Food Advice

[l0cke]

I'm living in an apartment now and have realized I don't know what food normal people eat.

So, normal people, what do you eat?

Particularity people who get food from Costco, as I live about 50 meters away from one and have a membership. I'm just overwhelmed when I walk in and end up buying 69 bagel bites or something like that.

 

[shortylickens]

Canned goods are slightly healthier than frozen dinners.

Get a steamer and fresh veggies. VERY good for your body. Also, I really like Bob Evans dinners, much better than instant food.

 

[Rumpltzer]

I live alone, and I go to Costco about once a week. My Costco food staples are coffee, fresh fruit and bananas, yogurt, soy milk, eggs, frozen berries, cereal, cheese, dry spaghetti pasta, nuts, gum, and frozen chicken breasts. I shop at regular grocery store for other foods that I won't use in quantity or where I prefer brands that Costco doesn't carry.

Costco has lots of frozen prepared foods as long as you can take eating the same thing (I assume limited freezer space for large packages).

I cook, and I have a smoothie for lunch four days a week.

This week, I made three meals (I make extra and eat the same thing on multiple days).
1. spaghetti with meat sauce
2. pork chops with fried onions or fried apples, macaroni & cheese, sauteed carrots
3. brats cut up into cubes and fried with onions and green peppers served on sesame seed rolls

Dude food. Easy to prepare. Minimal dishes.

 

[OverVolt]

Canned goods are slightly healthier than frozen dinners.

Get a steamer and fresh veggies. VERY good for your body. Also, I really like Bob Evans dinners, much better than instant food.

No... just no.

Isn't like 75% of the back panel the ingredients list, for... mashed potatoes? What could possible be in there except potatoes, butter, seasoning, preservative.

Potatoes, Whole Milk, Butter (Cream Salt), Margarine (Liquid and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Whey, Soy Lecithin, Mono And Diglycerides, Sodium Benzoate [Preservative], Artificial Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate), Contains 2% or Less of the Following: Salt, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Spice, Artificial Color, Mono and Diglycerides.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Time-to-fatten-up-our-dietst.htm

It likely has just under 2.5g transfat

Stearic acid seems to be the least bad because it’s rather quickly converted into a healthful monounsaturated fat and doesn’t increase LDL levels very much, if at all. That’s good news for steak lovers: Half of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid

Alot of people dunno wtf they doing when it comes to stuff like this. I'll eat a steak and people tell me its unhealthy, as they sit there and cram down trans fat something or another.

 

[Rumpltzer]

The OP said nothing about healthy. He asked what "normal people" (people on ATOT???) are eating.

Getting bent out of shape over margarine... pfffftt!

 

[OverVolt]

Super bent out of shape!!!

You can ignore what I said and just read the link.

 

[chusteczka]

Super bent out of shape!!!

You can ignore what I said and just read the link.

It is funny how you are focused on the fat while I am more worried about:

Sodium Benzoate [Preservative], Artificial Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Artificial Color.

We all have different priorities.

But then it is the artificial fats you are worried about, just like I am worried about the artificial preservatives, flavoring, and coloring.

 

[ponyo]

If you're single, Costco is not the best store to shop for food. Trader Joe's is the place for singles. TJ's sells organic banana for 19 cents each. 1 lb of 80/20 ground beef is $2.69 /lb everyday. Why people shop at Whole Foods when Trader Joe's will sell similar organic items for 1/2 the price I do not know.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Just remember what Kramer always said, "I want EXTRA MSG Jerry.."

 

[olds]

If you are single, just drink beer and eat peanut butter/butter sandwiches.

 

[allisolm]

If you eat cereal, Costco currently has a 48oz box (2 separate sealed bags) of Honey Bunches of Oats w/almonds for $4.xx. Just one box (about 12oz) at the grocery store here is over $4.

 

[MontyAC]

You can try out Costco's prepared dishes in the meat department. You just pop them into the oven. Or get their rotissiere chicken or bbq ribs.

 

[Rumpltzer]

If you eat cereal, Costco currently has a 48oz box (2 separate sealed bags) of Honey Bunches of Oats w/almonds for $4.xx. Just one box (about 12oz) at the grocery store here is over $4.

When I write "cereal" on my Costco shopping list, Honey Bunches of Oats is what I mean.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

l0cke, Costco isn't the best place if you're just buying for one person. As far as eating better, it's not rocket science. You want to eat a variety of foods and not just your favorites. Different flavored bagels, chips and, pop-tarts don't count as variety.

I'm sorry you didn't take the time to learn how to cook. So, learn! Get a cookbook and dig in.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Bulk chicken breasts, cook a few when you have a day off or some times, put them in the fridge. You have them there for the next few days to quickly heat up.

Toss in some veggies and a carb, and you have a quick healthy meal.

Being the summer, we buy as much fresh fruits and veggies as possible at local markets.

And don't forget Peanut Butter and Jelly, if you don't have a peanut allergy that is.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pizza is a bachelor's dream food. 25-30 bucks and you have yourself at least 4 meals if you don't pig out on it. When I work night shifts I always order a large and it lasts me for my whole set of nights. (usually 4 at once).

As for healthy... yeah, it's not exactly, healthy.

 

[nageov3t]

I'm single and live alone.

I cook a lot of soups and chilis -- ideally stuff that I can cook ahead and eat all week, or freeze in portion-sized containers.

I also try to repurpose food... I may grill some salmon for dinner one night, and then throw the leftovers in a pan with scrambled eggs the next morning. chicken is also good for that -- grilled chicken one night, then shred the leftovers and put them in a stew.

otherwise, sandwiches, burgers, and takeout.

edit: the one thing I never prepare at home is salad... I just can't eat the veggies fast enough to justify buying them all. so when I'm craving a salad, I'll just get a green salad from the pizzeria on my way home from work or hit up the salad bar at a decent grocery store.

the salad bar is also a great option if you're making something like burgers/sandwiches and only want a couple leaves of lettuce (instead of an entire head)... I do that at work sometimes. I'll bring a plain sandwich for lunch, hit the salad bar downstairs for fresh lettuce/tomatoes, and then put them on my sandwich.

 

[l0cke]

l0cke, Costco isn't the best place if you're just buying for one person. As far as eating better, it's not rocket science. You want to eat a variety of foods and not just your favorites. Different flavored bagels, chips and, pop-tarts don't count as variety.

I'm sorry you didn't take the time to learn how to cook. So, learn! Get a cookbook and dig in.

Should have mentioned this in the OP, I'm living with two other roommates (who also don't know what to eat) and we split the grocery bills.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I have some things on my list to look at next time ^_^

 

[OverVolt]

I like to poach chicken and make chicken sandwiches etc.

Learn how to make some awesome basics, like omelettes. I also make whole roasted chickens once in awhile for sandwiches too. A small one, not a big one lol. If you make a roasted chicken for your roommates, and use it to make sandwiches and salads, they will love you forever.

The day you cook it eat it, take the leftovers and put it into a container for sandwiches. Buy some vegetables (lettuce, onion, carrot,etc.) and make a chicken salad like in 2-3 days.

Learn one thing at a time and eventually you will develop routine habits like "im feeling like that roasted chicken thing we do" Which is how it works with me

 

[Screech]

Also in the living-alone boat.

Breakfast: Some mixture of toast, eggs, cereal, or chili (if I have some laying around.....)

Lunch: Sandwich or chicken tacos or taquitos (can be bought by the ton from costco) or chili, plus fruit

Dinner: Potatoes bombs if I have the supplies (potatoes, carrots, onion, sausage) or chicken of some variety, or spaghetti (super cheap and easy), or something mexican (it ain't that difficult, really), or chili. Or any of the lunch foods....

Cliffs: I like chili. Veggies, not so much.

 

[nageov3t]

Cliffs: I like chili. Veggies, not so much.

:thumbsup:

soup/stew is a pretty good way of getting your veggies in.

I love making gumbo... I've also fallen in love with carbonnade flamande (aka: beer, beef, and onion stew)

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Another good way to get your veggies is stir fry. Get a wok and an assortment of sauces til you get the hang of it. You can use any assortment of veggies and meat really and serve it atop rice or soba noodles.

The bottom line is you HAVE to invest time learning to cook. There is no "easy" button.

 

[Baked]

If you're eating just by yourself, do not under any circumstances, no matter how cheap the food is at Costco, buy bulk produce. It will go bad, really really fast on you and waste your money. Only buy them fresh at your local grocery store.

Food you can buy from Costco: Meat and frozen food. I buy pasta, pasta sauce, meatball, wings, sausage, salmon, steak, pork chop, muffins, bread, beer, yogurt, granola bars, and fresh pastry from Costco.

 

[Matthiasa]

Hmm stuff I have in my fridge, freezer and well elsewhere includes:
Chicken (thighs and boneless skinless breasts), Fish, various sausages, various dairy products, butter, dried pasta noodles (various types), canned tomatoes (various types), flour(wheat and white), various sauces, lemons, various dried herbs, various dried spices, eggs, sugar(white and brown), yeast, celery, carrots, green onions... lots of other stuff.

So basically anything that can be made with those.

Though honestly I make homemade pasta and pizza more than almost anything else.
Pizza, if you don't go overboard on the cheese and meat, can actually be a fairly well balanced meal. Grains, dairy, meats, vegetables, etc.
Chicken is also really easy to do backed. A whole breast or thigh, maybe 2, in the oven plus other stuff is an easy meal. Same for fish.

 

[xanis]

Keep it simple. For example: Get yourself some tilapia (or whatever fish you prefer), bake it with some olive oil, garlic, and herbs, and serve with a bag of microwave steamed veggies and/or a microwave Uncle Ben's rice bag.

Another favorite is meatloaf. If you do it right, you can make an enormous amount of delicious meatloaf and have leftovers for days.