It is so unbelievably difficult to eat decent, quality food.. (freeze, donuts)
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Most grocery stores have an organic section. No need to shop at Whole Foods.
It appears that the implication is that the OP has zero access to any nearby grocery store.
While I do recognize that food deserts exist (particularly among low-income people in areas with limited public transportation, none of which I believe applies to the OP), I'm not sure that I buy that that's what's gong in the the OP's scenario. I don't think that severely curtailed access to grocery stores is the real issue, here.
Au Bon Pain--This place has decent food. I used to eat there sometimes but it's gone now.
I think we need more places like this. Let's face it, not everyone likes to cook or CAN even learn to cook. I cook, you cook, but the OP doesn't seem to have the interest or talent. I know, it doesn't take much but some people can't even boil water.
There SHOULD be some good, convenient places to eat and Au Bon Pain used to be one of them. There must be some left somewhere.
Also, when I was in England, I noticed that Bird's Eye made healthy frozen meals with no preservatives for sale in the grocery stores. I looked for similar over here but they don't offer the same things over here. Here, our frozen meals are laden with salt, chemical preservatives, all sorts of artificial additives. This unhealthy food isn't just an issue for people like the OP who won't/can't cook, but also for sick or elderly people who would certainly appreciate a good, healthy frozen meal.
I definitely understand where you coming from concerning this topic. I rarely ever eat out as there are no options for me most of the time. I've been a Diabetic for most of my life, and had to learn to live like that. I have to count carbs and eating out just makes it way to hard for me. There are no options, its all as you say junk food. So I always have to do my own cooking, and bring food choices with me. I can't depend on the trash restaurants in much of this country.
When I have driven cross country I have a terrible time. I have no choice but eat what I can find. I have checked out of motels, simply because I could not find any place I could eat at. For me eating a poor meal would be way to dangerous. So if I can't find a place to get a grilled chicken sandwich, or a salad I leave. The worst areas for these problems has been in the southeastern USA. I don't think I have to describe why. So I eat at home all the time. I also have to avoid activities like parties and pot lucks. I simply can't eat the food brought, and its to hard being around all the sweets and fat foods.
There is no answer because the US has a serious problem on this issue. Some state have tried to put bans on certain foods or drinks, but the populace won't tolerate the bans.
You may have to learn you will have to do your own cooking, and always bring food with you. It is a nation with many problems concerning the diets Americans eat. Personally I think its a laziness issue and a form of depression, that so many Americans don't take care of themselves.
And you apparently are under the misguided assumption that everyone likes the taste of chicken thighs. Which I, for one, most certainly DO NOT.
No, I'm not under any assumption, since it's already been established that some people claim to not like the taste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ringwise
Being raised to eat something doesn't mean you like it. I was raised on duck, venison and fish. Not one of those food items have crossed my lips since leaving home 30 years ago.
I can't think of any food I was actually raised on that I do not enjoy.
It's simple biology. Humans are meant to prefer and enjoy fatty meats. I think the reality of it is that many people (usually women) "teach" themselves not to like these foods. Either way, they're good for you, and you're doing your body a disservice by not eating them.
No, I'm not under any assumption, since it's already been established that some people claim to not like the taste.
I can't think of any food I was actually raised on that I do not enjoy.
It's simple biology. Humans are meant to prefer and enjoy fatty meats. I think the reality of it is that many people (usually women) "teach" themselves not to like these foods. Either way, they're good for you, and you're doing your body a disservice by not eating them.
What? We don't "teach" ourselves to not like fatty foods. Some people just don't like greasy fatty foods, never have and never will. There are people who don't like slimy foods and people who don't like rubbery foods and people who don't like spicy foods. The list goes on. Why on earth do you single out women as people who have decided to "teach" themselves to dislike fatty foods?
I do have a woman friend who actually enjoys eating the fatty part of the meat and the skins. Not me though. I eat fats, as in peanut butter or actual butter because I like them. I eat fats in cakes and pies because I like them. I don't enjoy gnawing on fatty, rubbery meat, that's all. I think meat is essential to the human diet and I make myself eat it but it just doesn't happen to be one of my favorite foods. I'll eat the white meat of chicken because I prefer it to the dark greasy meat. That is all.
I'm so sick and tired of how difficult it is to just be able to eat nutritious food!
I work long hours and am single, so naturally I dont keep a lot of food in my place to cook nutritious meals. I like to grab my food on the go, if possible.
Immediately in my neighborhood are the following food options:
2 mcdonalds Bahama Breeze
Chilis
On the Border
Barnes and Noble Cafe
Macaroni Grill
Chipotle Panera Bread Starbucks
Moe' Southwestern Grill
The corner Bakery Dunkin Donuts
"Cadillac Grill"-- American fried Cuisine
La Carreta- Cuban chain restaurant Denny's iHop
That's it.
As you can see it's all garbage. Every. Single. Place. Around me is garbage IMO.
All I want to be able to do is get some fresh veggies, a good carb, and a protein to eat. That's it. I dont want over-salted/seasoned meats. I hate fried foods. I don't want sweets. I. Just. Want. healthy food on the go. I'd pay extra for it!!!! But there is none.
So, I drive to Whole foods and pick out a few good foods to eat. But the nearest whole foods is far away from me and in rush hour traffic.... I can't do it it'll take two hours.
Can someone tell me why there is so so much garbage available!! I am bombarded with garbage. It's nearly impossible to get like some broccoli, chicken, and quinoa or brown rice! Nowhere serves veggies. No where serves food that isn't covered in shi!t!!
I'm becoming so frustrated. It should not be this difficult to eat a balanced diet without having to fire up the stove and oven for an hour and cook something! I just dont wanna do that. I work looong days and I do not wanna come home and start cooking and cleaning.
No wonder nearly half this country is overweight or diabetic. It's too easy to get crap. Crap is everywhere. One has to actively seek out non-crap. it's unbelieveable to me! It's almost impossible to get a healthy, nutritious meal where I live. I'd have to drive 10 miles to the nearest food vendor that doesn't serve you shi!iiit.
Some of those places mentioned do serve "healthy" options.
For example, at Bahama Breeze I usually have the grilled tilapia with vegetables. I like tilapia because it doesn't taste so "fishy" . It's light and fluffy and has so few calories and is so nutritious. Make sure to get it GRILLED with no toppings. They have the calorie information right on the menu.
Panera Bread has some good salads, and you can have half a sandwich and some soup. They have some healthy options beyond that:
McDonald's has salads, and they also have grilled chicken wraps (always loudly ask for GRILLED chicken, if you don't they will give you the breaded chicken by default. Check it to make sure they gave you the right thing). I also like their yogurt parfaits. They also have apple slices (usually on the kids' menu but I don't care.)
Doesn't Denny's have a salad bar? (We don't have them where I live.) Just choose the healthy stuff and avoid anything with mayonnaise (potato salad).
Starbucks also has some delicious Greek yogurt parfaits with honey and granola.
Barnes and Noble cafe has soups. They also have a "Farmer's Wrap" and a "Veggie Wrap" that are lower in calories than their other items.
IHOP also has few healthy options, and what they do does not taste very good. You can always get one egg plus whole-grain toast. Skip the pancakes and waffles!
Just remember to look for things that are GRILLED or BAKED, not fried. Avoid mayonnnaise and too much butter.
And avoid the desserts in these places! Many of them are well over 1000 calories! I do wish more of these places would offer "light" desserts such as sorbets.
Just remember, too, that no matter how busy you are you can keep healthy choices in your fridge. Cottage cheese, grilled chicken, fruit, and veggies, bags of salad. You can always buy them pre-cut and pre-washed. Yes, it's more expensive that way, but so is eating out! Any supermarket (not just Whole Foods) will have these items.
To the OP, there are some things at almost all of those places that I would consider healthy or at least not unhealthy.
If it bothers you that much, can you not just cook up some chicken rice and broccoli on Sunday Night and take it with you to work a few times during the course of the week?
A rice cooker is also handy for making dinner for one: put the rice and water in, then fill the steamer basket with veggies and a piece of fish or chicken, press the button and dinner is ready in 15 minutes.
The OP appears to be living in Brickell which has two Publix and a Whole Foods.
The Whole Foods is actually across the river - in downtown. Funny you mention Brickell. I was talking with our accountant the other day. He works in Coconut Grove. He had a meeting on Brickell the other day. And he said the traffic/parking there was simply awful. Like in a big city like New York. Also - it seems like one Publix only has a multi-story parking garage (don't know if it's free). Couldn't find pictures of the other Publix - but it is probably the same.
IOW - it looks like grocery shopping is kind of a PITA in this area. At least the quick "in and out" kind of grocery shopping I like to do. More "big city" than suburban. Also - although people who live in big cities can and do walk to do grocery shopping - the weather in Florida makes that difficult most of the year (your frozen foods would be defrosted after even a short walk in the sun). And that's assuming the OP lives within walking distance of a Publix location.
Another issue would be the type of offerings available in the grocery stores. The Publix closest to us was remodeled a couple of years ago - and turned into a hybrid between a conventional Publix and a Greenwise Publix. With more organic/"healthy" foods than those offered at a conventional Publix. Because that's what the market wanted. I don't know what's available in the OP's local stores. OTOH - I would be surprised if the OP couldn't find at least some things to his liking. Because a lot of younger people with reasonably good incomes live/work in this area. Robyn
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. It's light and fluffy and has so few calories and is so nutritious. Make sure to get it GRILLED with no toppings. They have the calorie information right on the menu.
I do wish more of these places would offer "light" desserts such as sorbets.
