Thursday 13: 13 items I currently buy at the grocery store that I want to make from scratch consistently

ood has become a hot topic, especially when you start talking about nutrition and how to eat better... lots of judgment, lots of ideas about what's right, what's wrong and lots of conversation about how everyone should be more conscious about their food choices.

So this post comes with no judgment. What you eat is your business. This is just where I'm at: looking for ways to eat fewer processed foods and more real foods, because I simply know that I feel better and more energetic when I do. Which is not to say that I won't ever have my cheesey potatoes at Taco Bell, or my onion rings with tartar sauce at The IceBurg, or my queso and chips at Taco Del Mar, or chomp through a package of Twizzlers or Junior Mints with real movie theater popcorn, or... well, you get my drift. I'm human. I live on this planet and I love to eat.

I've been making a conscious effort to bring less processed stuff into the house, and it leaves a few gaps, I'll say that. And requires more of me in the way of prep and cooking. So these changes will take time. But for the moment, here are the 13 things I want to start making more of myself, passing by those middle aisles in the grocery store...

1. Cereal. Just need to convert the boy to granola... (Full disclosure: I succumbed to General Mills' marketing this week and bought the chocolate Cheerios AND the banana nut Cheerios "just to see what they taste like." Ugh. Not so much. But still, I had to give it a try. Why?)

2. Chips. I think of these as edible food-like substances (to crib a line from Michael Pollan). I'd like to say good bye even to the baked ones, but that will take a minute or two.

3. Crackers. Ditto.

4. Pasta. It's so easy to make from scratch, I can't believe I don't do it more often. I have the coolest attachment for my Kitchen Aid, there's really no excuse.

5. Salad dressing. So easy. And always tastes better homemade, too. I used to make ALL my own salad dressings when catering, but have slipped back to the bottle...

6. Yogurt. Mostly because I know I could and it would make me feel all Pioneer Woman-y. (I don't even know if she makes yogurt, it just sounds like something she would. I just bought her book last night, so I'm eager to check it out--my kind of cookbook: lots of pictures and all 4-color!)

7. Bread. Kind of a given, if I'm going to knock crackers and chips off the list. I'm not such a yeast girl, so I need to work on this one...

8. Spaghetti sauce/pasta sauce. I made a bunch this last summer and we've already gone through quite a bit of it... so next summer, even more!

9. Salsa. This is difficult in the winter when tomatoes taste like cardboard, but it's still a goal...

10. Soup. There's nothing like a canned or boxed soup to up the sodium content immediately. So as rarely as I do open those cans/boxes, I'd like to do it even less.

11. Ice cream/sorbet/gelato. Homemade flavor, yum. And very easy, too.

12. Cakes/cupcakes. I am much too reliant on mixes. Not because I can't make a cake, but because I've become lazy. Yep, I said it.

13. Macaroni and cheese. This is one of Seth's staples... Mac-n-cheese-n-peas. But as I poured that bright orange powder into the pot tonight, I just had to say I've bought the last case of that from Costco. This one will take work, but he's a game guy and I bet I can convert him. I'll keep you posted.

One thing I don't think I'll ever be able to make... and don't really feel the need to, is CHEESE. I will be happy buying cheese until the day I die.

If you're interested in information on this topic, I can't imagine anyone more worthy of reading than Michael Pollan. I've read most of his books, and been alternately frightened and inspired; frightened at what I've been eating without consideration, and inspired to eat more thoughtfully.

Here's an interview from epicurious.com with Mr. Pollan. And his new book, Food Rules, was featured yesterday on Oprah, along with the movie, Food, Inc. I can't say I'm exactly looking forward to seeing that movie, but I know I should watch it, and I will. 

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