# The Pantry Police!!!



## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

What's the best thing and the worst thing in your pantry/refrigerator right now?

I'll start...best thing-orgnanic kashi cereal

worst thing (among many







) Coke

This is a really hard thing for me...eating crunchy. My pantry and frig are sadly a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. Kraft Sponge Bob mac and cheese snuggled right up against the organic Annie's mac and cheese.







:

I don't mean to post and run, but it may be hard for me to get back on to be a good thread hostess...we have a fairly busy week-end coming up once everybody else gets home. TB (who is working on improving her pantry woes...)


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## chalupamom (Apr 15, 2002)

Best = an eggplant (to be made into baba ganouj)

Worst = (hand on while I go look) Ragu "cheese" sauce. It's vile but I can't bring myself to throw it out and have it be a waste. Maybe I'll just keep it around until it grows a cure for the common cold.

I was going to say my margarita mix, but what's a little vice between friends. Or maybe the chocolate sauce, but it's home canned and used just the best organic cocoa and maple syrup so I'm claiming that for the "good" column, too.


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## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

Worst? I have a hunk of Velveeta hidden in the back of the fridge. It was a PMS impulse buy from last month. In my boated grouchy state I thought I needed a 1 pound hunk of plastic cheese.

Best? Nothing, I need to go to the Farmer's market tomorrow!


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## fayking (Jun 28, 2004)

best...yummy clear spot smoked tofu
worst...frozen chips (fries to you guys!)


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## darkpear (Jul 22, 2003)

Best? I guess the plantains ripening in a paper bag. Hopefully they will be ready to cut up and fry before Ivan hits.

Worst? hmm... we don't really get a whole lot of junk or prepared stuff. Oh, I know, that would be the bag of refined white sugar. Not thrilled about it, but it's cheap and easy to work with - and homemade stuff with white sugar and butter is still better than store-bought stuff with corn syrup, trans fats and preservatives.


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## nym (Sep 6, 2003)

Best: we just hit the farmers market for a ton of organic veggies

Worst: Fudge covered Oreos







:


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

HRMMMMM mine looks pretty good, actually. I'd say that all the chocolate is my sin. My fridge is well stocked with organic goodness and my cupboards have nice snacks like granola, dried fruit, annie's organic mac n cheese, amy's organic chili. We had some tootsie pops lollipops but we ate them up this morning. haha. Right now, I guess the worst would be Barbara's white cheddar cheese puffs. But even those are organic and made with good oils and I think they are baked. Still junk though


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## Hey Mama! (Dec 27, 2003)

best-all the various fruits in the fridge

worst-leftover Pizza Hut (which we are currently eating cold for breakfast







)


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## FoxintheSnow (May 11, 2004)

Best: Organic Buckwheat Pancake Mix (YUM!)
Worst: Not too many bad things, I guess the container of Cadbury Drinking Chocolate (YUM!)


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## polka hop (Dec 23, 2003)

*


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## uberwench (Jul 25, 2003)

hmmmm....my pantry is not pretty.
best: quinoa
worst: oreos and Entenmann's brownie bites (to my credit i've not touched the brownie bites - they were a hurricane stress-buy. the oreos, however, well - i have oreo issues)


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## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

:


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## weebitty2 (Jun 16, 2004)

Best - either the kashi cereal, or the produce from today's farmer's market









worst - 10 (yes 10! well ok .. 9 1/2) king sized cadbury bars .. 3 dairy milk, 3 dark, 3 caramello, and half a roast almond.







:


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## mama ganoush (Jul 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamapenelope*








Worst thing in the pantry...thin mint girl scout cookies from about two years ago. They're still fresh (i fyou can call that kind of staying power fresh!).
love, penelope

mamap-when you come for dinner, skip the wine and just bring mama g some thin mints, ok?


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## PadmaMorgana (Apr 14, 2004)

The best: fruit and veggies from the garden









The worst: a 1kg bag of chocolate chips and a bag of mixed friut and nuts just waiting to be turned into the world's most unhealthy bananna bread


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## Sweeney (Sep 8, 2003)

Best: Lots of organic veggies, and my mountain of apples (our fruit share from a lcoal farm).

Worst: Double Stuff Oreos (don't ask) AND








: We have a 2 lb. bag of Ghiradelli chocolate morsels







: It's a PMS thing...


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## CollegeMama (Oct 31, 2002)

:


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## katiek (Sep 3, 2004)

I got the coke (it is caffiene free though) I got the refined sugar, I got ramen noodles (my DH bought those), I got cadbury dark chocolate, I got chocolate chips.









What's good. Homemade turkey chili, 365 organic mac and cheese, organic blue chips yummm. doesn't taste good to eat something naturally blue?


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## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

:cop: It's okay CollegeMama...no one will come knocking on your pantry door!


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## snailmama (Apr 13, 2002)

best...
Hempola Hemp Flour... use it in everything
99% of what I have in there is organic
worst... Luna Bars


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## mountain (Dec 12, 2001)

mamap, lately I've been drinking my own homemade 'soda' for my soda cravings...it's working! I get the caffeine from coffee...so during the day, it's tonic water w/stevia & lemon/limes. It was the bubbly I was craving...but I still jones for a pepsi...hate diet anything tho--no aspartame for my liver, thank you.

The best thing? organic oatmeal/apple/raisin cookies lowfat (w/no eggs & earth balance)

The worst? I too have a huge amount of liquid nacho canned cheese...ugh, I'm so sorry.


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## chalupamom (Apr 15, 2002)

Mamapenelope pointed out:

Quote:

Chalupamom, you can always donate that cheese sauce to the food bank
Well, I would except it's already been opened! That's how I know it's vile - not meant for human (or, likely, animal) consumption.

Actually, we often take things up to the foodbank and I'm always saying to my husband, "No! Take that can of Every-Veg out of there! I don't want anyone to know I bought that...and, I don't want anyone having to eat it. Let's just leave it here until there's a hurricane or something." So we have a shelf full of Food of Last Resort that I won't donate because it's too embarassing.


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## Hey Mama! (Dec 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamapenelope*

rockerbaby'smom, we do the pizza (or whatever) for breakfast thing every once in a while!! I like mine with jalapenos and red onion. How about you?









We (kids and I) prefer plain cheese, but dh likes meat laden meat lovers.


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

Am I the only one who keeps reading the title of this thread "The Panty Police!!" ?

The worst -- well, since I made up all of our packages of chocolate pudding this morning, I guess the worst thing I have in there is microwave popcorn. The best? Hmmm, it's a toss-up, but I'll go with honey, since it takes the place of white sugar. The other healthy stuff I have in there I would be getting anyway, not as a replacement for something unhealthy I'm trying to phase out.


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## stayinghome (Jul 4, 2002)

Well..... I'll start with the worst. beer, fruity pebbles, chips ahoy... and hidden in the recesses of my highest cupboard, a pack of cigarettes...





















:









The best? Organic yogurt, organic milk, Annie's mac and cheese, all kinds of whole wheat stuff...







2

I'm all about extemes- my sig line used to be "pouring organic, raw milk over my cocoa puffs..."


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## nym (Sep 6, 2003)

Uhm no, I often thought it was the Panty Police as well.

I am wearing old white ones that are 2 sizes too big








:


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## julielenore (Apr 29, 2004)

Best: tomatoes and zuchinnies that are finally ready from the garden
Worst:fruit loops


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## girlndocs (Mar 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brisen*
Am I the only one who keeps reading the title of this thread "The Panty Police!!"











OK my turn ... Best: Mountain High yogurt (sitting on top of antibiotic-free, vegetarian-feed eggs). Worst: (hmm lemme check) a toss-up between French's french fried onions and instant, add-only-water, white-as-the-driven-snow pancake mix.


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## scrapadoozer (Jun 10, 2004)

Best thing? Organic Honey Buckwheat Pancake Mix or Annie's Mac N Cheese

Worst thing? Big ol' tub of fluff! There would be worse stuff but we haven't gone grocery shopping yet this week.









Most everybody's bad stuff sounds just great, though! I fully blame my PMS!


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## stayinghome (Jul 4, 2002)

uh yes brison you are the only one that reads the "panty police..." perv!







2


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

best: the fridge is full to the brim with colourful veggies

worst: the extra large orange Mr. Freezie that's been sitting in the freezer all summer. ds got it at a parade. we've been using it as a cold pack. noone around here will eat it.


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## girlndocs (Mar 12, 2004)

what's a mr. freezie?


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## bluegrassmom (Sep 8, 2004)

Worst: A can of Nestle no sugar added chocolate milk mix and Ritz crackers. Oh...if only I could mix the two and wallow in preservatives during my period, I would be so happy. I hope DS never discovers these addictions of mine.

Best: Tons of fruits and veggies from the farmer's market, and organic+Kosher meats and dairy.


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## LDSmomma6 (Oct 31, 2003)

Worse: WAS 2 boxes of cheese potatoes until I fixed them on Tuesday night. AWFUL!! I looked on the boxes, and they had expired in 2002 or 2001. I knew I had them, but I didn't think they had been in there that long. They went right down the disposal. Didn't even feed them to the dog because they were so bad.

Best: Nestle's Vanilla Hot Chocolate. I love that stuff!!







:


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## seren (Jul 11, 2003)

Best: Ummmm......can't think of anything. It's the end of the month food money wise, low on groceries.







:

Worst: Cookie Crisp (dh bought it), Blue Bell fudgescicles (pregnancy craving), Ramen noodles.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *girlndocs*
what's a mr. freezie?

uh...it's water, glucose-fructose, citric acid, dextrose, carboxymethul cellulose, natural and artificial flavour, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and colour all frozen together in a plastic tube. mmm...yummm....


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## sincitymama (Sep 20, 2003)

Ok, can I say how relieved I am now? I always wonder what on earth people must think if they took the time to look in my grocery cart. The organic mac and cheese, the organic milk and eggs and veggies, the dried fruit for snacking, the lovely tea, the, um, huge amounts of diet mountain dew that my diabetic husband drinks all day, the oreo cookies, the chips and dip of various flavors, the burts bees skin care, the fashion magazines....

Best right now would be the big salad sitting in the fridge, lots of yummy fresh veggies, we had it with dinner and will eat it over the next couple days.

The worst is likely either the empty fritos bad in front of me or the starbucks mocha frappuccino my husband is walking in the door with for me right now.


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## Mama2Xander (Jul 3, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamapenelope*
When I go to the store it's like a bipolar excursion in food buying.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one! I have often thought how odd our groceries look at the checkout line. We will have veggies, tofu, couscous, wholewheat bread, beans, brown rice, organic multigrain cereal, free range eggs...and then there will be chocolate (our major weakness), maybe a box of Kraft dinner or a frozen cheese pizza, some kind of treat such as cookies or cake slices...









I would have to say the worst thing is the cheese flavoured microwave popcorn (the "theatre style", with the pouch of cheese flavoured sauce that you pour over the popcorn). They actually don't print the nutritional information on the box, so it must be really really bad. I actually ate some tonight







:


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## k4kara (Mar 29, 2003)

the best? Well, it's Farmers Market day so we're fully stocked on lots o' fresh veggies

the worst? ramens, honeycomb cereal, chocolate syrup, peppermint patties, EZ Mac, a loaf of white bread

My pantry is full of good intentions, though


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## memory maker (Dec 11, 2003)

best-lots of organic fruits and veggies
Homemade zucchini bread made with whole wheat flour and flax seeds

worst-coke (my vice) white bread (my dh's vice) and some blue shark shaped gummy treats that my ds is eating right now (yuck!)


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## jessikate (Jul 19, 2002)

Best: lots of veggies, organic beans, whole grains

Worst: DH's Coke, a case of ramen cup-o-soup (pregnancy cravings), no chocolate (this is a VERY BAD THING here :LOL)


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

: (Hiding from the Panty Police cuz it's 4 pm and I still ain't wearin' any! Just my li'l ole black slip.)

Best: Organic fruits and veggies, whole wheat bread, etc.

Worst: 7 half-eaten pints of WholeSoy ice cream that have been in the freezer for months (at least we didn't finish them, right?)

I hate to brag but all of our food is organic and vegan, so there isn't much for the pantry police to find. Even our goodies are pretty healthy.


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## oldcrunchymom (Jun 26, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamapenelope*
Oh, I hear ya, Sarah!! When I go to the store it's like a bipolar excursion in food buying.

Ha! I was just making this joke to my mom today. My son will only eat healthful, organic foods but my daughter loves junk food so I usually break down and get her some of her faves. She begged me all week for hotdogs and "store cookies" so today when I went shopping I got her some hotdogs and Keebler Rainbow Chips Deluxe that were on sale. Man do those things look nasty, about 12 different colors LOL. But she'll be ecstatic to see them. When ever I want to get her a special treat I pick the most disgusting-looking thing I can find and she always loves it, hehe.

Worst: Definitely the nuclear rainbow cookies! Then after that the hotdogs and the cheezits.

Best: Most of our stuff is good... lots of fruits, veggies, organic stuff, etc.


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## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

I had a really great time reading these! Thanks! "My pantry is full of good intentions" and "excursions in bi-polar shopping" stick out in my mind. Oh, and the whole PANTY police thing!!! :LOL Oh, and the nuclear rainbow cookies...those have mysteriously apeared in our house before, too.







:And uberwench with her Oreo issues...and someone had FUDGE covered Oreos.. I very often look at the things on the grocery belt and wonder what the checkout person thinks...all those veggies, not much meat, and organic this and WHAT! Who need 3 tubs of ice cream??? And I'll be honest I feel so GOOD when we shop at the HFS... And then I'll go to the regular store and feel so tempted...Sigh. Oh, PikkaMyy...you were safe from the pantry police, but the PANTY police would be a different story! Thanks for sharing...I know our pantries are private and appreciate the peek inside. I'm relieved to know I am not alone in my long time struggle to eat better and feed my family better...oh and don't get me started on partners who bring "stuff" home.














2 to all! We'll do better tomorrow!


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## Chantelle691 (Apr 22, 2002)

My worst would have been the bag of m&m's, but while I was sitting here reading this thread and lmao, I decided to go get them and finish them off, so I wouldn't have them for the worst item in my pantry...sigh.

Worst: Either the CREME SAVERS drinkable yogurt DH bought today..or DH's potato chips and doritos that he has to buy...and then I eat...









Best: organic fruits and veggies


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## bluegrassmom (Sep 8, 2004)

In response to what must people think when they see the stuff in our carts...

Personally, I don't think checkout people at regular grocery stores even notice what you're buying. I've never had anyone comment to me about a product. Now at the Natural Foods store, checkers always make suggestions about this is good, or bad, or whatever, but not at Kroger at Wal-Mart. I don't think they pay attention too much









As for other shoppers peeking into baskets and seeing tons of fruit and veggies and whole grains and then some cookies or chocolate or whatever...I know that when *I* see people with carts like that, I take notice of how much great stuff they're getting and think to myself (and sometimes out loud to DH), what a great mama to be buying all that good stuff when there's so much crap out there! It's only the people that have an entire cart full of pre-packed foods and drinks and snacks and practically nothing good that I think, hmm....I hope they already have some good stuff at home.


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## captain optimism (Jan 2, 2003)

Best: beautiful, I mean gorgeous, organic tomatoes! We even got extra when a friend came over and gave us a huge one that was like a sunrise, yellow with pink, red and orange! Wow! In a contest with the organic yellow watermellon!!!

Also some organic potatoes, bananas, oranges, grapes, brown rice, greens, eggs, beans, lentils, salsa, tofu, tempeh, seitan, sourdough ryebread, olive oil, you know, good stuff.

Worst: I think the worst is probably the so-called "frozen dessert"--it's Soy Delicious. it's supposed to be healthy but uh, it has the bad kind of soy in it, soy flour, the kind that gives you serious gas. Tastes GOOOOOOOOOOD, especially the Neapolitan flavor. We also always have coffee, a HUGE jar of white sugar, white bread, and lots of chocolate and other sweets in the house.

Then there are the things about which I am ambivalent, which are all the things I buy to fatten up the baby and then eat myself! Special, mainly organic, high-fat foods that he eats a little of and I feel compelled to finish. Oy.


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## Empress (Jun 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bluegrassmom*
It's only the people that have an entire cart full of pre-packed foods and drinks and snacks and practically nothing good that I think, hmm....I hope they already have some good stuff at home.









When I see those people, the types who have cases upon cases of ramen and soda, I want to put my arm around their shoulder and say, "Honey, If I can learn to eat better and be frugal at the same time, you can certainly do it. Let's go look at those lovely organic apples on sale." :LOL


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## Empress (Jun 30, 2002)

Best foods: Organic dried beans, grains like oatmeal, barley, quinoa. Organic carrots and celery and potatoes. Organic apples and grapes, yum.

Worst: Still ahve some white sugar and flour, I can't stand the idea of throwing it and wasting out so I'm using a little everyt ime I bake to use it up. Same with the Kraft Mac and Cheese.


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## lactationlady (Feb 16, 2004)

I am loving this thread! Not only is it hilarious, but it also helps me to see that we are only human and I shouldn't beat myself up for buying some less-than-healthy things on occassion.

worst: it is a toss-up between the can of Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup, the package of hotdogs or the 4 packages of white-flour pasta that dh bought last week. I was trying it use up all of the white pasta and replace it with whole-wheat. Dh saw we were running low on spaghetti and kindly bought more when he went to the store. I'm not sure whether to yell at him or thank him. :LOL

best: fridge & pantry full of nice fresh organic fruits & veggies from the co-op.


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## nomadmom (Mar 30, 2003)

My fridge and cupboards are full of healthy, fresh, organic whole foods.

...but there's an empty wrapper from a gigantic Cadbury's fruit and nut chocolate bar right in front of me. It's dh's fault. He brought it home and made me eat it.


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## bebe luna (Nov 20, 2001)

best~ all the fresh organic produce (avocadoes, tomatos, mangoes, apples, chard, romaine, cilantro, garlic, asparagus, celery, green onions, thyme, blackberries, spinach, broccoli...)

worst~ two 6 packs of Blue Sky sodas... or maybe the 3 packages of cookies (all organic, but still...)


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

lactationlady said:


> worst: it is a toss-up between the can of Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup, the package of hotdogs or the 4 packages of white-flour pasta that dh bought last week. I was trying it use up all of the white pasta and replace it with whole-wheat. Dh saw we were running low on spaghetti and kindly bought more when he went to the store. I'm not sure whether to yell at him or thank him. QUOTE]
> 
> Thank him! He NOTICED!!!! I gotta say, Cheese Soup? Are you crazy? I can hardly imagine it - and it's got nothing to do with my veganism...
> 
> I just wanted to agree with Empress about finding a balance between being frugal and eating healthy food. We make our food a priority and we spend a LOT of money on food. I mean an insane amount, and we don't have any kids. And I realize that some people are working really hard to pay off their debts and trying to spend very little money on food. But there has got to be an in between. I've been working to buy things on sale, not buy too much, etc. And it's hard. But I'd rather be in this position than the other way around. At least I can be, although I'm in a lot of debt.


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## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

We have lots of great food around - veggies, whole grains, etc. AND a box of velveeta cheese waiting to be added to cream of broccoli soup because nothing else makes it as yummy


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## CortLong (Jun 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *k4kara*

My pantry is full of good intentions, though









I like this!!! I'll have to say the same about mine!


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## 3miraclebabies (Oct 5, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SarahNH*
Ok, can I say how relieved I am now? I always wonder what on earth people must think if they took the time to look in my grocery cart. The organic mac and cheese, the organic milk and eggs and veggies, the dried fruit for snacking, the lovely tea, the, um, huge amounts of diet mountain dew that my diabetic husband drinks all day, the oreo cookies, the chips and dip of various flavors, the burts bees skin care, the fashion magazines....

Best right now would be the big salad sitting in the fridge, lots of yummy fresh veggies, we had it with dinner and will eat it over the next couple days.

The worst is likely either the empty fritos bad in front of me or the starbucks mocha frappuccino my husband is walking in the door with for me right now.

This is EXACTLY how my cart looks as well! :LOL


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## Alkenny (May 4, 2004)

Best? Homegrown tomatoes, peppers, cukes, soy milk

Worst? Mountain Dew! YUCK! I don't drink the stuff, but DH does.


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