consumerism meets culinary...ism, part the third
I was thinking the other day that it's been about half a year since the last installment, so maybe it's about time for a state of the groceries address. Actually, I was wondering what horrible new grocery products I've bought in the last six months, and I was hardpressed to think of any. It was pretty easy to come up with exciting new-to-me products that I've liked, though. So I've only got half the categories as in the past, but I'll increase the number of honorees, and keep up tradition of counting down to the newest divine product in my cupboard.
The Best of Groceries
10. Celestial Seasonings Apple Cinnamon Tea - Tea bags. Cinnamon. Apple. Autumn. Yes, please.
9. Navel oranges - I used to hate oranges, mostly because I hated peeling oranges. So I finally have a citrus peeler. I love oranges now. That was easy.
8. Chili-ready canned tomatoes - It's items like these that let me continue to be The Laziest Person Ever, but oh well. These are tomatoes, onions, and some chili spices in a can. Add a can of black beans. Or whatever else. I like adding cayenne pepper, cumin, and chili powder (in increasing order). Anyway. Way easy two servings of chili, just like that.
7. Progresso vegetarian minestrone - Unlike that OTHER soup brand, which sucks and uses chicken stock or beef stock as the base of virtually every soup they make, Progresso actually has this and three or four other water-based soups that are all hearty and yummy.
6. Organic peanut butter - I started using natural peanut butter before the first incarnation of this list, but in the past six months I've since made the switch to organic instead. It separates less (though still can separate a little) and tastes incredibly better.
5. Meijer reusable bags - Go Meijer! As if I didn't love them enough, they now have affordable, convenient, reusable grocery bags. They store a few times the amount of stuff plastic bags would store. And they're a buck. Yay!
4. Fire Roasted Tomato Triscuit - It's been established several times that Nabisco owns me (I really should look into getting stock or something so the relationship is more symbiotic), and their newest Triscuit flavor doesn't fail to impress. Actually, it's kind of weird. But in a good way. And it's Triscuit, so it can really only go wrong by cutting the fat or sodium.
3. Honeycrisp apples - after hearing the rave reviews from others, I finally tried them. And they're delicious. And usually freaking expensive. But sometimes on sale! So that's when you should buy them. All. They're like candy. And I know I said that about Empires, but these are less juicy and spicy and more just sweet.
2. Dry-roasted pistachios - This was one of those "ok, they're on sale and I have a coupon so I'll get a pound for two bucks so whatever" purchases. But it has a happy ending, because pistachios are good. One of my favorite parts is that it takes effort to eat them, since you have to open them and whatnot, so you have to do so in moderation. Of course, that means you're half-paying for stupid shells.
1. Cream Cheese and Chives Wheat Thins - Could you think of a yummier flavor of cracker? No, no you could not. They're so good I can't understand why they haven't been around forever. These things are quadrilaterals from heaven. (I think that makes this a running gag that only amuses me... which therefore amuses me even more.)
The Best of Groceries
10. Celestial Seasonings Apple Cinnamon Tea - Tea bags. Cinnamon. Apple. Autumn. Yes, please.
9. Navel oranges - I used to hate oranges, mostly because I hated peeling oranges. So I finally have a citrus peeler. I love oranges now. That was easy.
8. Chili-ready canned tomatoes - It's items like these that let me continue to be The Laziest Person Ever, but oh well. These are tomatoes, onions, and some chili spices in a can. Add a can of black beans. Or whatever else. I like adding cayenne pepper, cumin, and chili powder (in increasing order). Anyway. Way easy two servings of chili, just like that.
7. Progresso vegetarian minestrone - Unlike that OTHER soup brand, which sucks and uses chicken stock or beef stock as the base of virtually every soup they make, Progresso actually has this and three or four other water-based soups that are all hearty and yummy.
6. Organic peanut butter - I started using natural peanut butter before the first incarnation of this list, but in the past six months I've since made the switch to organic instead. It separates less (though still can separate a little) and tastes incredibly better.
5. Meijer reusable bags - Go Meijer! As if I didn't love them enough, they now have affordable, convenient, reusable grocery bags. They store a few times the amount of stuff plastic bags would store. And they're a buck. Yay!
4. Fire Roasted Tomato Triscuit - It's been established several times that Nabisco owns me (I really should look into getting stock or something so the relationship is more symbiotic), and their newest Triscuit flavor doesn't fail to impress. Actually, it's kind of weird. But in a good way. And it's Triscuit, so it can really only go wrong by cutting the fat or sodium.
3. Honeycrisp apples - after hearing the rave reviews from others, I finally tried them. And they're delicious. And usually freaking expensive. But sometimes on sale! So that's when you should buy them. All. They're like candy. And I know I said that about Empires, but these are less juicy and spicy and more just sweet.
2. Dry-roasted pistachios - This was one of those "ok, they're on sale and I have a coupon so I'll get a pound for two bucks so whatever" purchases. But it has a happy ending, because pistachios are good. One of my favorite parts is that it takes effort to eat them, since you have to open them and whatnot, so you have to do so in moderation. Of course, that means you're half-paying for stupid shells.
1. Cream Cheese and Chives Wheat Thins - Could you think of a yummier flavor of cracker? No, no you could not. They're so good I can't understand why they haven't been around forever. These things are quadrilaterals from heaven. (I think that makes this a running gag that only amuses me... which therefore amuses me even more.)