People in the supermarket with ONLY meat and vegetables in their trolley

[Mushroomwithaview]

I feel like they are higher beings. Like elves maybe. Nothing processed. Just 2 duck breasts and some bok choi and spring onions, and a packet of raw almonds. Maybe a jar of smoked paprika.

I try and feed us all healthily and I mostly think I do okay until I'm lining up next to one of these elves and I have a packet of hobnobs, and a box of cornflakes, and a tin of flavoured tuna for DS's sandwiches, and bread, of course, and a box of frozen breaded fish fillets because there's no time to cook on Wednesdays, and some of that flavoured porridge as a treat so DD will get up early without complaining, and a bag of crisps for me (I deserve a treat), and a plastic tub of spreadable Olivio for lunchboxes, ready made falafel and a squirty aioli because it was on offer, and ... and...

I like to imagine that somewhere, in another life, I am buying one whole fish and an entire head of purple cabbage. Some persimmons. Coriander, silverbeet, rabbit kidneys...

An elf here - with a large family (including teenagers). They are happy to eat what is in the house (and do not have the money to buy crap from elsewhere). We have homemade dinners, bread, kefir, biscuits (made from oats, milk and not too much sugar)...absolutely no UPFs. Why would anyone knowingly use food that is damaging to health as a reward? Weird!

I mostly buy raw ingredients, there's a lot of reasons for it, some allergy related, mostly I like cooking. But we do a lot of the same things week in week out because I've got them down to a fine art and batch cook them so there's tonnes in the freezer.

Equally, there's always a bag of nuggets, oven chips, fish fingers in the freezer. I rely heavily on frozen veg on work days to make things feel healthy. Some days we have beans on toast.

But if you saw a trolley or basket in the supermarket, you'd think I only bought meat and veg. Cos I only shop in person when I need a few bits. Everything else comes to the door.

I have to say, my shopping trolley looks much better when my 18~20yo arent at home.

I shop 3-4 times a week if I've not got a hello fresh box so my trolley would look healthy as it's just one meal plus some fruit often. The treats and cereal get bought on Saturdays by dp! That said we don't buy many processed foods

Sorry, that was probably me you were behind! Meat, veg and ingredients to produce a weeks worth of meals in my supermarket trolley. But, this is because I go to Homebargains for my crisps and biscuits and frozen process food. 😅

@Mushroomwithaview Yup! My hobby is observing what’s in the trolley and how health the trolley pusher looks!

Nah, they have had all the usual processed yummy stuff delivered in the weekly online shop, and have popped out for poncy fresh ingredients because MIL has invited herself for dinner at short notice.

i think this too!

I try to unload the unhealthy food first so the person behind me in the queue might not notice.

Why do I do that?

I also love it when there’s some old couple buying 2 bottles of gin and a bag of peanuts. I’m gonna be that old lad one day.

That's me, but I'm closer to a hobbit than an elf, I assure you!

This is me... but, if you were within 3m of me and my stomach if I've ever caved and bought those delicious hob knobs / breakfast cereal / waffles you would consider me to be a much lower being 😂😅

It's pure necessity to avoid absolute agony - but even then, half the time I cave because I can't resist and suffer the consequences!

I do this, but only because I only go to the supermarket for meat and veg - ie "meal" food. I eat plenty of crisps and chocolate too but pop to the corner shop for those as and when I need them!

This is me too.

All organic, unprocessed and largely paleo-friendly food.

But DH has crohns and DC has multiple allergies. I feel I'm swimming against the tide trying my best to make the healthiest unprocessed meals but at the end of the day their gut health is worse than other people who eat easy processed meals. It's quite depressing really!

Would you really think someone buying just a pack of meat and some vegetables didn't have a refrigerator?

It won't have been me today, all I bought was tissues and a pack of sausages.

It seems a bit of a leap, doesn't it. Rather than my usual thing of "I forgot to get something out of the freezer for tea, I'll stop on my way home".

I only have junk food yes i know im disgusting.

I would aspire to an elfin shop if it wasn't for my family, but I have picky young hobbits to keep sated. Teenage hobbit gets through a lot of own-brand chocolate hobnobs. At least they keep his bowels moving

My locusts ate bread, omelettes cheese and fruit!

Elves have the worst shopping trolleys - full of lembas which is basically rice cakes smothered with msg.

Less of a leap than thinking they might be elves😉

(I'd probably just think, "They've only got a couple of things in their basket, I'll let them go through the checkout in front of me.")

Ain't that the truth I have spent a fortune over the past couple of days in sainsbury, s all the nice stuff goes straight away two teen boys 🙄

Me too! I did make a beautiful meal plan once to help organise the shop- used coloured pens and everything! On the fourth day I started bunging stuff in the microwave.

I always think if I were shopping just for me, I would have a basket as you describe. But I have to buy shit for the rest of the family because that's what they eat. So today I had fresh vegetables, salads, fruit, packets of seeds and nuts for me, but crisps, biscuits and bloody cocopops for the rest of the family.

I stood behind a guy who must be a personal trainer. He was dressed in sports shorts and t-shirt and you could tell that he really worked out. His basket contained all good things, not even any meat. The most processed food was a tub of posh coleslaw. I felt completely inadequate. But then I inspected his basket closer and he had a couple of ..... I don't know what they were ..... something like an air freshener? And my inner nose wrinkled in disgust. He may work out and eat pure foods, but he is happy to contaminate his lungs with chemicals.

So, you know, maybe forgive yourself your hobnobs and cornflakes.

Tuna with onion and tomato is a favourite.
Masala tuna.
Smoked tuna.
Tomato and basil tuna.
Apparently lemon tuna is gross.
Caramelised onion tuna.
Tom Yum tuna
Sweet chili tuna (surprisingly spicier than you'd think)

That's me but I live alone. Makes meals very easy when you are only catering for yourself