Through my weight loss journey/self discovery, I've learned the art of healthy, gourmet cooking. I seriously feel like that has made this journey quite painless/effortless. It made it so easy to turn down food at parties, etc. because I honestly looked forward to my own pre-prepared meals (which I'd freeze a month in advance).
Ok...so now I've made my goal weight and I got to thinking about all the things I wanna do this summer. The only thing I could think of was, "how am I going to transport my meals?" and "I wonder if that hotel has a microwave?" Is that creepy/weird or what? I seriously PREFER my meals. I make very high quality and truly flavorfully delishous dishes and NO RESTAURANT can honestly touch my cooking with a 10 foot fork!
Sooo...I just finished lunch (marinated filet mignon w/A1 sauce, over mashed potatoes - yes, REAL butter and brocolli, AND my second...and last...SLICE of PUMPKIN PIE for dessert...YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!) and thought...I know...maybe it would just be more cost effective (considering how much is costs to EAT OUT), to just get some type of portable food heater. I can always transport my food in a cooler and if staying in a hotel, they've always got endless supplies of ice.
My question is....am I crazy for thinking like this? Is there anyone else in this entire world (or 3fc board) that loves their own food as much as I do and looks at places like Applebees, McDonalds, etc. as inferior/garbage not fit for human consumption?
Last edited by joyfulloser; 06-10-2011 at 12:40 PM.
My question is....am I crazy for thinking like this? Is there anyone else in this entire world (or 3fc board) that loves their own food as much as I do and looks at places like Applebees, McDonalds, etc. as inferior/garbage and do fit for human consumption?
No and yes, in that order.
My HR department hates me because when I travel for business, I do all kinds of crazy stuff like getting meal ingredients at grocery stores, and/or buying only a piece of protein from a restaurant (BBQ and Grill places are great for this - just buy a chicken breast or piece of steak) and putting them on salads from grocery store ingredients. They can never figure out what receipts go to what meals.
i feel the same way-we live with my husbands family (moving out next friday-yayyyyy!), and they LIVE off of hot pockets, pizza rolls, corn dogs, and hot dogs. its crazy..they are all really thin but they never cook at home, and i just cant handle all of the crap they put in their bodies-I CANT WAIT to cook my first meal back on my own (i do cook my own food there, but it isnt the same)
I don't think it is crazy at all! You love what you eat, you know it's good for you, so why sacrifice and eat something else you know you are going to dread eating. I say go for it! Show those fast food places and restaurant chains that you don't need to eat their "stuff"!
Cooking every meal for 9 months (not even eating out once), has really opened my eyes to alot of the crap these restaurants are using without care or concern to quality. Seems I'd rather pay $60 for an entire huge Costco sized filet of beef than one lousy dinner at the local Sizzler!
Last edited by joyfulloser; 06-10-2011 at 12:59 PM.
A few months ago, hubby, son and I "went out to eat" at McDonalds. I hadn't been in years - I am not much for fast food places. I got their angus burger. I felt ill for a FULL 24 hours afterwords. I do not feel like that after a good, homecooked or high end resturnat burger.
I hate how when you go out to eat, your options for veggies are a salad made of iceberg lettuce, broccoli or mixed veggies. And they always come swimming in some kind of butter/oil concoction. ~gag~ There are sooo many veggies and so many different ways to cook them - I would rather do it myself.
It has become somewhat of a problem for us to eat out because I have become such a great cook. I also cook very healthy and gourmet dishes that usually taste better than I can get anywhere out. My boyfriend always prefers for me to cook, but sometimes feels guilty and wants to take me out. If we do go out it has to be really high quality food. Fast food is never an option for us.
I WISH this was a problem, you ladies are a true inspiration and I've been meaning to ask you JoyfulLoser how your "frozen meals" bit works: what containers do you use to freeze the meals? How do you do it? I've always wanted to know!!! PLEASE tell me, I've gotten better at preparing meals, but between school, work, working out and LIFE I wish I could just pop a "meal" into the microwave and go from there...sooooo much easier, thanks in advance!
I guess for me, when my husband and I go out to eat, we go to good restaurants. Not crappy chains or fast food places. High-end bistros, delicious Indian food, Ethiopian, Burmese -- stuff that we never make at home, and never as well (and my husband is quite a good cook). So while I agree that I prefer home cooking to Applebees or McDonald's, it's nice every few months to go to a place that cooks a particular style of fare well. Last night, we went out to a bistro and I had steamed mussels and duck leg confit. Not my average meal at home, certainly! It was so good! And while I had a few more calories than I'd normally have with a meal at home, it was worth it for the ambiance and flavor.
I heard somewhere that many hotels can bring a microwave to your room if you ask. Maybe you don't have to invest in a portable device.
Most run of the mill restaurants just aren't good enough to waste money/calories on.
I do travel quite a bit for work, and I do enjoy the fact that someone else is paying to feed me for a few days. If I can order off the menu wherever I am, I don't mind being a pain in the butt, asking for substitutions and deletions and all that jazz. If the only option is fast food, I'll probably have almonds or whatever else I can find in the bottom of my briefcase.
I hate when the only option is some crappy buffet. I usually end up getting a huge plate of salad, and then picking some chicken out of whatever gloppy pasta dish they are serving, wiping off the sauce as best I can, and enduring the weird looks from my colleagues.
I think doing what works for you is the only good option.
Ok...so you guys DO know what I mean. If I could get the same QUALITY eating out, then I really wouldn't mind it on occasion (being I'm cheap...sooooo), but I just feel like I'm paying through the nose for CRAP. I'm mad as heck and I'm not gonna take it anymore!
Sooooo...I was thinking...I should do something CELEBRATORY for meeting my 60 lb weight loss goal. I thought, hmmm...since I love food, why not prepare something really delishous, something that I'd spend an arm and a leg on in one of my favorite 5-star dining establishment. Below is what I came up with:
Main Course:
1. Lobster tail w/drawn butter
2. Baked potato
3. grilled asparagus over baby spinach
For Appetizer:
4. Crablegs w/drawn butter
So whatchu think...any other suggestions?
Last edited by joyfulloser; 06-10-2011 at 02:07 PM.
I'm not really like this (yet)! But hopefully soon, eh? I can cook pretty well but I'm kind of lazy when it comes to things like cooking although I do eat mostly home-cooked meals because that's what fits in with my lifestyle right now. I find I enjoy food more when other people make it because by the time I've made a meal, I'm all "fooded" out by the taste, smell etc and usually don't feel much like eating it that day anymore. I love to eat out and admit to occasionally indulging in crap food, but I think the one way in which I'm similar to what you described is that I no longer eat things that I don't like the taste of just because I paid for them. I'm not going to waste calories on something I won't enjoy.
I for one, love to go out to eat. I'm a pretty decent cook, and I love to put on a spread, but I just get so tired of cleaning up the mess. Cooking day in and day out for my family of starving wolves takes it's toll. Even with the freshest farm raised beef, pork and poultry...even with the huge organic garden out back...Give me an invite from any of our dearest friends and I can stick the roast back in the freezer in a heartbeat!
We live many miles from the nearest fast food restaurant, but we have some absolutely wonderful locally owned diners and cafes. They need the business and I need a break sometimes
To be fair, I've been to one or two nice restaurants (not chains) in my time that had food worthy of the calories.
But, chain restaurants? Quite frankly Applebee's has possibly the most disgusting food I've ever tasted in my entire life. I would literally rather skip a meal than choose anything at that chain.
Every once in a very great while I've had fast food... and it is what it is. It's not superb. It's okay if I'm in a true rush. And as long as it's not every week (and as long as it's never Applebees), then I'm okay with it.
By the way, that celebratory meal you've picked out sounds divine! I hope you enjoy it. =)
Sooooo...I was thinking...I should do something CELEBRATORY for meeting my 60 lb weight loss goal. I thought, hmmm...since I love food, why not prepare something really delishous, something that I'd spend an arm and a leg on in one of my favorite 5-star dining establishment. Below is what I came up with:
Main Course:
1. Lobster tail w/drawn butter
2. Baked potato
3. grilled asparagus over baby spinach
For Appetizer:
4. Crablegs w/drawn butter
So whatchu think...any other suggestions?
OMG, my mouth is watering...that sounds extravagant! I give it two thumbs up!
I never want to eat out AGAIN!!!
) and thought...I know...maybe it would just be more cost effective (considering how much is costs to EAT OUT), to just get some type of portable food heater. I can always transport my food in a cooler and if staying in a hotel, they've always got endless supplies of ice.
Is there anyone else in this entire world (or 3fc board) that loves their own food as much as I do and looks at places like Applebees, McDonalds, etc. as inferior/garbage not fit for human consumption?
), but I just feel like I'm paying through the nose for CRAP. I'm mad as heck and I'm not gonna take it anymore!
