its so strange to think back to the times when i bought groceries or ate food without a thought of any kind as to what was in it or where it came from. the challenge of becoming vegetarian turned into an entirely new lifestyle and one i completely enjoy… many of my friends are always curious about what i eat, so i thought i’d share what grocery shopping is like for me.
i generally go to whole foods. i am aware that not everyone believes they can afford to shop at whole foods, but i believe its possible. it may be because i am only shopping for myself, but i am able to make 2-3 meals out of whatever i cook. so, it goes a long way and i cut back on eating out, which is another bonus. i occasionally go to trader joes or kroger, but usually this is only for certain things that i know are cheaper or if i am being a little lazy about driving.
i almost always go with 2 recipes in mind that i want to eat for the week. tonight i wanted to make zucchini and black bean tacos and then also try sweet potato and black bean quesadillas with guacamole as well in the next couple of days. i got what i needed and then moved on to more of my staples: tempeh [for quick stir fry or to possibly add to either recipe], a little granola for my [soy] yogurts, some fruit, sprouted grain english muffins and pita pockets, hummus, no salt peanut butter that i grind at the store, a few dried fruit and nut bars, and some “treats” like a kombucha, salsa and blue corn chips and also some vegan chocolate chips for baking [and the occasional by-the-handful treat].
grocery shopping is kind of therapeutic for me. it gets my mind off of things and i could walk around for hours. i think i could actually go on a date to whole foods [is that weird? probably a little.]
i am approaching the two year mark and honestly, i don’t think i will ever eat meat again. here are a few things that i’ve realized i get super weird about now:
if i am at a cook-out, i request my own tiny space on the grill for whatever i brought. i just don’t like the idea of my veggie burger or vegetables being cooked on top of where a burger laid. and the spatula… i totally make sure cross-contamination is avoided 
i get anxiety when the possibility of cooking meat crosses my mind. i decided i wanted to cook a recipe with meat in it for someone i dated. as silly as it may sound, i thought it was a way for me to show love in a sacrificial way and while it was something i assumed i would never do again, i totally considered it. he didn’t understand the underlying reasons as to why i offered and brushed off the idea, so i never did it. [and, well, let's just say i am thankful for that.]
if i have kids, i really don’t want them to eat meat [going back to the whole anxiety thing]. i know it won’t entirely be up to me and i also would never force it if they were not happy.
so, anyway, i got asked a few questions about my eating habits while visiting family and thought i’d put this out there!
and, a teeny little vent: i don’t know why anyone thinks if there is meat in something, i should just “pick around it.” there, i said it.
