it, I do agree on that.
DeleteNice to have a couple of people cooking, that relieves the burden. Kids like those things - shoot I have had them before too. Being around all those young folks would keep one young!
I prefer to buy tortillas. I have made my own but can never roll them as thin as store bought. Plus, homemade tortillas take a long time to make. But tortillas are the only bread item I buy. One of the best gifts I have ever received from a friend is a jar of sourdough starter. I've been making bread ever since.
ReplyDelete-Alyssa
I have always thought tortillas were easy. I have a press for the smaller ones that I got for like .50 at a yard sale. I get it though, as I buy them often as well to have on hand. Fresh ones are a treat. Good for you on sourdough bread.
DeleteSounds like you are doing great.
I am that way the most with soup. I can make a big pot of soup that we can eat it all week or freeze some of it for later. I have made bread in the past, but since I work full time right now, we buy it at the store. We like our chips and ice cream on occasion too.
ReplyDeleteSoup is just the easiest to make and no real recipe. Just throw together what you like and what you have. You can sure make many meals from a pot.
DeleteI do like ice cream, and usually have some store bought around, but make it now and then too.