I have a problem. This problem, you see, has to do with grocery shopping. There are some things at the grocery store I should never buy. N-e-v-e-r. Not because these food items are yummy, high in calories or fat content. But because once I start eating them, I just cant stop.
It all began when I was a teenager. My boyfriend dumped me at the same time my best friend, Corinne, was dumped by her boyfriend. We bought a large box of Double Stuf Oreos, poured two glasses of milk, and ate them all. We didnt leave a single crumb.
It didnt make me feel any better, just fatter and a little sick.
When Mike and I were first married, I bought strawberry Toaster Strudel and could consume a box full in a single day. Sweet, melted icing on top, hot strawberry fruit inside. They melted in my mouth and went straight to my hips.
Through all my pregnant and nursing-mom years, I ate box loads of frozen cookie dough from Schwans. The little disks of cookie dough and chocolate chip heaven. I dont think in all the years I bought those I ever baked a single batch of cookies. They were much better straight from the freezer at three in the morning for a quick sugar fix when I was up and didnt want to be because a baby was crying or wanted to be fed.
Through one of my pregnancies I craved Pinwheels. Those yummy cookies with marshmallow on top all dipped in chocolate and shaped like a wheel. Now, those are sold in such small boxes I could eat all of them at one sitting.
When temptation hits, I buy Swiss Cake Rolls and I am in serious trouble. I hide them in the back of pantry on the top shelf behind the box of evaporated milk and graham crackers. Shhh, dont tell my family. I only eat Swiss Cake Rolls after the kids are in bed because there is no way I am sharing those babies.
One year, I became a huge fan of shortbread cookies. I can eat the whole box with only one glass of milk. Two sleeves gone in the blink of an eye.
And now, I have Girl Scout cookies in my cupboard and they are driving me nuts. I never should have bought them in the first place. But they had a drive up table on the corner near where I live. I was driving by, and like a magnet, they pulled me in. Thin Mints, Samoas and shortbread cookies. I have already eaten more than my share and my waistline is suffering for sure.
I have a problem. There are some things I just cant seem to stop myself from eating until the box is empty. And it just keeps getting worse. Even when I try to be good, when I try to buy carrots and celery stalks, apples and bananas to snack on, I end up eating handfuls of frozen semi-sweet chocolate chips in a pinch to feed my habit. And, by the way, they are frozen so I wont be tempted to eat them. See how well that worked out?
There are just some things I should never buy. But in my weakest moments, they end up in my cart, my pantry and on my hips.
Maybe someday Ill outgrow this habit. Or maybe Ill just stop going to the grocery store altogether.
Catch up with Trish at www.TrishBerg.com where you can read her Tips for Tuesday each week. You can also find Trish on Facebook and Twitter.
